Laserfiche WebLink
A <br /> RIO GRANDE BASIN <br /> Basinwide Conditions Assessment: <br /> The SWSI value of 1.7 indicates that for April the PIO GRANDE BASIN <br /> Surface luster Supply Index History <br /> asin water supplies were slightly above normal. The Soil 5 <br /> Conservation Service reports April 30 snowpack at 93% of 4 <br /> normal. Storage in Platoro, Rio Grande, and Santa Maria W 3 F <br /> reservoirs totaled 241% of normal on April 30. The National <br /> Weather Service reports basin precipitation as 188%of normal 2 I --.- �,, • <br /> — 4 <br /> -.�., , I •-,.j <br /> during April. Flow at the gaging station Rio Grande near Del — mu ° : , : — <br /> Norte averaged 568 cfs, as compared to the 1961-1993 April ii 0 ill <br /> i� {�I I~.' 11 MI � ;� ,i�. <br /> average of 665 cfs. The Conejos River near Mogote had a ; ' M � ' <br /> mean monthly flow of 260 cfs. <br /> Stream flow in the basin during April was, in general, 0 2 Al <br /> similar to last year. The Rio Grande at the state line was 3 <br /> lower than the historic monthly average. Weather conditions -4 <br /> JANBS JANB6 JAN97 JAN99 JANB9 JAN90 JAN91 JAN92 JAN93 JAN94 <br /> in the San Luis Valley during the month of April were slightly YEAR,6ONiH <br /> wanner than average. The average monthly temperature of <br /> 41.8° in Alamosa was 0.7° above normal. Temperatures <br /> ranged from a high of 71° on four days in the middle of the <br /> month to a low of 12° on the 12th. The average daily low <br /> was 25°. Alamosa received a nearly average amount of RIO GRANDE NR. DELNORTE <br /> precipitation during April at 0.39 inches. This was the result 260 FLOW BY WATER YEAR <br /> of several light snowstorms scattered throughout the month. 240 <br /> 220 <br /> Outlook 200 <br /> Heavy snow at higher elevations in the latter part of i 100 <br /> t n ,60 <br /> the month helped slow the melting of the snowpack. The ;1 <br /> 140 <br /> outlook still calls for well below average stream flow on the LL g <br /> L ,20 <br /> .' <br /> -Zainstem of the Rio Grande. However, tributaries located in S ,00 <br /> ie Sangre de Cristo and southeastern San Juan ranges should I 60 <br /> experience average to above average flows. 60 <br /> 40 <br /> Administrative/Management Concerns 20 <br /> Oct NON Om Jan Fab Inch Ow,I <br /> Irrigation demand from area rivers was heavy during JACINTH <br /> April. It should be noted that the SWSI value calculated for ' ` ° °RY D AVG x 1994 <br /> this basin can be extremely misleading. Although well above <br /> average for this time of year, reservoir storage on the <br /> mainstem of the Rio Grande serves very few ditches. The <br /> expected water shortage will affect many irrigators relying on REPRESENTATIVE RESERVOIRS <br /> the Rio Grande natural flow for their supply. 45 RIO CJUICE BASIN <br /> 40- <br /> Public Use Impacts <br /> 35- <br /> Warm temperatures and an adequate early water = <br /> supply have provided farmers and ranchers with a good start ± 30- X <br /> this season. Tourism,the valley's other major industry,should a 25- <br /> not be heavily affected by the potential water shortages. a g 20 f <br /> ; 15".\\ <br /> 10_../././\ <br /> • Rlo Grande Platoro Santalbr la <br /> ® Ary. 4/90 Content■ ® 4/30/94 Contents <br /> 5 <br />