WSP04978

• File Number: 8210.110.60
• Description: Colorado River Water Users Association
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 11/30/1961
• Author: CRWUA
• Title: Proceedings of the 18th Annual Conference
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Annual Report

REPORTS

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Engineers and private companies. It would be well to m~ntion here that in the earlier years
a majority of snow surveys were made by employees of th~ Forest Service. The snow survey
program, as we know it, might not be so effective had it lacked the fine support always
provided by these agencies. .

Following each snow survey date, during which time the snow surveyers supervise
and conduct field snow surveys, they report the data, al9ng with streamflow forecasts.
Most "Snow Reports" or "Water_Supply Outlook Reports"iare published by the state offices
of the Soil Conservation Service. Standard reports inclvde those by states,' major river
basins such as for the Colorado River, and a report for Western United States. The west-
wide report is summary in nature and does not include basic data or streamflow forecasts.
In recent years, reports for local watersheds or soil conservation districts have been
published. A few states have a complete coverage of these small reports of one to four pages.
They are designed for distribution to individual water users.

You may be placed on the mailing list for any"snoW reporf' you desire by writing to
the Water Supply Forecasting Unit,Soil Conservation Service, p, O. Box 4170, Portland 8,
Oregon, .

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INTERPRETATION AND USE OF WATER SUPPLY FORECASTS

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As an agency of the United States Department of AQriculture, the Soil Conservation
Service, in the water supply forecast field, is principally interested in interpretation for
and in assisting agriCUltural water users in applying water supply forecasts. Of course,
other interests make use of either the basic data or wat~r supply forecasts prepared by the
Soil Conservation Service for their planning or operatidnal needs. Among these are federal
water agencies such as the Bu reau of Reclamation and the Corps of Engineers, munici-
palities, power companies, railroads, financial institutipns, manufacturers, retailers,
p'rocessors, and others. Some of these groups prepare ~heir own forecasts directly from the
basic data. Others accept the forecasts of streamflow orlthe general water supply outlook
prepared by the Soil Conservation Service and adapt thel outlook to the needs of their
business. I n either event, the role of SCS is to supplyl basic information with limited
interpretation. The Service does not have the facilities lor the desire to develop all the
uses of water supply forecasts to their final application. i The Service hopes to assist in
providing information that will result in the fullest use'of the effort made to gather snow
measurements and related data.

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In agricultural use of water supply forecasts, thelmost effective way to help farmers
adjust to the annual variations in water supply is to WO\'k co-operatively with state and
local water officials and boards and managers of irrigation and soil conservation districts,
These people are familiar with irrigation practices in their area and enjoy the confidence of
the water users. The methods used in informing and working with water users vary widely,

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