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03313'" . NORTHERN COLORADO WATER CONSERVANCY DISTRICT "/ 'o' Seasonal Water Quota Considered The Board of Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District, at its monthly meeting last Friday, considered the various possibil ities involved in declaring the availability of water quotas for the 1967 season. As usual, the Directors will determine and announce the first quota On the first Friday of April, Prior to that time, careful consideration is given to the probable runoff from snow pack; the soil moisture conditions in the irrigated valleys; the carry- over storage in the local ditch company systems; the carry-over in the project system itself; and the effect which various quantities of project water usage will have on the succeeding year of 1968, Based on snow survey data available February 1, the estimated, combined runoff of the Poudre, Big Thompson, St, Vrain, and Boulder Creek watersheds will be only about 7~1o of average. Local reservoir systems on the same four streams contain carry-over storage about equal to the 1951-65 average of 148,000 acre- feet. However, this February I storage is only 6~1o of the amount on hand at this time one year ago. ~ Effective precipitation in the irrigated areas has lagged below normal throughout the winter and, hence, soil moisture conditions are poor, t Record delivery of project water in 1966 depleted the Colorado-Big Thompson system by more than 181,000 acre-feet and left a storage carry-over which is now only 66% of average. While there is often some improvement in snow pack during late February, March, and April, the present combination of all factors prompted the District Directors to forecast the coming season as one which may well produce far less water supply than would be needed for maximum crop production. Under existing conditions, irrigation farmers should guard against acreage planting that could lead to unnecessary crop losses if acute and widespread water shortages do occur, Certainly, as a supplemental water suppl ier to the South Platte Valley, the District will do its best to meet as much of the water supply demand as possible. To even partially meet any severe shortage, the District Directors realize that the project system would have to suffer further depletion and, thus, acutely compromise the availability of water for the season of 1968, . Secretary-Manager / ,I , ,.j'