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<br />RIO GRANDE BASIN
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<br />Basinwide Conditions Assessment
<br />The SWSI value of -1,6 Indicates that for June the
<br />basin water supplies were slightly below normal. Flow at the
<br />gaging station Rio Grand.e near Del Norte was 3,471 cfs, as
<br />compared to the long-term average of 3,074 cfs, The
<br />Conejos River near Mogote had a. mean flow of 906 cfs
<br />(70% of normal), Storage in Platoro, Rio Grande, and Santa
<br />Maria reservoirs totaled 87% of normal as of the end of
<br />June,
<br />Precipitation in Alamosa was only 0.07 inches, 0,60
<br />inches below normal. Alamosa temperatures ranged from
<br />260 to 880, with an average of 60.90, 1,50 above normal.
<br />
<br />Outiook
<br />The calling priority on the Rio Grande is surprisingly
<br />senior for an above average water year, And, although
<br />stream fiow in the Rio Grande was above normal during
<br />June, much of that was due to the reservoir releases that
<br />began earlier than In a typical year, Without substantial
<br />rainfall, stream flow in the Rio Grande will fall below normal
<br />after reservoir releases are completed in July,
<br />Stream flow levels in the Conejos River and its
<br />tributaries are wel.1 below average at this time, Although it
<br />may not get as bad as last year, the forecast for water supply
<br />for the remainder of the irrigation season is. bleak.
<br />Most of the other drainages in the basin are
<br />experiencing similar condilions. Low water levelS and senior
<br />calls have replaced the abundant early runoff,
<br />
<br />Administrative/Manaaement Concerns
<br />Administrators have placed curtailments on indexed
<br />stream flows in order to meet water delivery requirements to
<br />the state line pursuant to the Rio Grande Compact. The
<br />current delivery targets are set at 25% for the Rio Grande
<br />and 17% for the Conejos River system, These percentages
<br />of nalive flow available at the index gages are routed
<br />downstream past the ditches to the state line,
<br />
<br />Public Use Imoacts
<br />The warm dry weather has benefited those farmers
<br />and ranchers with native grass and alfalfa crops, But, those
<br />growing grain and potatoes were hard hit by a late freeze
<br />during the second week of June. Most reservoirs reached
<br />peak storage levels near the end of Mayor early June and
<br />have already begun to decline as releases are made for
<br />irrigation needs, As the summer progresses, recreational
<br />opportunities wiil be hampered by low water leveis in both
<br />reservoirs and streams.
<br />
<br />Jul-01
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