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RIO GRANDE BASIN <br /> Basinwide Conditions Assessment: <br /> The SWSI value of 3.1 indicates that for February the RIO GRANDE BASIN <br /> S&rfacs Water S.pply Index 11latery <br /> basin water supplies were above normal. The Natural 5 <br /> Resources Conservation Service reports March 1 snowpack as 4_ <br /> 115% of normal. Storage in Platoro, Rio Grande, and Santa 3- 7 <br /> Maria reservoirs totaled 153% of normal on February 28. <br /> Flow at the a station Rio Grande near Del Norte 2 4— °E <br /> averaged 205 cfs,gaging <br /> compared to the 1961-1993 February * 1MN ' ` -'�- r <br /> average of 180 cfs. The Conejos River near Mogote had a -"" �1Mil ' <br /> : r <br /> mean flow of 66 cfs. Most upper basin streams, and the Rio x T ,„ <br /> 9,_ i <br /> Grande at the state line, had well above average flow during - :' <br /> a: -2- <br /> February. The National Weather Service computes basin 0 <br /> precipitation as 101% of normal during the month. "3 <br /> Weather conditions in the San Luis Valley during -4 , -• -•••.. <br /> JAN86 JAN97 JAN9! JAN90 JAN90 JAN91 JAN92 JAN93 JAN94 JAN95 <br /> February were much warmer than average. In Alamosa all- YEAR/KWH <br /> time record highs were met or exceeded three times. The <br /> average monthly temperature of 33.2° in Alamosa was an <br /> amazing 10.8° above normal. Temperatures ranged from a <br /> high of 60° to a low of 7°. Alamosa received 0.09 inches of <br /> precipitation which was 0.20 inches below normal. RIO GRANDE NR. DELNORTE <br /> 170 FLOW BY WATER YEAR <br /> Outlook 160 <br /> 150 <br /> Reservoir storage and high elevation snowpack are - 140 <br /> currently above normal in the basin. Continuance of these a 130 <br /> conditions will helpconsiderablyin providingadequate 120 <br /> q 110 <br /> surface water supplies this spring. .1 ISO <br /> 5.1) 90 <br /> !� 90 - - <br /> Administrative/Management Concerns 70 <br /> Three consecutive months of above average i 6D <br /> temperatures are causing much of the low elevation snowpack S0 e <br /> to melt and run off earlier than normal. Ice is virtually non- 30 <br /> existent on the lower reaches of basin streams. Without a 2D <br /> Dct Nov Oac Jan Feb march <br /> drastic change in local weather patterns, calls for irrigation WORTH <br /> 13 WET(1997) 0 DRY(1977) a AVG x 1995 <br /> water will be made much earlier than water officials and users <br /> are accustomed to. <br /> Public Use Impacts <br /> Adequate high elevation snow cover and mild Representative Reservoirs <br /> temperatures are providing great conditions for outdoor Basin <br /> 45 �'"`" <br /> recreation. 40- <br /> 35- <br /> J <br /> , 30- <br /> r <br /> t <br /> un <br /> ea' 25- <br /> -S <br /> 3w <br /> :$ 20- <br /> Y.v . <br /> i is / <br /> \ '7 <br /> 10 y7\ <br /> / <br /> S <br /> Rio Grande Platoro S6Nt.3 rla <br /> ® AVq. 2/29 Contsnta ® 2/29/S5 Contents <br /> 5 <br />