BOARD00024

• Board Meeting Date: 3/21/2002
• Description: WSP Section - Arkansas River Basin Issues: HR 1714 - Use of Excess Capacity - East Slope Facilities - FryingPan - Arkansas Project
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

,

Colorado
Drought Watch

The Latest Updates...

Is EI Nino Coming Back? The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admini-
stration (NOAA) is predicting near-neutral to emerging EI Niiio conditions for
the next 6 months, followed by moderate EI Niiio conditions in the fall.

It's still too early to determine the potential strength of this EI Niiio or exactly
what weather conditions it will bring to Colorado, but it is likely these warm-
ing conditions in the tropical Pacific will continue until early 2003.

Recent Storms have been helping statewide moisture levels. Almost all ba-
sins (except South Platte) are seeing increases in moisture levels. As of March
18, statewide snow water equivalent is now 60% of normal. This is up 5%
from last month.

Statewide Snowpack by Basin (NRCS)

100%
90%
80%
to 70%
E
::; 60%
z
.... 50%
o
C 40%
~ 30%
:. 20%
10%
0%

Snowpack Levels 60% of Normal
As of March 18, 2002

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Colorado Water
Conservation Board

March 20, 2002

Drought Facts:
. Drought occurs when
the demaud for water
exceeds the available
supply of water, and it
is typically associated
with a deficiency of
precipitatiou

. This is the 3rd
straight year of
below normal water
conditions.

. Drought can occur
locally, statewide, or
regionally.

Snowpack

. Snowfall across Colorado
was below average during
February.

. This marks the third con-
secutive month with be-
low normal snowfall and
has resulted in a contin-
ued decrease in the
state's snowpack. as a
percent of average.

. This is the lowest snow~
pack on this date since
1981 and 1977, which
were both only 37% of
average