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I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 1"\! - ." " ",1 ~:' ;' '-',:' .,,', ,~ condition ,for the south Platte River Basin, one reaches the saime:i conclusion. Average annual precipitation per gage was: 'rime Period Average precipitation Inch/gage 1941-1981 1941-1963 1964-1981 15.66 15.95 15.30 Thus, the 1964-1981 period experienced an annual precipitation averaging 0.65 inches per gage less than the 1941-1963 period. Again, the clear indication is that the 1964-1981 period was drier than the 1941-1963 period. With this being the sole basis~ one would expect the 1964-l981 calls to be somewhat more sever,e than the 1941-1963 calls. However, the call analyses from the program S~APRI clearly indicate that the 1964-1981 calls were less severe during the irrigation season than the 1941-l963 call s. An analysis of cumulative departure from average for the annual su~s of precipitation for the ten gages was also performed. Figure 3 depicts this analysis in graphical form. The utility of such an analysis lies in its ability to portray the severity of droughts of varying durations. The meaning of Figure 3 as to droughts is given by noting the fall in the cu~u- lative de~arture from one time to another time. For example, th~ worst single year for precipitation is shown by the greatest single-ye~r fall, a fall of 5.60 inches which occurred in calen- dar year 1954. Thus, precipitation decreased from the overall average for the ten gages by 5.23 inches per gage for the year 1954. The next greatest single-year fall occurred in 1964, a drop of 5 inches from average. -6- ,.1, ,. ;1 - ..1.;.:.;1 '", "' ;, ~, iuJt;:~ ~ilii -,$ ",,' /\ Ii .->: -~~ _:{<-! . :'1 i. .....1 "-- " ... ~.'..... JL,,'ji ~k) ;-"~