BOARD01636

• Board Meeting Date: 11/25/2002
• Description: CF Section - Proposed Statute Revisions Construction Fund and Severance Tax Trust Fund Perpetual Base Account
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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STATE OF COLORADO

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Colorado Water Conservation Board
Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman Street, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
www.cwcb.state.co.us

MEMORANDUM

Bill Owens
Governor

Greg E. Walcher
Executive Director

TO:

Rod Kuharich
CWCB Director

Colorado Water Conservation Board Members

FROM:

Dan McAuliffe
Deputy Director

Brad Lundahl, Conservation and Drought Planning

DATE:

November 13,2002

RE:

Colorado Drouqht Update

Topics:
I. 2002 Drought Impacts
II. Drought Assistance
III. Legislation
IV. Water Availability Task Force
V. Weather Outlook
VI. Cooperative Drought Relief Successes
VII. Drought and Fire Grants and Loans (attachment)
VIII. U.S. Drought Monitor (attachment)

I. 2002 DROUGHT IMPACTS
. Snowpack on April I st, 2002, was 52% of average.

. On April 2Znd, Governor Owens requested an emergency drought designation from V.S.D.A.
Secretary Ann Veneman. Sixty-three Colorado counties received a federal drought disaster
designation.

. On April 24'\ Colorado's Drought Mitigation and Response Plan was fully activated for the
first time ever since its creation in 1981.

. Precipitation for the 2002 water year over the entire state was close to 60% of average -- well
below the 70% value that is commonly used to define severe drought. This is likely to be the
lowest statewide average in recorded history,

. Persistently warm temperatures characterized Z002 in all months except February, March and
September. This contributed to high evaporation rates and low relative humidities -- not
uncommon for major widespread long-duration drought events.

Flood Protection. Water Supply Planning and Finance. Stream and Lake Protection
Water Supply Protection. Conservation and Drought Planning