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<br />71, <br /> <br />COLORADO <br />WATER SUPPLY CONDITIONS UPDATE <br /> <br />MARCH 2005 <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 />As reported by the NRCS, the Mareh 1, 2005 snowpaek averages 109% of normal statewide, with snowpack <br />above normal in the south and below normal in the north. Snowpaek is reflected in the SWSI values, whieh are positive in <br />the south and negative in the north of the state. February preeipitation in the southern mountains maintained well above <br />normal snowpaek in the Rio Grande, Gunnision, and San Juan-Dolores basins, and boosted stream flows to well above <br />normal rates in the Gunnison and San Juan-Dolores basins and near normal rates in the Rio Grande basin. Unless <br />drastie ehanges oeeur in the southwest, those basins are antieipating a well above normal runoff. The NRCS foreeasts <br />lower than normal runoff in drainages in the northern portions of the state. The eumulative storage of all the reservoirs <br />graphed in this report is 90% of normal. <br /> <br />The Surfaee Water Supply Index (SWSI) developed by this offiee and the U.S.DA Natural Resourees <br />Conservation Serviee is used as an indieator of mountain-based water supply eonditions in the major river basins of the <br />state. It is based on snowpaek, reservoir storage, and preeipitation for the winter period (November through April). <br />During the winter period, snowpaek is the primary eomponent in all basins exeept the South Platte basin where reservoir <br />storage is given the most weight. The fOllowing SWSI values were eomputed for eaeh of the seven major basins for <br />Mareh 1, 2005, and refleet the eonditions during the month of February. <br /> <br />Basin <br />South Platte <br />Arkansas <br />Rio Grande <br />Gunnison <br />Colorado <br />Yampa/White <br />San JuanlDolores <br /> <br />-4 <br />Severe <br />Drought <br /> <br />-3 <br /> <br />-2 <br />Moderate <br />Droug ht <br /> <br />Mareh 1, 2005 <br />SWSI Value <br />-0.4 <br />-0.3 <br />+3.1 <br />+2.6 <br />-0.9 <br />-2.2 <br />+2.9 <br /> <br />Change From <br />Previous Month <br />-1.0 <br />0.0 <br />+0.9 <br />+0.9 <br />+0.3 <br />-1.1 <br />+1.0 <br /> <br />Seale <br />o <br />Near Normal <br />Supply <br /> <br />-1 <br /> <br />Change From <br />Previous Year <br />+0.8 <br />+1.7 <br />+2.1 <br />+2.9 <br />+1.3 <br />-0.5 <br />+1.8 <br /> <br />2 <br />Above Normal <br />Supply <br /> <br />3 <br /> <br />4 <br />Abundant <br />Supply <br />