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BASIN ASSESSMENTS <br /> South Platte <br /> The SWSI value of -0.8 is down slightly from April 1, 1990. The <br /> basinwide runoff forecast is 95% of average ranging from 70% for the upper <br /> South Platte River to 120% for the upper Cache la Poudre River. Flow for the <br /> month of April at the key index station, South Platte River near Kersey, <br /> averaged 1205 cfs as compared to the normal flow of 870 cfs. Soil moisture is <br /> classified as being normal for this time of year. Water supply conditions for <br /> the irrigation season are projected to be normal . <br /> Arkansas <br /> The SWSI value of -0.8 upgraded the water supply conditions for this <br /> basin from "moderate drought" to "below normal ." The basinwide runoff <br /> forecast is 74% of average ranging from 69% for the Arkansas River basin above <br /> Pueblo Reservoir to 85% for the Purgatoire River above Trinidad. Storage in <br /> Pueblo Reservoir on May 1, 1990, was 145,520 acre-feet as compared to 194,949 <br /> acre-feet in storage on May 1, 1989. Flow for the month of April at the key <br /> index station, Arkansas River at Portland, averaged 252 cfs as compared to the <br /> normal flow of 538 cfs. Soil moisture is classified as being normal for this <br /> time of year. Low elevation runoff is already complete. High elevation <br /> runoff is expected to be slightly below normal early and significantly below <br /> normal late in the irrigation season prompting large reservoir drafts. The <br /> Bureau of Reclamation is planning on moving storage in high elevation <br /> reservoirs to Pueblo Reservoir during the summer months to supplement natural <br /> flow in the Arkansas River to enhance recreational uses. <br /> Rio Grande <br /> The SWSI value of -0.5 represents a significant improvement over the <br /> April 1 value of -2.8. This upgrades the basin from a "moderate drought" <br /> classification to "below normal . " The basinwide runoff forecast is 61% of <br /> average ranging from 23% for the San Antonio River basin to 86% for Culebra <br /> Creek. Flow for the month of April at the key index station, Rio Grande near <br /> Del Norte, averaged 501 cfs as compared to the normal flow of 782 cfs. Soil <br /> moisture is classified as being normal at lower elevations. Junior water <br /> rights are expected to be severely curtailed if precipitation conditions are <br /> below normal during the irrigation season. Reservoir storage is 88% of <br /> normal . These levels could be drawn down significantly if drier than normal <br /> conditions develop this summer. <br /> Gunnison <br /> The SWSI value of -1.4 represents a significant improvement over the <br /> April 1 value of -2.8. This upgrades the basin from a "moderate drought" <br /> classification to "below normal ." The basinwide runoff forecast is 61% of <br /> average ranging from 39% for the Gunnison River at Grand Junction to 76% for <br /> the Taylor River above Taylor Park Reservoir. Flow for the month of April at <br /> the key index station, Gunnison River at Delta, averaged 638 cfs as compared <br /> to the normal flow of 2222 cfs. Storage in Blue Mesa Reservoir was 549,300 <br /> acre-feet on May 1, 1990, as compared to 530,000 acre-feet in storage on <br /> May 1, 1989. Soil moisture is classified *as being near normal at lower <br /> elevations. <br />