DWR_4151828

• Title: MAY 1997 SWSI: COLORADO WATER SUPPLY CONDITIONS UPDATE, SURFACE WATER SUPPLY INDEX
• Year: 1997
• Document Type - Publications and Reports: SWSI Monthly Report

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YAMPA/WHITE BASIN May, 1997
Basinwide Conditions Assessment:
The SWSI value of 3.3 indicates that for April the YAMPA—WHITE RIVER BASINS
Surface Water Supply...a HI miry
basin water supplies were well above normal. The Natural 5
Resources Conservation Service reports May 1 snowpack as ,
144% of normal. Flow at the gaging station Yampa River at W 3
Steamboat averaged 796 cfs as compared to the long term - • 1 w --
average of 598 cfs. '11
g p I um !,
Temperatures continued to moderate some during i 1 1 inlli qr
April, but above average precipitation boosted the basin's 1 ' '! !'"' i
11'a 111111i111j!IIj1 11111'1 1 ! 11 /111 i 1111110�
snowpack readings. From April 1 to May 1 the basin water ' ;;'lliii111111iu �I�I I I 11 111! idol
_, 1 ! I' IIII 11 11o11 1 1 11 111i111
content increased 1.5 inches rather than the normal decrease x 11 '!�10 1,H iI ' ;i1
I
1111111 11 I 1111 11 14 1111
of approximately 2.5 inches. The Tower snowtel site on 0 !,11 ;; II
Buffalo Pass reported 160 inches of snow with 65.5 inches ofI III
water content. Most higher elevation reservoirs are still ice JANSB J.N99 JAN90 JANS1 J►,1B2 JAN93 JAN9, JAN95 JOINS J.N97
covered. Most lower elevation snow has melted, and many Ll7Hi>•V YEAR
fields in the western portion of the basin are being prepared
for the irrigation season.
The Steamboat Springs weather observer reported
4.09 inches of precipitation for April, which is 184% of
average. The record for precipitation in April is 4.16 inches YAMPA RIVER AT STEAMBOAT
rtor BY w4Te�VWset in 1985. 300
290
260
Outlook 240
Stream flows have increased some, but the cooler i 22n
weather at the end of April slowed the increase. Basin F
administrators expect peak flows to occur during the latter ii ,6°
part of May. g
Administrative/Management Concerns p
There are no administrative or management concerns .
anticipated for the next four to six weeks. Flooding could
become a concern during runoff if weather conditions are 6 '
Oct Nov Dec Jan KM] ',arch br i 1 May
adverse. 1gN."1
0 WET(19e.) o pw.(1977) 0 +WC X 1997
Public Use Impacts
The only public use impacts anticipated at this time
could be closing of rivers to recreational activities during high flows.
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