DWR_4151910 - Laserfiche WebLink

r _ SAN JUAN/DOLORES BASIN May, 1998 Basinwide Conditions Assessment: The SWSI value of 0.1 indicates that for April the SAN JUAN/DOLORES RIVER BASINS surf...wrtar s.or Index Nlotary )asin water supplies were near normal. The National s _ Resources Conservation Service reports May 1 snowpack as 4_ 101% of normal. Flow at the gaging station Animas River - ' near Durango averaged 663 cfs as compared to the long term 3 ;: ; 1 ��x• average of 786 cfs. Storage in McPhee,Vallecito, and Lemon 2- : E= ;--r reservoirs totaled 124% of normal as of the end of April. ! - . - = April temperatures were cool,about 2°lower than the ° �,,v4, j., ,,,f -"`�'' normal,with most lows in Durango between 20°and 30°and _,_ � 9 v a high of 74°. Very little precipitation fell during the month a 2 -� 'S , in Durango. A few days of minimal precipitation yielded 48% a : .,'i, , of normal in town for April, bringing the water year to 82% 3- , of normal. -4 ..........:........... ...., ......._ _ 1. JAN99 JAN90 JAN91 JAN92 JAN93 JAN94 JAN95 JAN96 JAN97 JAN96 Reservoir levels were above normal every where. IAONTH/YEAR McPhee Reservoir nearly filled and was at 140% of normal. No major problems were reported to basin administrators regarding dam jeopardy. Few dams were spilling,but releases were made where needed. Snowpack became much more compact and density ANIMAS RIVER NR. DURANGO FLOW 9Y WATER YEAR figures rose to near 40%. The nearest year of comparable 4S0 figures was 1994. Snowpack rose during April before 450 . beginning to decline at the end of the month. Low elevation 350 snow melted out and went into the ground or down stream. No large surge of water was experienced due to rapid melt. t, 300 On the average rivers ran well below normal, :I 2s° although the Dolores River at Dolores was near normal. On > 200 April 25 the Animas River reached a high of 1,350 cfs, with , ,50 i" the Dolores running 1,620 cfs. Low elevation streams ran at ,00 levels near bank full with little or no flooding. s° Outlook 0 Oct Nov D. Jen Feb Ahrch Apr II Iby By the end of April water users in the four corners IC,TN 0 region usually have a good idea of what to expect for runoff WET(1973) d DRY[1977) A % 1998 in the upcoming months. Prospects are for a good initial run of water, with uncertainty for the remainder of the year. Normal levels of rain will be helpful in improving the growing season this year. REPRESENTATIVE RESERVOIRS 00LGRES-ANIMAS RIVER BASINS 400 Administrative/Management.Concerns 3s°- No call for water was received on the La Plata River, but deliveries exceeded compact requirements. 300-// - • 250/\\\\\ un II 200 . is0 a a g 900 SO /-/:///N.,\\\\ j \ \ ° �i\\ /�/\ V////\ \ IA;Ph.a Vallecito Limon 77 Avq.4/30 CORtant0 ® 4I30/99 Contents 9