Despite strong 2023 snowpack, expert says permanent Colorado River reductions still needed. For over 80 years, weve helped Americas farmers, ranchers, and landowners conserve our nations resources through our voluntary programs and science-based solutions. Drought has eased in Colorado, but experts brace for what the 2023 snow season holds in store Precipitation and snowpack are above average, but midway through winter, meteorologists are cautiously optimistic about how much moisture Colorado could see this year Joshua Perry 3:51 AM MST on Jan 12, 2023 Credibility: Original Reporting Sources Cited By Marianne Goodland marianne.goodland@coloradopolitics.com; At Blue Mesa, summer weather has also been . From headwaters above Buena Vista and Salida to the southeastern plains out to Kansas, cities, towns, farmers and ranchers rely on Arkansas River water flows through the summer. The .gov means its official. Learn about the conservation needs and latest updates in your state, and access needed resources. Open: 4, New (24 hr): N/A" | Base: N/A" The basin is experiencing its worst drought in 1,200 years by some estimates, it would take three average snow years with zero consumption to get reservoirs in the basin back to normal. sltrib.com 1996-2023 The Salt Lake Tribune. (Hugh Carey, The Colorado Sun), How gun violence in Colorado hit a 40-year high, Watch: The Colorado Sun discusses 14er safety, hiking tips, Coloradans forced to scramble their spending plans after Supreme Court blocks Bidens student loan forgiveness plan, In LGBTQ rights defeat, U.S. Supreme Court rules Colorado cant force designer to make website for gay couple, forecasting 27% of its historical 35-year average runoff, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. On the high end, the Colorado Headwaters and Rio Grande River basins are holding slightly above normal reservoir storage volumes. Water supply storage reservoirs around Colorado, on average, were about 77% full, according to the latest federal data. As a news piece, this article cites verifiable, third-party sources which have all been thoroughly fact-checked and deemed credible by the Newsroom in accordance with the Civil Constitution. If we do get a good spring, things could get better," snow survey supervisor Brian Domonkos said. Open: 5, New (24 hr): N/A" | Base: 27" Colorado Snow Report | Snowpack & Snowfall Totals - SNOFLO West Springs Hospital found in full compliance after state audit, Conservation District holds annual meeting, RBC I For the first time during 2016, statewide snowpack improved over the previous month as opposed to the declines that have occurred each month since Jan. 1, including in the Yampa and White River [], Not much good to say about 2020, and that includes the amount of precipitation weve received. Todd Wheeler, emergency management coordinator for Moffat County in northwestern Colorado. Colorado State Climatologist Russ Schumacher said these conditions have him cautiously optimistic. Rivers in western Colorado help feed the Colorado River Basin, which provides water to 40 million people across the West. That's 156% above the 30-year median peak. Around April 1, Colorado Front Range cities and food growers on the eastern plains traditionally have calculated whether water supplies through summer will be sufficient for people, crops and cattle based on mountain snow. Open: 10, New (24 hr): N/A" | Base: 23" Keeping this cookie enabled helps us to improve our website. Colorado web designer told Supreme Court a man sought her - CNN Yampa, White drainage holds 224 percent of last years May 1 snow, Official USGS algae report to be released by end of year. The runoff on that part of the Grand Mesa feeds into the Gunnison River. Currently only the Arkansas and Rio Grande River basins have a below normal snowpack. The snowpack in the Upper Rio Grande basin, which usually peaks April 2, was at 135% of the historical median, according to SNOTEL data Wednesday. Farm Bill special provisions provide incentives and address unique circumstances of historically underserved producers. On the low end of the spectrum are streamflow forecasts for rivers flowing out of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains into the eastern Rio Grande and southern Arkansas River basins, where the least snow has accumulated this water year. Colorado Rockies catcher Elias Diaz, front, dives onto a hail-covered tarpaulin after a summer storm packing heavy rain, high winds and large hail swept over Coors Field, Thursday, June 29, 2023 . Colorado River reservoirs face grim year despite healthy snowpack 0. The site is secure. Above-average snowpack for the winter season - KKCO A tornado watch has been issued for counties in north and eastern Colorado, including Larimer County, through 9 p.m. Thursday. Brings together partners to expand the reach of NRCS conservation programs. This has the potential to substantially improve the efficiency of snowmelt transitioning to observed streamflows, which has been a challenge in recent years., Colorados Snowpack and Reservoir Storage as of January 1st, 2023. Colorado River Basin reservoirs still face grim outlook despite healthy snowpack Winter snow accumulation offers water officials a breather as they face the basin's long-term drought Shannon Mullane 4:02 AM MDT on Apr 4, 2023 Credibility: Original Reporting Sources Cited Ads are what helps us bring you premium content! It is amazing what has happened between March and April.. This article has been reviewed according to ScienceX's editorial process Open: 20, New (24 hr): 1" | Base: 51" Heres why his Latter-day Saint parents sued the district and lost. The snowpack tracked by federal snow