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RIO GRANDE BASIN 1/1997 Basinwide Conditions Assessment: The SWSI value of 2.0 indicates that for December the RIO GRANDE BASIN basin water supplies were above normal. The Natural s W Slrfsc.Water SPlY 193CC HICLorY Resources Conservation Service reports January 1 snowpack 4_ as 138% of normal. Flow at the gaging station Rio Grande W 3- L t near Del Norte averaged 188 cfs,which equals the long term -- ;ic average. The Conejos River near Mogote had a mean flow of 2- �'46 cfs. Storage in Platoro, Rio Grande, and Santa Maria � 1- ° . ;; -reservoirs totaled 119%of normal as of the end of December. 1 o :f "a„ '"ti' �.�- �, ,�,. Alamosa received only a trace of precipitation during - ,; ' ti i rf the month, 0.44 inches below normal. Temperatures ranged ' Cr -2- ►-' from -19° to 52° in Alamosa where the average monthly temperature was 21.5°, 4° above normal. -3- Overall, 1996 was a warm and dry year. The annual JAN88 JAN89 JAN90 JAN91 JAN92 JAN93 JAN94 JAN95 JAN96 JAN97 precipitation in Alamosa totalled only 5.43 inches,2.14 inches YEAR/WORTH less than average. The annual mean temperature of 42.7°was 1.6° above normal. Stream flow in the upper Rio Grande basin was reflective of these conditions. The index supply on the mainstem of the Rio Grande was only 60% of the long term average, and the index supply of the Conejos River was RIO GRANDE NR. DELNORTE only 70% of normal. Stream flow in the basin did appear to 150 FLOW BY WATER YEAS be improving as 1997 approached. 140 130 120 Outlook ,T 110 As 1996 came to a close, the water supply conditions ',, ,°° were vastly improved over conditions earlier in the year. This :1 9° is evidenced by a much above normal snowpack for January g 8O rY tw 60 70 1. � u SO Administrative/Management Concerns 4. The end of another year causes a flurry of activity for 30 water administrators as they finalize diversion records and 2° Oct Nov D. Jan Fhb yearly accounting of water usage. Water Court filings MONTH RY increased sharply in December. Stockman's Water Company ° WET`1987) ° ° (1977 ' a AVG x 1997 did not file their expected application for confined aquifer wells and exportation of water out of the basin as of the end of the year. It is presumed that the case will be filed in early 1997. REPRESENTATIVE RESERVOIRS RIO GRANDE ENSIN Public Use Impacts 20- Outdoor recreators benefitted from the above average 18- snowpack in the San Juan Mountains. The sub-zero 16- temperatures caused all lakes and most streams to completely n 14-�� ice over. _ d� 12 h g 1°_.:// ////\\\\ 1 6_/;\\ ./ \ .' 2/\ Rio Grand, Platolo Sant all�r fa 771 Avg, 12/31 Contents ® 12/31/96 Content 5 .