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RIO GRANDE BASIN <br /> Basinwide Conditions Assessment: <br /> The SWSI value of -2.2 indicates that for April the R I O GRANDE BASIN <br /> sin water supplies were below normal. The Natural S Surface""'Supply "'d'""ICtary <br /> __esources Conservation Service reports May 1 snowpack as 4_ <br /> 46% of normal. Flow at the gaging station Rio Grande near - - <br /> 4 <br /> Del Norte averaged 574 cfs, as compared to the long term 3 J .- - ` ' <br /> average of 665 cfs. The Conejos River near Mogote had a - =• ' - -- - - <br /> mean flow of 272 cfs. Storage in Platoro, Rio Grande, and I 1 �' - -- <br /> Santa Maria reservoirs totaled 216% of normal as of the end i ° r_ = = r- r" <br /> - 4 <br /> of April. - ri <br /> J TA <br /> A significant snowfall on the 4th brought enough <br /> moisture to the San Luis Valley to break the streak of six a z- <br /> ,p_ <br /> consecutive months with below average precipitation. 3- <br /> Alamosa received 0.66 inches of precipitation during the -4 .................. - . <br /> JANB7 JAMBE JAN89 JAN.S2 JAN91 JAN92 JAN93 JAN94 JAMS JAMS <br /> month,0.17 inches above normal. Temperatures ranged from YEAR/NORTH <br /> 77°to 7°in Alamosa where the average monthly temperature <br /> was 41.7°, 0.6° above normal. <br /> Outlook <br /> Updated NRCS forecasts are predicting annual stream R I O GRANDE NA. DELNORTE <br /> flows ranging from 33%to 77% of average in the Upper Rio 5. FL°r+9Y WATER YEAR <br /> Grande basin. The Rio Grande near Del Norte is most likely <br /> to flow at 54% of normal and the Conejos near Mogote just 500 <br /> slightly higher at 57%. Most of the carryover reservoir storage Y <br /> will be used to supplement low irrigation supplies. Junior s '°° <br /> water right holders will have little or no diversion this year. i i 300 <br /> e r <br /> . <br /> Administrative/Management Concerns s 2. <br /> The little snowpack remaining at the end of April is 1 <br /> quickly disappearing. Many creeks and rivers have already ,°° <br /> reached their peak runoff flow. Water administrators are <br /> preparing for a tough year in which low surface supplies may ° <br /> Oct N:sy Doc Jan Fab March Apr I Nay <br /> lead to skirmishes on the ditch bank. Crop damage is MONTH <br /> 0 WET(1987) o DRY(1977) 6 AVG X ,119E <br /> expected in those areas without underground or reservoir <br /> supplies. These supplemental sources will be heavily used as <br /> the irrigation season progresses. <br /> Things look bad. <br /> REPRESENTATIVE RESERVOIRS <br /> Public Use Impacts so PIO GRANDE BASIN <br /> The winds during April spelled double trouble for 45_ <br /> valley residences. The wind stripped fields of their soil 40- <br /> moisture and whisked away the snow from the mountains. i 35— \ <br /> Dust storms in tilled areas were common. Water related _ <br /> activities will be significantly impacted this summer. s i 3° <br /> ll .3- <br /> bP <br /> o <br /> 3 V <br /> r <br /> 0 A. ,4;:,,, <br /> Rio Grande Pfatora SantaMar la <br /> ® Av9. 4/30 Contanta ® 4/30J98 Contents <br /> 5 <br />