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SAN JUAN/DOLORES BASIN June, 1998 <br /> I <br /> Basinwide Conditions Assessment: <br /> The SWSI value of 0.9 indicates that for May the SAN JUAN/DOLORES RIVER BASINS <br /> )asin water supplies were near normal. Flow at the gaging 5 Surf ace Water Sum Iy 1na.x History <br /> station Animas River near Durango averaged 2,265 cfs as 4_ <br /> compared to the long term average of 2,195 cfs. Storage in - <br /> . 3- tr - <br /> McPhee, Vallecito, and Lemon reservoirs totaled 121% of `.. ems" <br /> normal as of the end of May. The sno ack fell from near 2- <br /> y wP . <br /> 1 I '^Fw. �.. li <br /> normal to less than 42% of normal during May. 1 1- : ;, . _ <br /> A substantial quantity of river flow ran by river gaging g 0 N,,._ e` ' <br /> 10fir <br /> stations during May. The Animas River reached 4,050 cfs on - _ : 1 �` <br /> May 30, and the Dolores peaked on the 22nd of the month ¢ " <br /> -2- ,- <br /> (4 <br /> after nearly filling McPhee Reservoir around the beginning of o <br /> May. The Dolores River ran at 124% of normal while other _3- - I <br /> rivers totaled slightly below normal Due to cooler <br /> JANUB JAN90 JAN91 JAN92 JAN93 JAN94 JAN95 JAN96 JAN37 JAN99 <br /> temperatures during May and previous months ditch water hONT}V YEAR <br /> was not put to use as quickly as otherwise and reservoirs were <br /> able to store to near full conditions. The major reservoirs held <br /> 30%more than normal at the end of May. <br /> Southwestern Colorado has experienced 2 months of <br /> very dry weather. Only 1/3 of an inch of precipitation was ANIMAS RIVER NFL DURANGO <br /> recorded in Durango during May (26% of average). This i FLOW BY WATER YEAR <br /> makes for a water year total (October 1, 1997 through 0.9 ...----° <br /> present) of 77% of normal. 0.9 <br /> i 0,7 <br /> Outlook <br /> .4 n 0.6 <br /> High mountain areas appear to have enough snow for 1:g <br /> an additional run of water in June. However, prospects for a al= 0.5 <br /> l v 0.. <br /> good water season are diminishing each day with the daily <br /> wind storms and lack of precipitation. June is historically the 1 3.3 <br /> driest month of the season. Basin administrators anticipate 0.2 V �' <br /> that reservoir supplies will be drawn down significantly and 0.1 <br /> many streams will be under administration for the majority of 0 <br /> Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Wren Apr II ANY Jun. Ju I Aug Soot <br /> the summer. ..... <br /> AvG <br /> Well above normal rains could change the outlook. ° "97� ° "°"' ° x 1296 <br /> Public Use Impacts <br /> The fairly steady flows may keep rafting opportunities <br /> running for a long period of time, but not for as extended a REPRESENTATIVE RESERVOIRS <br /> season as occurred in 1997 or 1995. 400 OOL01E6-ANNUS RIVER BASINS <br /> 350- /// <br /> 300-�/j/ <br /> 250 <br /> un <br /> I.i 200-....„<:77.\\, <br /> hP <br /> tIC. 150 <br /> II <br /> SO W <br /> \\\}\\ <br /> WON.. Val lecl to Limon <br /> ® Avg. 5131 Content. ® 5/3V96 Contents <br /> 9 <br />