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GUNNISON BASIN <br /> R <br /> Basinwide Conditions Assessment: <br /> The SWSI value of 0.8 indicates that for January the GUNNISON RIVER BASIN <br /> basin water supplies were near normal. The Natural S Surface Water Supply Index Nlitory <br /> Resources Conservation Service reports February 1 snowpack 4- <br /> as 107%of normal. Flow at the gaging station Uncompahgre . <br /> River near Ridgway averaged 40 cfs as compared to the 1961- <br /> 2- . J •-•- <br /> 1993 average of 44 cfs. Storage in Taylor Park,Crawford,and ; _ . ,___ .., <br /> Fruitland reservoirs totaled 120% of normal as of the end of 'iii^ �' Ii -"Janu z o�r�pp,—►- . ,"' <br /> 11 <br /> tit(d/� i, it <br /> Outlook _ <br /> r <br /> In one month the basin wide snow pack went from -2 I " ; ' <br /> 62% to 107% of average. Even with the majority of the -3- <br /> snowfall season still to come the outlook is now much -',,r,B, JAN88 JAN89 JAN90 JAh91 JAN92 sAN93 JAN91 JAN95 JAN96 <br /> brighter. wwW YEAR <br /> Administrative/Management Concerns <br /> Reservoir storage is an important consideration in the <br /> water supply of the basin. The record runoff year of 1995 left <br /> most reservoirs in the basin nearly full. Blue Mesa, Taylor UNCOMPAHGRE RIVER NR. R I DGWAY <br /> FLOW BY WATER YEAR <br /> Park, and Ridgway Reservoirs have been lowered to make 24 <br /> 23 <br /> room for the upcoming spring season. Many reservoirs on the 22 - <br /> .,,,,,,,,,,e___________Z. <br /> Grand Mesa also had to be lowered or drained for dam safety 20 <br /> reasons or to make storage available for this spring. For the i 18 <br /> most part reservoir storage in the basin remains above normal. 4� <br /> n 1S <br /> i 'IA s_// <br /> Public Use Impacts it. 13 <br /> The high release from Blue Mesa Reservoir has had an s <br /> impact on recreational use of the Gunnison River below the i <br /> Black Canyon. This is a favorite spot for fishermen, and 7 <br /> 6 <br /> several companies guide fishermen through on rafts. S <br /> P <br /> Fishermen also walk down into the canyon to wade and fish 3 Oct „. Dec Jen Fab March <br /> the river. Flows need to be between 600 and 2,000 cfs for the 11,1411.1 <br /> 0 WET(1224) 0 CRY(1977) n AVG X 1996 <br /> rafts to negotiate the rapids, while waders prefer the river to <br /> be a 300 to 600 cfs. <br /> REPRESENTATIVE RESERVOIRS <br /> GLN9IISCN RIVER BASIN <br /> 80 <br /> :i60-( <br /> t 50 <br /> vn <br /> s <br /> :j i 40 As <br /> Wr _../7\ <br /> e" 30 <br /> 'n <br /> r <br /> 5 20 <br /> 10 <br /> 0 /\ W/W .„ „ \\\ <br /> Taylor Perk Crawford Fruitland <br /> 1771 Avg. 1/31 Contents ® 1/31/96 Concepts <br /> 6 <br />