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<br />GUNNISON BASIN
<br />
<br />Basinwide Conditions Assessment
<br />The SWSI value of 0.8 indicates that for May the
<br />basin water supplies were near normal. The Natural
<br />Resources Conservation Service reports that June 1
<br />snowpack was 119% of normal. Flow at the gaging station
<br />Uncompahgre River near Ridgway was 479 cfs, as
<br />compared to the long-term average of 329 cfs, Storage in
<br />Taylor Park, Crawford, and Fruitland reservoirs totaled 112%
<br />of normal as of the end of May,
<br />After high snowpack levels, and a cooler than normal
<br />April, the spring runoff finally got started after a warm spell In
<br />the middle of May, The stream flows in the Gunnison River
<br />and tributaries were well above average in the month of May,
<br />The high flows, discussed later in this report, have subsided
<br />with cooler weather at the end of the month. Although it was
<br />anticipated that the peak runoff would occur in the middle of
<br />June, it probably happened on May 22"' for streams from the
<br />Grand Mesa and the North Fork of the Gunnison River,
<br />
<br />Outlook
<br />The upper Gunnison River and Uncompahgre Rivers
<br />will likely come back strong when the hot summer weather
<br />comes and the high snow gets it's highest daily melt.
<br />Whether they have enough snow left to exceed the peak in
<br />May remains to be seen.
<br />
<br />Administrative/Manaoement Concerns
<br />The high flows on May 20 through 25 caused some
<br />localized flooding on Surface Creek near Cedaredge,
<br />Kannah Creek Near Grand Junction, and the North Fork of
<br />the Gunnison River near Paonia, The high water damaged
<br />headgate structures, eroded banks, and flooded low-lying
<br />areas.
<br />Since the stream channels haven't had high water in
<br />8-10 years, there was a lot of debris moving in the high flows,
<br />Local officials were busy keeping the bridge piers free from
<br />logjams and Water Commissioners aided ditch owners in
<br />keeping the sticks and logs from clogging the headgates.
<br />Dam safety is always priority one for DWR, and the
<br />Water Commissioners on the Grand Mesa have been busy
<br />watching the numerous dams, making sure the snow and ice
<br />is cleared out of the spillway and they are functioning
<br />properly, So far, the only problem has been the overtopping
<br />failure of a class III dam on Leroux Creek north of Hotchkiss,
<br />The water was caught and contained by a larger dam just
<br />beiow it, and no damage occurred,
<br />Although the forecasted inflows for Blue Mesa and
<br />Taylor reservoirs have decreased from the Aprii 1 forecast,
<br />both are expected to almost fill. The USBR has reduced the
<br />releases accordingly, trying to store as much water as
<br />possible,
<br />
<br />Public Use Impacts
<br />Many ditches will be rebuilding headgate structures
<br />after the high flows, Although there are some of these types
<br />of problems, water users are glad to have full ditches for an
<br />extended period of time, especially after the years of drought
<br />conditions, These higher flows also fill the reservoirs and
<br />ensure a full supply later in the irrigation season,
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