DWR_4151908

• Title: JULY 1998 SWSI: COLORADO WATER SUPPLY CONDITIONS UPDATE, SURFACE WATER SUPPLY INDEX
• Year: 1998
• Document Type - Publications and Reports: SWSI Monthly Report

•
. GUNNISON BASIN July, 1998
f
Basinwide Conditions Assessment:
The SWSI value of -1.0 indicates that for June the GUNNISON RIVER BASIN
basin water supplies were slightly below normal. Flow at the 5 Swf.o.lister Supply Index Nlstory
gaging station Uncompahgre River near Ridgway averaged 4-
493 cfs as compared to the long term average of 338 cfs. �. _ _ ;„, f'15, E
Storage in Taylor Park, Crawford, and Fruitland reservoirs 3 "' . t_ ,.,.,v
totaled 97% of normal as of the end of June. 2- L g ---Outlook a �. tiIL,
'-"'-' t ' -
1 ,
The sustained dry weather has taken its toll on the -lf, , r
r
system. Stream flows usually drop in this post-runoff period, _
but the dry weather has caused them to drop drastically. If _2 -; :CC
1
the dry weather continues there will be below average flows _3-
later this summer. _, ,..........'...........
JAN99 JAN90 JAN91 JAN92 JAN93 JAN94 JAN95 JAN96 JAN97 JANEB
le:NTH/YEAR
Administrative/ManaRement Concerns
Creeks from the Grand Mesa went on call around the
1st of July. The water commissioner began administration of
Surface Creek near Cedaredge at that time and will distribute
the water throughout the rest of the summer. Fortunately,all UNCOMPAHGRE RIVER NR. R I DGWAY
of the reservoirs on the Grand Mesa are filled this year, so the .0 FLOW BY WATER YEAR
190
water users will have a full supply. 19O
The Uncompahgre River was the worst area for ;0
snowpack this year. At the end of June it seemed possible ., ;�
that Ridgway Reservoir would not fill. The outflow was : 130 -
k n 120 •
reduced somewhat without adversely affecting the senior ,! 110 .
canals below and now it appears that it will fill by the middle u. '2
of July. The Uncompahgre Valley Water Users Association will s•" 70
�/o
probably use their full allotment of 10;300 acre-feet of storage i : _ �.
this summer. 40 l
30
On the Gunnison River, Blue Mesa Reservoir will 20
10
struggle to fill but should come close. Flows from Crystal 0
Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March Aar 1I May JWfe JuIY Aug Sept
Reservoir through the Black Canyon the Gunnison have been ,°„,P,
reduced to around 650 cfs for the summer. Above Blue Mesa '"'°'' 0.,`1277
' AVG X 1090
Reservoir there should be adequate supplies for the summer
needs.
Public Use Impacts REPRESENTATIVE RESERVOIRS
The dry hot weather affects everyone. The farmers 100 - c4,4,ISON RIVER BASIN
and ranchers have been struggling to keep their fields wet, 90-
fighting the winds. Use of reservoir water will help many Bo
irrigators in July and August. -_,/,<„,
70
tn ao f\.\\
1s83 SO
hP
0'C. •0
i 30
t
20
10 /\ F/\ \
V////\ \
Taylor Park Crawford Fruitland
• ® Avg. 6/30 Content. ® 6/30/S8 Contents
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