SWSIReportApril2004 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

COLORADO WATER SUPPLY CONDITIONS UPDATE FROM THE OFFICE OF THE STATE ENGINEER: COLORADO DIVISION OF WATER RESOURCES ROOM 818,1313 SHERMAN ST., DENVER, CO 80203 303-866-3581; www.water.state.CQ.us April 1 , 2004 A diagonal path from the northwest through the southeast basins of Colorado forms an area of the lowest water supply values for the month of March. Those basins are the Yampa-White (-3.3), Colorado (-2.6), and the Arkansas (-3.3). However, there is also great concern for the South Platte Basin because of the very low snowpack, 51% of average, which is the lowest in the state. The Natural Resources Conservation Service reports that snowpack readings are well below average across the entire state, and portions of northern Colorado exceed the dry conditions of 2002. The statewide average snowpack is 65% of average, a substantial reduction from that reported last month, which was 90% of average. Many of the basins report higher than average streamflows. However, high streamflows early in the year are not helpful to the water supply because they indicate an early meltout and lower streamflows later in the summer when the demand is greatest. The Surface Water Supply Index (SWSI) developed by this office and the U.S.D.A. Natural Resources Conservation Service is used as an indicator of mountain-based water supply conditions in the major river basins of the state. It is based on snowpack, reservoir storage, and precipitation for the winter period (November through April). During the winter period, snowpack is the primary component in all basins except the South Platte Basin where reservoir storage is given the most weight. The fOllowing SWSI values were computed for each of the seven major basins for April 1, 2004, and reflect the conditions during the month of March. April 1 , 2004 Change From Change From Basin SWSI Value Previous Month Previous Year South Platte -1.7 -0.5 -0.3 Arkansas -3.3 -1.3 -2.9 Rio Grande -0.9 -1.9 +0.2 Gunnison -1.6 -1.3 -1.1 Colorado -2.6 -0.4 -3.3 YampalWhite -3.3 -1.6 -1.8 San Juan/Dolores -0.5 -1.6 +1.3 Scale -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 Severe Moderate Near Normal Above Normal Abundant Drought Drought Supply Supply Supply 1053 h,;;<-.