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i <br /> ARKANSAS BASIN August, 1997 <br /> b <br /> Basinwide Conditions Assessment: <br /> The SWSI value of 2.0 indicates that for July the basin ARKANSAS RIVER BASIN <br /> water supplies were above normal. Flow at the gaging station S Surface Water Supply Index History <br /> Arkansas River near Portland averaged 1,619 cfs,as compared ,- <br /> to the long term average of 1,664 cfs. Storage in Turquoise, _ F.: <br /> Twin Lakes,Pueblo, and John Martin reservoirs totaled 184% 3 1 ;, -� -Q- <br /> of normal as of the end of July. <br /> �v -r I+VY <br /> July was a very dry month with very little zi -- - - <br /> precipitation, reportedly being the third driest July on record _1 0 .. 4.4r4 .�, _ . 1_ff <br /> in the Arkansas valley. During the month water users were _i_ri ' , <br /> drawing more and more upon their available reservoir - ! <br /> supplies. The beginning of August however has been very a <br /> -3- <br /> wet. <br /> Native stream flows are above normal for the 1 <br /> JANBB JANB9 JAN90 JAN91 JAN92 JAN93 JAN94 JAN95 JAN96 JAN97 <br /> beginning of August, with the Arkansas at Wellsville gage IQNTH/YEAR <br /> reading 1,550 cfs and the Portland gage (Canon City/Florence <br /> area) reading 1,750 cfs. Typical flows at this time of year are <br /> closer to 700-900 cfs at these locations. The early August <br /> river call is on John Martin Reservoir at December 14, 1948. <br /> /'�/� ARKANSAS RIVER NR. PORTLAND <br /> Administrative/Management Concerns 1 - FLOW BY WATER YEAR <br /> Thin shale layers underlying several of the 0.9 <br /> independent buttresses in Pueblo Dam have recently been the 0 B . <br /> cause of dam safety attention. The Bureau of Reclamation is r <br /> concerned that under the pressure of a full reservoir these 0.6 _ <br /> shale layers could liquefy and allow the buttresses to slide. o 0 5 _ _ ---------1 <br /> The Bureau is in the process of determining some appropriate LL <br /> ?V 0.4 <br /> remediation solutions. One solution proposed thus far is to S <br /> anchor the buttresses to the solid underlying strata with large 1 °3 <br /> cables installed in holes drilled under the dam. Construction 0.2 . <br /> schedules indicate a 2-4 year period during which there may <br /> be up to a 60,000 acre-foot reduction in allowable 0 <br /> Oct Nov Dec Jan Fob Borah April May June July Aug Sept <br /> conservation storage. TM <br /> O WET(1991) 9 ORY(1977) G AVG 0 1997 <br /> Public Use Impacts <br /> The recent rains were responsible for some flash <br /> flooding in Colorado Springs. Both the flooding and the <br /> current ample water supply which keeps irrigation ditches full REPRESENTATIVE RESERVOIRS <br /> have resulted in the drowning deaths of three children in the 260 ARKANSAS RIVER BASIN <br /> last month in the Arkansas River valley. Parents need to 240- X <br /> educate children on the dangers of any moving water to 220- <br /> 200- <br /> prevent further tragedies of this sort. <br /> e 160— \ <br /> 140 ` \ <br /> a• <br /> S •! <br /> 42 120- / <br /> • <br /> 640°—,/"\\ <br /> 20 / <br /> 0 <br /> John Werth Pueblo Turquoise Twin Lakes <br /> ® Avg. 7/31 Contents ® 7/31/97 Contents <br /> 4 <br />