WSP03609

• File Number: 8407
• Description: Platte River Basin - River Basin General Publications
• State: CO
• Basin: South Platte
• Water Division: 1
• Date: 7/11/1984
• Author: Joe Tom Wood
• Title: Tunnel Vision - An Analysis of River Call Data in the South Platte River Basin
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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5' more in May in the 1964-1981 period than in the 1941-1963

period; 6' more in June; 29' more in July; 6' more in August; 47%

more in September; and 34' more in October. The monthly dispari~

ties between the two periods generally increase with an

increasingly junior status of a water right in District 8.

However, what may be surprising to some, including the

author, is that the severity of calls in the winter has

increased. While the severity of calls has decreased in the

1964-1981 period during the month of November, the severity of

calls has generally increased in the months of January, February;

and March, as shown by Figures 1-1, 1-2, and 1-3, respectively.

December and April are "swing" months, with a flip-flopping of

severities of calls between the two periods, generally dependent

upon the more senior or more junior nature of the water right.l

Have Climatic Conditions A ected the Call Patte~n8?
Has The~e 'Been MOT'e Nat1-ve Wate~ Ava1-la e to DOlVn8t~eam Right.s?

The author undertook an analysis of precipitation data and

virgin streamflow data to examine whether climatic conditions

might have affected call patterns. Streamflow data in the South

Platte River below Denver were not analyzed, because others have

done so in reaching their own conclusions to one or more of the

lIn various discussions with Water Commissioner Joe T.
Clayton (District 8), Mr. Clayton has suggested that competition
for winte~ storage water has increased, particularly between
storage rights in Districts 1 and 2. Both the indicated change
in call patterns and such increased competition for storage watet
likely share some as-yet-unknown cause; neither causes the other+
One suggested cause, which will not be explored further herein,
is that t~e South park transfers and changes in use have not pro~
vided the historic delayed return flows which resulted from irri~
gation of lands which are no longer irrigated.

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