DWR_4151890 - Laserfiche WebLink

GUNNISON BASIN Basinwide Conditions Assessment: The SWSI value of -1.3 indicates that for March the GUNNISON RIVER BASIN basin water supplies were below normal. The Soil 5 Surface Water Supply Index H"Lary Conservation Service reports March 31 snowpack at 78% of ,_ normal. Storage in Taylor Park, Crawford, and Fruitland 3 • reservoirs totaled 111%of normal on March 31. The National Weather Service reports basin precipitation as 45% of normal 2- _ • - ; during March. Flow at the gaging station Uncompahgre River 1 = 144!: , near Ridgway averaged 54.4 cfs as compared to the 1961- o O 1993 March average of 60.7 cfs. F. ' w%" , As of March 31 reservoir storage on the Grand Mesa a 2 • r J was either at or very near full storage. This is a positive result of carry over from last year's above normal snowpack. Blue 3- Mesa Reservoir is currently drawn down to create storage - JAN85 JANB9 JAN57 JANB8 JAN89 JAN90 JAN91 JAN92 JAN93 JAN94 volume for spring runoff. The last available forecasts indicate AUNTH/YEAR it will fill by approximately mid-July. Administrative/Management Concerns Administration has begun already on side tributaries to the Uncompahgre and North Fork of the Gunnison rivers. UNCOMPAHGRE RIVER NR. R I DGWAY Minimal snow at low elevations and lack of March 34 FLOW BY WATER YEAR precipitation prompted the Uncompahgre Valley Water Users 30 Association to begin diversion through the Gunnison Tunnel 28 on March 20, which is two weeks earlier than usual. 2, 22 Public Use Impacts o Recreational use of Colorado waters for winter 16 activities such as skiing and snowmobiling is decreasing. s 14 Anticipation for first ice-off reservoir fishing is becoming more io evident on a daily basis. B 6 - 4 • 2 Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April AONTH 0 WET(1984) 0 DRY(1977) A AVG X 1994 REPRESENTATIVE RESERVOIRS GUNNISON RIVER BASIN 70 60—/ 50 u.� ■1 40 OYI 30 N� gal 20 10 ///. Taylor petit Cr ih ford Fruit land AVp 3/31 Contanta I\Y 3,31/94 Con tante 6