Laserfiche WebLink
5 <br /> GUNNISON BASIN <br /> a <br /> Basinwide Conditions Assessment: <br /> The SWSI value of-2.8 indicates that for November GUNNISON RIVER BASIN <br /> he basin water supplies were below normal. The Natural S '"'wt..S.c8lY ' Ntatory <br /> Resources Conservation Service reports December 1 snowpack 4- <br /> as 63% of normal. The National Weather Service reports W 3- 1 .i. <br /> basin precipitation as 85%of normal during the month. Flow <br /> at the gaging station Uncompahgre River near Ridgway 2 J ` _ <br /> averaged 64 cfs as compared to the 1961-1993 average of 66 J P - <br /> cfs. Storage in Taylor Park,Crawford,and Fruitland reservoirs i o W-: ,�, - e'A <br /> -totaled 119% of normal as of the end of November. - <br /> _ ry <br /> Another dry month in November has left the <br /> snowpack and the soil moisture conditions in a dismal state. o -2- _ 1 <br /> Low elevation areas are extremely dry and dusty,and the high -3- <br /> county is almost barren of snow. Any moisture would be an -4. - <br /> JAN86 JAN87 JAN88 JAN89 JAN90 JAN91 JAN92 JAN93 JAN94 JAN95 <br /> improvement. Many irrigators were able to get their fields WHIN/YEAR <br /> wet in October due to the abundance of stream flows which <br /> will help with the soil moisture until the snow comes. • <br /> Administrative/Management Concerns <br /> The USBR is currently dropping the level of Blue Mesa UNCOMPAHGRE RIVER NR. RI DGWAY <br /> Reservoir to reach a storage amount of 500,000 acre-feet by $4 PLOW BY WATER YEAR <br /> January 1996. This level is mandated by their operating z2 <br /> 21 <br /> policy to make room for next spring's runoff flows. They are 20 <br /> ....______,...,".... .7 <br /> releasing about 1,500 cfs towards that end. These high I, 1a <br /> releases allow the three dams in the Curecanti Unit (Blue 16 <br /> Mesa Reservoir, Morrow Point Reservoir, and Crystal o 14 <br /> 13 <br /> Reservoir) to generate a larger amount of electricity than 12 <br /> normal. Other dams, especially on the Grand Mesa, have s V ;o <br /> released stored water that was not used last summer in order . a <br /> to make room for the next spring season. 7 <br /> 6 ,,,,e,":„. ,- <br /> 5 <br /> 4 . <br /> Public Use Impacts 3 <br /> Oct Nov Dec Jan Pet. Marc" <br /> The high releases from the Curecanti Unit on the ,°N,„ <br /> Gunnison River have been the subject of much controversy ° "E`(199 ` DRY ° AVG x 1995 <br /> this summer. There are numerous rafting guides and general <br /> public which fish in the Gunnison River during the summer <br /> and fall. The high flows have made the river too dangerous <br /> to raft. The situation has been due to the record high flows REPRESENTATIVE RESERVOIRS <br /> in June and the current need to evacuate stored water in Blue en """'�" "°' <br /> Mesa Reservoir. Unfortunately, not everyone could be 70- <br /> satisfied. \ <br /> fi0J j <br /> Y <br /> F <br /> r1 V SO <br /> ■A <br /> ./„.\\ <br /> Si .../.\\ <br /> hE <br /> y <br /> M F <br /> N 77\ <br /> w 30 <br /> n <br /> w <br /> w <br /> � 20 <br /> 10 <br /> Taylor Perk Fruitland <br /> aZZ Avg. 1v30 Cont ante . -1130/95 Contort.. <br /> 6 <br />