BOARD02075

• Board Meeting Date: 5/22/2000
• Description: WSP Section - Colorado River Basin Issues - San Juan Basin Section 7 Consultation Issues
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

COLORADO BASIN

Basinwide Conditions Assessment
The SWSI value of -0.5 indicates that for April the
basin water supplies were slightly below normal. The Natural
~esources Conservation Service reports that May 1
owpack is 84% of normal. Flow at the gaging station
olorado River near Dotsero was 1,571 cfs, as compared to
the long-term average of 1,818 cfs. Storage in Green
Mountain, Ruedi, and Williams Fork reservoirs totaled 126%
of normal as of the end of April.

Outlook
Snowpack for the Upper Colorado River basin as of
May 1 was 84% of normal, ranging from 128% at Willow
Creek Pass to 46% at McClure Pass and dropping
consistently through early May. Since streams are peaking
earlier than normal, this may leave diverters with less water
sooner. Reservoir storage in the Colorado River basin is
37% above average, allowing adequate availability to .those
depending on upstream storage water.

Administrative/Manaoement Concerns
Major reservoir operators - Denver Water, USBR,
Colorado River District and Northern Colorado Water District
- are attempting to 'augment' the peak fiow on the Colorado
River to enhance the fish population. The operators will try
to enhance the peak, as measured at the Cameo gage for
the 15-Mile Reach, by making additional releases while still
obtaining fills in their reservoirs. The reservoirs participating
in this year's coordinated reservoir releases include Dillon,
Green Mountain, Granby, Willow Creek, Wolford and Ruedi.

.bliC Use Imoacts
Fruit growers in the Grand Valley are anticipating a
tenfold increase from last year in production for this summer.
Weather for May indicates no frosts for the peach, apple,
grape. pear and cherry orchards.

.

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