Laserfiche WebLink
RIO GRANDE BASIN July, 1997 <br /> I), <br /> Basinwide Conditions Assessment: <br /> The SWSI value of 2.3 indicates that for June the RIO GRANDE BASIN <br /> )asin water supplies were above normal. Flow at the gaging 5 SIA-''°'Water Supply 1 "latary <br /> station Rio Grande near Del Norte averaged 4,401 cfs, as 4- <br /> compared to the long term average of 3,092 cfs. The Conejos , I. 1 <br /> River near Mogote had a mean flow of 1,516 cfs. Storage in ` <br /> Platoro,Rio Grande,and Santa Maria reservoirs totaled 162% cd ;; -�; ; ', <br /> of normal as of the end of June. Stream flow in the basin i 1- ' ' w ;,. - z. <br /> during June was above average for the Rio Grande, Conejos, i 0 rJ J� ti `" <br /> and their tributaries. 11:2e. i I ^Iti T `� <br /> Alamosa received 0.79 inches of precipitation during 1 <br /> June, 0.12 inches above normal. The high temperature was o -2- . y <br /> 85° in Alamosa, the low 35°, and the average 59.1°, 0.3° -5- <br /> below normal. -, ......................C. .w. ....- <br /> JAN99 JAN99 JAN90 JAN91 JAN92 JAN93 JAN94 JAN95 JAN96 JAN97 <br /> YEAR/MONTH <br /> Outlook <br /> As June came to a close it became apparent that <br /> stream flows in the upper Rio Grande basin will exceed <br /> forecasts by the Natural Resources Conservation Service. <br /> Recorded flows on the Conejos may not meet the MRCS RIO GRANDE NR. DELNORTE <br /> forecast. FLOW BY WATER YEAR <br /> 1 <br /> Administrative/Management Concerns 0.9 - <br /> A decision was made in June to continue issuance of i <br /> exempt residential 35-acre well permits in the San Francisco i 07 <br /> Creek drainage. The presumption of non-injury given to those o i 0,9 f' <br /> permits had been formally questioned by the senior surface j 5 <br /> water rights owners in the drainage, one of the most heavily 5 0.4 - <br /> overappropriated in the basin. About 100 35-acre and larger I 0 3 - - <br /> parcels had been carved out and sold by a developer in the 0.2 — <br /> past year. To prevent possible impacts on the San Francisco <br /> Creek and its alluvium, a solution was reached requiring new 0 <br /> Oct Nov Oac Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sept <br /> wells to be plain cased and sealed to a minimum depth of 50 MON,,, <br /> feet to prevent the withdrawal of water from the "9e7y ° DRY«Q77) x 1997 <br /> surface/alluvial system. <br /> Public Use Impacts <br /> Curtailment of water rights to meet the Compact REPRESENTATIVE RESERVOIRS <br /> delivery obligation reduces the amount of water available for 50 RIO GRANDE BASIN <br /> surface diverters. However, on the other side of the coin, 45- <br /> flows in the Rio Grande and Conejos River have rafters 40- <br /> overjoyed at the bounty of whitewater. It is expected that J <br /> 35- <br /> above average flows will continue through the end of July. -- <br /> dig 20 J/ / <br /> i 15 <br /> 10 J// <br /> 0 <br /> /4 \ /\ /\\ <br /> Rlo G.OSC• Plstar° SantaWar I <br /> ® Avg.6/90 Content• ® 9/30/97 Convents <br /> 5 <br />