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GUNNISON BASIN <br /> Basinwide Conditions Assessment: <br /> The SWSI value of+3.7 indicates that for March the GUNNISON RIVER BASIN <br /> basin water supplies were well above normal. The Soil 5 Surface Water Supply Ind.X Hletory <br /> Conservation Service reports March 31 snowpack at 138% of 4 <br /> normal. Storage in Taylor Park, Crawford, and Fruitland W x 1 <br /> reservoirs totaled 112%of normal on March 31. The National • r° ' <br /> Weather Service reports March precipitation at 131% of • �- ._ <br /> normal. Flow at the gaging station Uncompahgre River near 1 �-r - <br /> Ridgway averaged 57.8 cfs as compared to the 1961-1991 1 ° M <br /> "� ..� - W-'. ,- <br /> March average of 60.6 cfs. `�` . <br /> The water supply for the basin remains high. Basin 2 ''` <br /> administrators measured snowpack at 151% of average as of ° U -., <br /> April 6. Fortunately for flood potential reasons the snowpack 3 <br /> on Grand Mesa is down: Mesa Lakes dropped from 195% of - <br /> JAN84 JAN85 JAN58 JAN87 JAN88 JAN85 JAN90 JAN91 JAN92 JAN23 <br /> normal last month to 188%, Park Reservoir dropped from 1CNTH/YEAR <br /> 183% to 167% of normal. Current readings of snow water <br /> equivalent (SWE) taken by basin administrators on Grand <br /> Mesa as compared to high runoff years 1983 and 1984 are as <br /> follows: <br /> UNCOMPAHGRE RIVER NR. RIDGWAY <br /> 1993 1983 1984 Avg. 24 FLOW BY WATER YEAR <br /> Site Elev. SWE SWE SWE SWE 22 <br /> 22 <br /> Shaw Pasture 8320 16.6 15.0 13.0 11.47 20 - <br /> 2D <br /> Cole #5 Res. 8800 . 24.0 21.6 16.6 16.16 <br /> Marcott Res. 9600 37.0 28.5 26.0 26.01 4 <br /> 117 <br /> Leon Lake 10400 46.3 41.0 34.0 34.56 g i 14 <br /> Park Res. 10000 37.3 35.2 31.0 29.29 0I 13 .�f 11 <br /> As can be seen this year's SWE as a percent of normal 5 <br /> is greater at the lower elevations. In the remainder of both s _ <br /> the Gunnison and San Miguel basins, the snowpack moisture 5 <br /> is from 130 to 160 percent of normal. The only exception to 3 <br /> Oct <br /> the extremely high snowpack is an area south of Gunnison "°" Caw MONTH <br /> -"n Feb March <br /> 0 WET[11111+) o °RY C 1977) A AVG x 1.Q3 <br /> which is near normal. <br /> Administrative/Management Concerns <br /> The exceptional snowpack gives reason to have some <br /> concern about potential flooding on the steams running off REPRESENTATIVE RESERVOIRS <br /> Grand Mesa. The runoff is dependent upon spring weather, 7° GUNNIS°11 RIVER BASIN <br /> future snow and rainfall, and many other factors. However, _ <br /> county emergency preparedness personnel and others are 5° <br /> 7 <br /> working to be prepared in case flooding does become a threat. _ <br /> 5°_/\, <br /> The extremely high snowpack has caused the Bureau of + <br /> Reclamation to increase releases from the Aspinall Unit and ,I '° <br /> .7/7\ <br /> other reservoirs in anticipation of creating some flood control i <br /> I 30 <br /> storage. <br /> , 1 2°_,/\ <br /> A ' ) <br /> `4io <br /> 1I / -% <br /> v„,,,,____. <br /> Taylor Park Crewfortl Fruitland <br /> ® AYq 3/31 Content* ® 3/31/93 Contents I <br /> • <br />