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RIO GRANDE BASIN April, 1997 <br /> I <br /> Basinwide Conditions Assessment: <br /> The SWSI value of 2.9 indicates that for March the RIO GRANDE BASIN <br /> ..asin water supplies were above normal. The Natural 5 Surface Water suvP l r I nd.x"I Cibry <br /> Resources Conservation Service reports April 1 snowpack as ,_ <br /> 110%of normal. Flow at the gaging station Rio Grande near W 3- <br /> Del Norte averaged 365 cfs, as compared to the long term - i - <br /> _ _; <br /> average of 250 cfs. The Conejos River near Mogote had a 2- • L - <br /> mean flow of 133 cfs. Storage in Platoro, Rio Grande, and 1- ' ' -"'' <br /> Santa Maria reservoirs totaled 125% of normal as of the end g n itE } IN'_ r'%.; '-lit 1 r- � <br /> of March. - '�1- �-" <br /> Stream flow in the basin during March was well i -' y <br /> cc -2- , .r �J. <br /> above average. This was the result of warm temperatures o <br /> melting much of the low elevation snowpack. -3- <br /> Precipitation in Alamosa measured 0.04 inches during -. - <br /> JAN69 JAN69 JAN90 JAN91 JAN92 JAN93 JAN94 JAN95 JAN96 JAN97 <br /> March,0.41 inches below normal. The high temperature was TEAR/MONTH <br /> 72° in Alamosa, the low -7°, and the average 34.9°, 2.61° <br /> above normal. <br /> Outlook <br /> The promising snowpack of early 1997 has dwindled. RIO GRANDE NR. DELNORTE <br /> Although not below historic average levels,the possibility for 260 FLOW 6Y WATEFI YEAR <br /> abundant surface water supplies is now much less likely. 210 <br /> Water users dependent on flows from the Sangre de Cristo 220 - <br /> Mountains may suffer a second consecutive year of dry s 206 . <br /> r 180 <br /> conditions. <br /> is, 160 <br /> 140 <br /> Administrative/Management Concerns L.?„. <br /> 4 <br /> 17,, --,"->/ <br /> At the Rio Grande Compact meeting held March 27 in '" ,DO <br /> Austin, Texas, the three signatory states (Colorado, New 2 80 <br /> Mexico, and Texas) could not reach resolution on the issue of 60 <br /> whether to credit a spill from Elephant Butte Reservoir in 40 <br /> 1996. Colorado has chosen to stand by its assertion that 20 <br /> Oct NOv Doe Jan Fab Nara AQrII <br /> releases from Elephant Butte Reservoir during January and MONTH <br /> February of 1996 prevented a spill from occurring. The other ° `T o °R' 0197' a AVG x 1997 <br /> states did not agree with this position. The dispute results in <br /> the need to run dual accounting until the states can resolve <br /> the issue by either negotiation or litigation. <br /> REPRESENTATIVE RESERVOIRS <br /> Public Use Impacts za RI GRANDE aASIN <br /> The dry warm weather prompted a few farmers to 26- <br /> begin preparing their fields and ditches for this irrigation 2_ <br /> 22 season. ; 20- N <br /> t ,e <br /> ., 16 ms <br /> --/_////-\\\ <br /> a l 14 <br /> hg 12 <br /> r 10/\ <br /> 6 <br /> -..-\7 <br /> 0 <br /> RIa Cran60 Plator* Sant radar l■ <br /> ® Ace. 3/31 Contunta ® 3/31/97 Contonto <br /> . 5 <br />