WATFSummaryNov2002 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

RIO GRANDE BASIN Basinwide Conditions Assessment The SWSI value of -2,9 indicates that for October the basin water supplies were well below normal, Flow at the gaging station Rio Grande near Del Norte was 215 cfs, as compared to the long-term average of 446 cfs (48% of normal), The Conejos River near Mogote had a mean flow of 48 cfs (41% of normal), Storage in Platoro, Rio Grande, and Santa Maria reservoirs totaled 88% of normal as of the end of October, During October precipitation in Alamosa was 0,57 inches, 0,10 inches below normal. Rain and snowfall events late in the month brought significant snowpack to the mountains, As the month drew to a close, the sight of white- capped peaks surrounding the San Luis Valley was delightful, Outlook Precipitation in the basin during October improved the soil moisture and stream flow conditions, Although not yet back to normal, the increases were encouraging, Optimism over the snowpack in the higher elevations may be a bit premature, Natural Resource Conservation Service precipitation reports indicate the current snowpack to be near historic averages, A look back at the last several years revealed the trend that high runoff years were preceded by above average snowpack in the fall and low runoff years by poor fall snowpack, Administrative/ManaQement Concerns Reservoirs in the basin reduced outflows and began storing inflow as October came to a close, The irrigation demand should continue until weather conditions make water diversions a solid, rather than liquid, proposition, Administrators look at these late season irrigation runs as an opportunity to recharge the Valley's aquifers, Also, they won't adversely impact Colorado's delivery obligation under the Rio Grande Compact as any delivery requirement to New Mexico and Texas was fulfilled earlier this year, Public Use Imoacts The weather was sufficiently mild to allow those ditches in priority to continue to divert for irrigation throughout October, Lack of water for livestock continues to be a problem for many ranchers, A couple of reports were received that artesian flow recently returned to some confined aquifer wells, Enough snow fell in the mountains that Wolf Creek ski area opened for business, li""JlOO l:roJlOO ~ it 100.000 w > " ~100.ooo => " => '-' "'JlOO j ~1&0X> ~ . !l <1)10,COO :a ~ => 13 Nov-02 ........ " " . -4"""''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''': Jnlll Ja>ElI Ja>Q; Jnlll J1dJl JnllI Ja>m JnlXl JnOl Jn02 """- 00 GRA/'LlE I'R DEL.N:RTE. FLOIV BY VW\1ER 'rEAR 3:XlJlOO o '" ,..., "'" .... Fob MI"ch Apil ~\MIT(1987) ~ 1lRY(2OO2) ......AVG ~ :ro3 FEFfESENTATfJEFESEFM:m 25.0X> ".OX> &OX> o RoQa-de """" Sarta\bia 1IA'iig;10010:rt!rt$ llll10'31A)20:ir1Ei't$