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SAN JUAN/DOLORES BASIN Mar-05 Basinwide Conditions Assessment The SWSI value of 2.9 indicates that for February the basin water supplies were above normal. The Natural Resourees Conservation Serviee reports that Mareh 1 snowpaek is 145% of normal. Flow at the gaging station Animas River near Durango was 374 efs, as compared to the long-term average of 208 efs. Storage in McPhee, Valleeito, and Lemon reservoirs totaled 85% of normal as of the end of February. The water supply situation ehanged dramatieally during January and February. One of the fastest aeeumulations of snow paek administrators elaim to have seen oeeurred whieh brought snow moisture eontent up to 160% of normal with more than 27" of water on the average snow eourse. The snow water density was high for this time of year (around 30%) and total aceumulation was the highest sinee 1997 and 1993. The Dolores drainage was lower but still held well above average water eontent. Preeipitation overall was 25% above normal with the yearly total amounting to 133 inehes in Durango (161% of average). There were 14 days of measurable aeeumulation during February, and this fell as rain or wet snow so that by the end of the month mueh of the low elevation snow ran into the ground or off to the streams. Temperatures were near normal highs but well above the normal lows (80 F higher). Stream flows were flowing well above 150% of normal at the end of the month, with the Animas at Durango at 371 efs and the Dolores River at the town of Dolores at 98 efs. Due to runoff expeetations, Valleeito releases were being made. Other reservoirs were gaining and near normal exeept at MePhee whieh rose to 85% with 216,000 aere feet. Soil moisture is in exeellent shape and promises to give vegetation an early boost for growth in the spring. Outlook The water aeeumulation was eneouraging, but with the warm temperatures there was some coneern about how long the runoff would last. Also, the possibility of flooding was developing, espeeially if the preeipitation continues. The aetual runoff eould vary considerably depending on the weather over the next month a half. There will be a eontrolled spill oeeurring from MePhee Reservoir at some point this year. Publie Use ImDaets From the La Plata Mountains eastward to Wolf Creek Pass, heavy snow aeeumulated over an unstable base eausing many snow slides to run during February. It would appear that white water reereation will be good this year. ~ w 3 < > " ~ o z - ., > ~ 0" ., 1i "".000 ~ ~ ;1fl1,cm g ~ Ul ;:::: 100,00> ~ ::> " a 50,(0) 1 1100,000 f 150,000 ;n ~ 100,000 o 9 ~"""" . .m.re ..m97 Jin93 Jm.99 Jln..OO J<n.()1 Jao1..02 Ja1-03 Ja1..04 .Jal.{fi ~,- -"NMo\S R\fR J\R D..R/lN3:) R..ON BY V\ATER YEPR 25llOOO o Qi toe ..., Fd> """" "'" Apil -a- V\ET(1973) -- [R( (ZXl2) "*2005 ~AVJ REPRESENTATIVE RESERVOIRS 300,000 250,000 50,000 o M_ Vallecito '- .Avg.02I28Contents .02f28105Contents