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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.slate.co.us <br /> <br />JUNE 2005 <br /> <br />The runoff began in earnest throughout Colorado the second half of May when temperatures warmed up after the <br />middle of the month, Stream fiows in the northern portions of the state were below average, and those in the southern <br />portions were above average, both of which were expected based on their respective May 1 snowpack values. While <br />peak runoff flows typically occur in June, it appears that this year the peaks on many streams may have occurred in May, <br />June 1 snowpack values indicate that below average fiows will continue to occur in the north, and above average fiows <br />will continue in the south. Overall reservoir storage is improving, with the cumulative storage for all the reservoirs graphed <br />in this report at 105% of average as of the end of May, an increase from a 97% of average value at the end of April. <br /> <br />The Surface Water Supply Index (SWSI) developed by this office and the U.SDA 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. II is based on stream fiow, reservoir storage, and precipitation for the summer period (May through October). <br />During the summer period, stream fiow 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 June 1, 2005, and refiect the conditions during the month of May. <br /> <br /> June 1, 2005 Change From Change From <br /> Basin SWSI Value Previous Month Previous Year <br /> South Platte +1,9 +2,1 +2,1 <br /> Arkansas -1.6 -0,2 +0,8 <br /> Rio Grande +3,1 +0.4 +2,3 <br /> Gunnison +0,8 -1,9 +0.8 <br /> Colorado -0.4 -0,3 +1.4 <br /> Yampa/White -0,2 -2,1 +3,0 <br /> San Juan/Dolores +3,2 +1.7 +2.5 <br /> Scale <br />-4 -3 -2 -1 0 2 3 4 <br />Severe Moderate Near Normal Above Normal Abundant <br />Drought Drought Supply Supply Supply <br />