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I <br /> a RIO GRANDE BASIN <br /> Basinwide Conditions Assessment: <br /> The SWSI value of +3.4 indicates that for February _ RIO GRANDE BASIN <br /> the basin water supplies were much above normal. The Soil s <br /> slr,ace w.t.r supply Index",story <br /> Conservation Service reports February 28 snowpack at 156% 4 <br /> of normal. Storage in Platoro, Rio Grande, and Santa Maria ._ 3 <br /> reservoirs totaled 99% of normal on February 28. Several '{ <br /> major snowstorms hit the San Luis Valley and the surrounding • --� r •• <br /> ,r- <br /> 115 <br /> mountains in February and kept the snowpack well above 1 , ..normal. Alamosa only received 3.2 inches of snow during the 1 ° - k,,,41 , , <br /> month but the reci itation amount was 0.1 inches above jirJF <br /> precipitation 4 <br /> normal. ..". <br /> The temperatures are starting to warm up as we are o -2 <br /> heading out of winter. The average temperature in Alamosa -3 - <br /> for the month was 19.19F, which is 3.3°F below the normal -4 <br /> JAN84 JANOS JAN86 JAN87 JAN88 JAN89 JANQ° JAN91 JAN92 JAN93 <br /> average for February. The lowest temperature recorded in YEAR.D. <br /> Alamosa for the month was 15°F below zero on the 5th. I <br /> Outlook <br /> The snowpack in the mountains surrounding the San <br /> Luis Valley has picked up considerably in the past couple of RIO GRANDE NR. DELNORTE <br /> months. The snowpack in the San Juan Mountains as of the 17° - FIFLOWMATES EAR <br /> end of February is approximately 145% of average. The 980 <br /> 1S° <br /> snowpack in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains is approximately 1,° - - <br /> 180% with some of the snotel sites in the Sangre de Cristos $ "° <br /> showing well over 200%of average. The reservoir storage in 4 o <br /> the basin is about normal at this time,although the reservoirs ~1 '°° <br /> could pick up a lot of water when the runoff starts. + <br /> S v <br /> Administrative/ManaAement Concerns 1 <br /> The basin could be faced with a large runoff and high ,° <br /> flows in the rivers and streams if the snowpack continues to 20 r <br /> be above average. This will depend on the continuation of ,° <br /> snowfall in the mountains and also on the effect of spring "°" ..., „ Feb Wren <br /> winds on the snowpack. The average flow on the Rio Grande "`r`"`� DRY""� AVG x IOW <br /> near Del Norte for February was 153 cfs, as compared to the • <br /> 1961-1991 average of 182 cfs. The average flow on the <br /> Conejos River near Mogote was 49 cfs. <br /> Representative Reservoirs <br /> Public Use Impacts 3. Rio o-ande Basin <br /> The snowpack in the surrounding mountains is 34- <br /> providing a base for may winter activities such as skiing, 22 <br /> 2°- <br /> snowmobiling,and sledding,but soon this snowpack will melt = „_ <br /> and send much water down the rivers and streams of the e n 16/ V <br /> basin. This will in turn provide a base for the summer •I 14 <br /> I <br /> activities such as fishing, rafting, and canoeing. Irrigation bF <br /> g 12 <br /> activities should start the end of March and it appears that '° <br /> adequate water supplies should be available. This situation is a ` <br /> a dramatic turn7 <br /> around from the water supplies of the last 5 4 <br /> years. e <br /> ///,/2N <br /> Rlo Grande Platoro SantaArria <br /> ® AvQ. VOW Contents ® 2/28/83 Content! <br /> 5 <br />