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<br />- <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />2 <br /> <br />Flaming Gorge. Flood potential for this spring's snowmelt is already high for <br />areas in the Green River drainage below Flaming Gorge. <br /> <br />Fall precipitation also set a few records in the months of November and December. <br />Precipitation during December at Green River, Wyoming was 1.13 inches - 337%, a <br />record for the month; Duchesne, Utah had 2.96 inches - 580%, the wettest month <br />ever. Although October did not produce records, precipitation was generally near <br />to above normal over most of the basin. <br /> <br />Only limited snow surveys were conducted by the Soil Conservacion Service on <br />JanuarJ 1, some snowpack basin averages are: Green River'.ibove Fontenelle - 170%, <br />Blacks Fork - 200%, Strawberry - 242%, Duchesne - 218%, Price - 230%, Huntington - <br />303% and San Rafael - 320%. <br /> <br />The fall r'~off season has demolished many long ter~ r~~off records throughout the <br />Green River 3asin. Inflows into Fontenelle and Flaming Gorge reservoirs and runoff <br />at Green River at Green River, Utah have been records for each of the months of <br />October, November and December. <br /> <br />Flow during December on the Green River at Green River, Ut~l was 255,000 acre-feet, <br />252% (a record) and the Yampa at Steamboat Springs was 10,600 acre-feet, 177%. <br />Inflow to Fontenelle Reservoir was 57,000 acre-feet, 178% (a record) and into <br />Flaming Gorge it was 87,000 acre-feet, 264% (a record). <br /> <br />Seasonal streamflow, October through December in the Green River at Green River, <br />Utah was 910,000 acre-feet, 246% of the 1961-1980 average (a record). <br /> <br />Reservoir storage in Fontenelle was 159,000 acre-feet, 59% of average and 46% of <br />capacity. Flaming Gorge end-of-the-month storage was 3.45 million acre-feet, <br />141% of average and 92% of capacity. <br /> <br />SAN JUAN RIVER BASIN: Another hearJ spring runoff is likely in the San Juan Basin <br />with ablli~dant snowfall continually blanketing the San Juan basin duri~~ December. <br />Streamflow forecasts range from 140 percent in the headwater areas to 172% on the <br />San Juan River at Bluff. <br /> <br />Precipitation during December was 150 to 200 percent over most of the basin, with <br />the least &~ount occurring over the four corners area. Seasonal precipication, <br />October through December, is generally 125 to 150 percent, with the four corners <br />area near normal. <br /> <br />At higher elevations the snowpack is at or near record levels for this time of <br />the year. Limited snow surveys on January 1 indicate the average basin snowpack <br />for the San Juan drainage is 184%. Observed runoff since October 1 has been above <br />normal. Inflow to Navajo Reservoir was 114,000 acre-feet, 151% of the 20-year <br />(1961-1980) average and San Juan at Bluff, Utah - 226,000 acre-feet, 122% of <br />average. <br /> <br />The storage in Navajo Reservoir o~ December 31, 1983 was 1.55 million acre-feet, <br />184% of average, 91% of capacity and near the same storage as last year at this <br />time. <br /> <br />TDe likelihood for some flooding during the spring snowmelt is a distinct possibility. <br />But at this early date an extended dry period could reduce the flood potential <br />substantially. <br />