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SOUTH PLATTE BASIN <br /> t <br /> Basinwide Conditions Assessment: <br /> The SWSI value of+3.0 indicates that for October the SOUTH PLATTE RIVER BASIN <br /> basin water supplies were above normal. Reservoir storage, 5 Sur-race wets 5"°°'Y Index""tort <br /> the key component in this basin in computing the SWSI value, 4 <br /> was 113% of normal on October 31. Storage in the major W 3 , ,� ; f l- <br /> plains reservoirs, Julesburg, North Sterling, and Prewitt, '" :. - <br /> increased by 12,079 acre-feet during October and are at 30% 2 ' -? ("7 ` • 4 •4 <br /> of capacity. Storage in the major upper basin reservoirs, 1 - <br /> Cheesman, Eleven Mile, Spinney, and Antero, decreased by i p .. �", <br /> 3,340 acre-feet and are at 93% of capacity. The mean daily _,_ ;i <br /> flow at the Kersey gage on the South Platte River was 760 cfs, <br /> a -g- <br /> as compared to the 1961-1991 October average of 850 cfs. <br /> Flow at the Colorado/Nebraska state line averaged 538 cfs. 3_ <br /> The National Weather Service reports October precipitation as -4 ,...................... ..... ... ........... - <br /> JANBA JAN85 JAN86 JAN87 JAN88 JANB9 JAN90 JAN91 JAN92 JAN93 <br /> 164% of normal. MONTH/YEAR <br /> Outlook ' <br /> The 1993 irrigation season is essentially finished <br /> heading into November with very little direct diversions to <br /> irrigation still occuring. Early freezes in September and SOUTH PLATTE RIVER NR. KERSEY <br /> October reduced the demand for irrigation water and made 60 FIRST WHIM OF THE WATER YEAR <br /> water available for other uses such as recharge and storage <br /> below the Denver metropolitan area. Recharge occurred 5p__Tr- <br /> throughout the month in Districts 1, 2 and 64 while many �/ / <br /> irrigation reservoirs began storing. Some eastern plains Z <br /> reservoirs were making repairs to their dams and were unable op <br /> 2 7 30 <br /> to take advantage of the early availability of water. At times W? <br /> there were not enough diverters to use all of the available s" 20 <br /> water and water flowed into Nebraska. October storms have A <br /> already produced some snow in the mountains, although ,0 <br /> accumulations do not begin to be measured until December 1. <br /> A 4 <br /> Rains occurring at lower elevations kept rivers at levels that ° <br /> 1961-1992 OCTOBER AVERAGE OCTOBER 1993 <br /> allowed relatively junior rights to divert. Water levels are <br /> adequate for most water uses throughout the basin. <br /> Public Use Impacts <br /> Several private water projects located in public areas <br /> owned by the U.S. Forest Service are undergoing scrutiny by Representative Reservoirs <br /> both the USFS and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as the 240 South Platte River BasIn <br /> project owners are trying to renew their special use permits. 220 <br /> At issue is whether or not by-pass flows are needed to 200 <br /> preserve forest values or to restore habitat of threatened and 180 <br /> endangered species located in Nebraska. ''''-1 1fi0 ///��\\ <br /> 140-.//r.\\ <br /> Eg 120 <br /> Ng mo� //// <br /> i ^ // <br /> � j <br /> 7A. <br /> 20-, \ j <br /> Oillon Horsetooth Eleven Mlle ChNCnnn Jackson Barr Lake <br /> LLLJ Avg 10/31 cont.nt• LI,N 10/31/93 Content• <br /> 3 <br />