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<br />CJ <br />00 <br />-' <br /> <br />ESTIMATE OF WATER SUPPLY <br />, FROM HIGH ELEVATION RUNOFF <br /> <br />As the need ~or more water increases, one is ~aced with the problem <br /> <br />o~ determining the amobnt o~ water available at various points on the <br /> <br />, , <br /> <br />stream. <br /> <br />Many times records o~ stream~low are !;lot available at the point where <br /> <br />data are needed. <br /> <br />The San Miguel Water Board is vitally concerned with the amount of water <br /> <br />that could potentially be developed from high elevation runoff. <br /> <br />Streamflow records are not adequate on such a complex system of tapping <br /> <br />high mountain streams with a system of canals as exists in the San <br /> <br />Miguel Project area. <br /> <br />- <br /> <br />A method was needed to determine the runoff from these high elevation <br /> <br />streams. There are many streams in Southwestern Colorado that have water <br /> <br />supply records available. Assuming that the streams in Southwest .Colorado <br /> <br />would have essentially the same runoff characteristics, it was decided to <br /> <br />use a method called Area-Altitude for estimating the runoff. <br /> <br />A curve of weighted elevation versus mean runoff (acre-feet per sq.mi.) <br /> <br />was drawn using streams with runoff records available. Excellent <br /> <br />correlation was obtained using this method (Plate 1). Therefore, by <br /> <br />knowing the weighted elevation and drainage area of a basin without stream- <br /> <br />flow records, the mean runoff could be predicted from this graph. <br />