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<br />SOUTH PLATTE BASIN <br /> <br />Mar-03 <br /> <br />J Basinwide Conditions Assessment <br />The SWSI value of -2.6 indicates that for February <br />the basin water supplies were below normal. Reservoir <br />storage, the major component in this basin in computing the <br />SWSI value, was 54% of normal as of the end of February. <br />Cumulative storage in the major plains reservoirs: Julesberg, <br />North Sterling, and Prewitt, is at 46% of capacity. <br />Cumulative storage in the major upper-basin reservoirs: <br />Cheesman, Eleven Mile, Spinney, and Antero is at 43% of <br />capacity. The Natural Resources Conservation Service <br />reports that March 1 snowpack is 79% of normal. Flow at the <br />gaging station South Platte River near Kersey was 576 cfs, <br />as compared to the long-term average of 858 cfs. Flow at <br />the Colorado/Nebraska state line averaged 40 cfs. <br />Overall conditions improved in February with <br />significant mountain snowfall especially toward the end of <br />the month. Snowpack in the Upper Colorado River that <br />serves as a source of several transbasin diversions into the <br />South Platte also improved dramatically during February <br /> <br />Outlook <br />Unless we have a wet spring, it still does not appear <br />many major reservoirs along either the mainstem or <br />tributaries will fill this year. Without full reservoirs, there is a <br />high likelihood that many users who are used to receiving a <br />full supply will not get that supply. <br /> <br />Administrative/Manaaement Concerns <br />The primary purpose of diversions except for <br />domestic uses continued to be for reservoir storage along the <br />main stem and tributaries. The storage call continued along <br />the length of the South Platte except in District 64 at the <br />lower end of the river. In that area, users were able to <br />complete significant recharge for replacement purposes for <br />irrigation wells. We anticipate that the storage call along <br />remainder of the South Platte will continue until a direct flow <br />call for irrigation occurs. <br /> <br />Public Use Impacts <br />The better snowpack conditions may reduce the <br />severity of restrictions that municipal suppliers will have to <br />impose, but almost all municipalities are still planning on <br />restrictions regardless unless conditions change dramatically <br />in the next couple of months. <br /> <br />"^" HSTl:RV <br /> <br />~, <br /> <br /> <br />~ <br />> 0 <br />[Ii <br />o <br />3!; <br /> <br />~ ., <br />o <br /> <br />.2 <br /> <br />.0 <br /> <br />-'->9l Ja>i6 .a>lI6 _ _ _ Jar>Q) J&>01 .lIn<I1 Ja>m <br />MMH/\S<lR <br /> <br />SOJll-I PlAnE RI\IER tR ~, RDN BY WAiER '/EAR <br /> <br />7CXl,00> <br /> <br />600,00> <br /> <br /> <br />Qj <br />CIl <br />u.. <br />l!! 500,00> <br />u <br /><( <br />~ <br />o 400,00> <br />-' <br />u.. <br />w <br />~ :m,00> <br />l- <br />S <br />~ :!OO,OO> <br />=> <br />u <br />100,00> <br /> <br /> <br />o <br />Q:l <br /> <br />t>bI <br /> <br />Dee <br /> <br />Fell <br /> <br />Mro1 <br /> <br />April <br /> <br />Jan <br /> <br />-e- v.ET (1963) <br /> <br />-+-CRr'(1964) ~AVG <br /> <br />"*- 2003 <br /> <br />REPRESENT ATlVE RESERVOIRS <br /> <br />250,000 <br /> <br />200,000 <br /> <br /> <br />;; <br />~ <br /><b <br />13 150,000 <br />" <br />oj <br />~ <br /> <br />~ 100,000 <br />:a <br />m <br />:::> <br /> <br />50,000 <br /> <br />DiUan Holsetooth 8e_ Mile OJeesman Jackson Barr Lake <br /> <br />. A'll. 02128 Contents <br /> <br />III 02128/03 Contents <br /> <br />3 <br />