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<br />COLORADO <br />WATER SUPPLY CONDITIONS UPDATE <br /> <br />FROM THE OFFICE OF THE STATE ENGINEER: COLORADO DIVISION OF WATER RESOURCES <br />ROOM 818.1313 SHERMAN ST.. DENVER. CO 80203 <br />303-866-3581; www.water.state.co.us <br /> <br />NOVEMBER 2004 <br /> <br />The Surface Water Supply Index (SWSI) developed by this office and the U.S.DA Natural Resources <br />Conservation Service is used as an indicator of mountain-based water supply conditions in the major river basins of the <br />state. It is based on stream flow, reservoir storage. and precipitation for the summer period (May through October). <br />During the summer period, stream flow is the primary component in all basins except the South Platte basin where <br />reservoir storage is given the most weight. The following SWSI values were computed for each of the seven major basins <br />for November 1. 2004, and reflect the conditions during the month of October. <br /> <br />Reports from most of the basins indicate that stream flows during October 2004 were improved over October <br />flows over the past several years. Demand for direct flow irrigation water generally ceases during October, except in <br />limited areas where irrigators continue to apply water during into the late fall to build up soil moisture as they look forward <br />to next spring. With the reduction in direct flow irrigation diversions and the calls by those direct flow rights. diversions to <br />storage increase. Statewide. at the end of October. reservoir storage was at approximately 85% of average. <br /> <br />Basin <br />South Platte <br />Arkansas <br />Rio Grande <br />Gunnison <br />Colorado <br />Yampa/White <br />San Juan/Dolores <br /> <br />-4 <br />Severe <br />Drought <br /> <br />-3 <br /> <br />-2 <br />Moderate <br />Drought <br /> <br />November 1, 2004 <br />SWSI Value <br />+1.5 <br />-0.8 <br />+0.1 <br />-1.0 <br />+0.7 <br />+0.7 <br />+1.5 <br /> <br />Change From <br />Previous Month <br />-0.1 <br />+0.8 <br />-1.2 <br />+0.9 <br />+1.4 <br />+1.8 <br />-0.4 <br /> <br />-1 <br /> <br />Scale <br />o <br />Near Normal <br />Supply <br /> <br />1 <br /> <br />Change From <br />Previous Year <br />+1.8 <br />+1.0 <br />+2.1 <br />+2.4 <br />+0.6 <br />+3.9 <br />+3.2 <br /> <br />2 <br />Above Normal <br />Supply <br /> <br />3 <br /> <br />4 <br />Abundant <br />Supply <br />