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<br />GUNNISON BASIN <br /> <br />Basinwide Conditions Assessment <br />The SWSI value of 0.5 indicates that for April the <br />basin water supplies were near normal. The Natural <br />Resources Conservation Service reports that May 1 <br />snow pack is 77% of normal. Flow at the gagmg station <br />Uncompahgre River near Ridgway was 141 cfs, as <br />compared to the long-term average of 109 cfs. Storage in <br />Taylor Park, Crawford. and Fruitland reservoirs totaled 129% <br />of normal as of the end of April, <br />After an extremely dry March wIth record high <br />temperatures during which the snowpack percentages <br />dwindled greatly, the month of April produced a lot of <br />precipitation that bolstered the snowpack. and watered the <br />entire baSin with a slow rain that postponed the need to run <br />irrigation water for many people. <br /> <br />Outlook <br />Even with the increased the snowpack dunng April, <br />the May 1 basin wide percentage of 77% of normal keeps us <br />in the drought cycle and produces only a limited amount of <br />water for the various uses <br />The major reservoirs. Blue Mesa and Taylor Park will <br />not fill this year. Paonia Reservoir is already spilling, and it is <br />expected that Ridgway Reservoir will fill soon. Although <br />irrigators will again have a limited supply, many stili <br />remember 2002 and are grateful for more water than was <br />available that year. <br />The south side of the Grand Mesa was one of the <br />better areas for snow; most of those reservoirs will fill. The <br />fruit growers should have enough reservoir storage to get <br />them through the summer season, but they will need to use <br />all of their stored water. <br /> <br />Administratlve/ManaQement Concerns <br />It does not look like the Uncompahgre Valley Water <br />Users Association will need to place a call on the main stem <br />of the Gunnison River with the Gunnison Tunnel. If they <br />would need to call, there IS enough water in the second fill of <br />Taylor Park Reservoir that can be released to keep the call <br />off and enable irrigators to get through the irrigation season <br />until haying On the Uncompahgre, there should be enough <br />storage in Ridgway reservoir to satisfy their summer <br />demands <br /> <br />Public Use Impacts <br />The low storage and release levels have affected the <br />recreational users at Blue Mesa and Taylor Park reservoirs, <br />and in the rivers below the dams. The fish populal!on. both In <br />the reservoirs and the streams. also suffer from the low <br />levels. Irrigators could benefit from a better supply, but Just <br />have to make due with what is available In years like thIS. <br />summer rains would be a great help. <br /> <br />May-04 <br /> <br />_.~ <br /> <br />, <br /> <br /> <br />~ Ii <br />~ . <br /> <br />rl <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />" <br /> <br />,. <br /> <br />. <br />.....'"l____..__.....-'"""__ <br />...-,- <br /> <br />~~~I-l.llI03M.yR..CWev-_TER~ <br /> <br />OO~ <br /> <br />!fl0ClJ. _L- <br /> <br />-r- <br /> <br />t <br /> <br />i <br />-+1- <br />~f- <br />. '~4:::;:' <br />. --- <br />p---..~_.._- <br /> <br />ilO,(I1) <br />. <br />~ffi~ <br />gffi~ <br />o <br />. <br />'5;'01:1,(11). <br />" <br />'D~ <br />, <br />> <br />3:1[\(11)1 ._. <br />10003_ -~t~-~. <br />t~- <br />, <br />O:t ""'" Doc .... <br /> <br />+ <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />- <br /> <br />... <br /> <br />.. <br /> <br /> _.VlETI'IlW, .. [RfllW7) o....\oG .~ <br /> ~"TI\JE~ <br /> OO~. <br /> ffi~. -j <br /> .~ <br />t <br />.~(I1l. <br />i <br />f~CW' <br />~~CW' <br />jD~' <br />, <br /> :1[\{(D. <br /> ~~ - <br /> 0 <br /> ,-"" 0-. ~- <br /> 1""11 olIXle:.w. .--.. <br /> <br /> <br />6 <br />