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SOUTH PLATTE BASIN <br /> Basinwide Conditions Assessment: <br /> The SWSI value of -0.1 indicates that for March the SOUTH PLATTE RIVER BASIN <br /> Surface Waiter Supply Index History <br /> basin water supplies were near normal. Reservoir storage, the <br /> major component in this basin in computing the SWSI value,was - , - <br /> 104% of normal on March 31. Storage in the major plains 3 ! - <br /> reservoirs, Julesburg, North Sterling, and Prewitt, increased by <br /> 20,157 acre-feet during March and are at 95% of capacity. , _ ill it <br /> Storage in the major upper basin reservoirs, Cheesman, Eleven x ° <br /> Mile, Spinney, and Antero, increased by 6,820 acre-feet and are at 83% of capacity. The Natural Resources Conservation _ - <br /> Service reports April 1 snowpack as 77% of normal. The mean a <br /> daily flow of the South Platte River at the Kersey gage was 479 , <br /> cfs, as compared to the 1961-1993 March average of 846 cfs. J.. <br /> MONTH/YEAR <br /> Flow at the Colorado/Nebraska state line averaged 164 cfs. The <br /> National Weather Service computes basin precipitation as 77% <br /> of normal during the month. <br /> Outlook • <br /> As April begins,water supplies are lower than normal for SOUTH PLATTE RIVER NR. K E RS EY <br /> FLOW 6Y WATER YEAR <br /> most of the basin. The southern part of the basin,however, is an <br /> exception. As one goes north, the situation changes. The lowest <br /> tributary basin for snowpack is the St. Vrain which stands at about <br /> 53 percent of normal. The Poudre basin is about 60 percent of <br /> normal snowpack. Basin streams are running below normal. e ¢ <br /> Reservoirs, other than those on the plains, will experience <br /> difficultly getting full. The plains reservoirs are currently full. ,„ <br /> Already there is a demand for irrigation water in areas with <br /> vegetables and alfalfa. Some districts have relatively senior calls <br /> for water that are unusual for this time of year and these calls have <br /> MONTH <br /> cut down on the storage season. Recharge activities will be t W T[1993, -..-DAY 1964, -..-AVG 1995 <br /> limited and unless present conditions change, municipal water <br /> supplies along the front range may also be limited. <br /> Administrative/Management Concerns <br /> The supply of water on the tributaries continues to be R E P R E S E NT A T I VE R E S E R V O I R S <br /> low. The ability to exchange water will be reduced under the SOUTH PLATTE RIVER EAS I H <br /> current streamflow condition. There have also been numerous <br /> complaints from well owners experiencing low water levels, n <br /> Public Use Impacts <br /> The three state effort to resolve endangered species issues <br /> continues with only three months remaining to come to some N '°° <br /> resolution on how the Middle Platte River problems will be <br /> resolved. The Federal interests have proposed a "sideboards" <br /> agreement that provides for adaptive management that requires a ;\ <br /> phased in approach to protect and enhance the habitat for the DI 1IM Aaron.. en....° Jackson rm LEM <br /> ®Avg 3/31 Contents 1E3/31/95 Contents <br /> species involved. Unless an agreement can be reached by July, it <br /> is likely the case by case approach will be utilized to determine <br /> impacts of projects at such time as federal permits are needed. <br /> 3 <br />