surveyors appeared relatively promising with the latest data showing the overall statewide level at 120% of the norm, which is based on a 30-year average between 1991 and 2020. Find more information on how to apply for NRCS conservation programs. "But things could go the other way, too.". January 30, 2023 at 6:26 PM. Reservoir storage remains highly variable across the major basins of Colorado. As a news piece, this article cites verifiable, third-party sources which have all been thoroughly fact-checked and deemed credible by the Newsroom in accordance with the Civil Constitution. Long-term droughts can leave soil so dry that it quickly absorbs water from melting snow before the water reaches streams and rivers. Open: 3, New (24 hr): N/A" | Base: 41" Climate warming has been shrinking mountain snowpack and reducing runoff into streams. Around Colorado, snowpack in the Colorado River Basin measured 118% of the norm, the federal data show. Identify the news topics you want to see and prioritize an order. Open: 5, New (24 hr): N/A" | Base: 33" Recent heavy snowfall in Colorado has improved snowpack levels and drought conditions in most of the state, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. For the most up to date information about Colorado snowpack and water supply related information, refer to the, Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP), View All Education and Teaching Materials, Snow Survey and Water Supply Forecasting Program. Open: 9. Its all just, This is a gift. That remains to be seen.. These sediments should replenish sandbars and beaches in the Grand Canyon, but Glen Canyon Dam, completed in 1963, disrupted the natural processes that push them downstream, resulting in a loss of habitat for plants, animals and fish. The report contains information on the current water supply conditions across the state of C. Colorado Station Metadata How to access metadata about Colorado Snow Survey station networks. Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings. Since then, a string of dry years and excessive water use have depressed levels of Lake Powell, which today is only 23% full, sitting at 3,525 feet above sea level. At least at this point in the snow accumulation, the numbers all look really good.. Were not looking at just a blip in terms of drought impact, Bianchi said. Conservation assistance is available for urban farmers, including high tunnels, soil health practices, composting and irrigation. But snowpack records were broken in some places at some times. Dive into climate and health, and where they intersect. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation on Monday opened the gates at Glen Canyon Dam allowing up to 39,500 cubic feet per second, or cfs, to pour into the river channel at Lees Ferry, sending a flood-stage surge of water through Grand Canyon. An official website of the United States government. Colorado has had a good water year, but experts say it won't lessen Im not sure if were going to get there but were going to get darn close to a new, modern era snowpack record in the San Juan combined basin.. Weve already reached that peak snow value in early March, and were still trending upward, said Paul Miller, service coordination hydrologist with the Colorado Basin River Forecast Center. Conservation and organics go hand-in-hand, and NRCS offers tools for organic farmers to improve their operations. The runoff there feeds into the San Miguel River. Southwestern Colorado had the most snow with levels in the combined San Miguel, Dolores, Animas and San Juan river basins at 138% of normal. It looks like weve got a good chance of a full supply for the first time since 2019, so thats great, he said. Around April 1, Colorado Front Range cities and food growers on the eastern plains traditionally have calculated whether water supplies through summer will be sufficient for people, crops and cattle based on mountain snow. Experts will know much more by April, when total snowpack accumulation is clearer and they can predict water levels in the rivers more accurately. But water district managers and water users are still keeping a cautious eye on incoming precipitation. The move dropped Blue Mesas water level and kneecapped the local summer economy. Colorado Snowpack Starting 2023 at Above Normal Levels in Most Major The snow-water equivalent the amount of liquid water in snow was at 147% of the historical average in the Gunnison Basin, and 136% of the average in the Yampa and White basins as of Monday. Colorado's mountain snowpack heading into spring on Wednesday measured at 136% of the 30-year norm - an indicator that water supplies could swell depending on the overall drought, soil moisture, melting rates and future precipitation. Significant spring storm this week will bring big snow (April 24-26) The above-average snow is welcome news for the parched basin, which is facing its worst drought in 1,200 years. This year, Lake Powell will likely end the 2023 water year, which closes Sept. 30, at an elevation of about 3,555 feet, or about 32% of its capacity, according to Bureau of Reclamation forecasts in February. This article contains new, firsthand information uncovered by its reporter(s). Many parts of the state continued receiving significant snowfall into the first few days of January not incorporated in forecasts. The closely-watched Upper Colorado River Basin had snowpack at 127%. At 3,576 feet, Powell would still remain 124 feet below full pool, holding just 39% of its capacity. Thousands of Utahns became homeless for the first time last year. The Yampa region, which includes the headwaters of the Yampa, White, and Little Snake rivers, also broke eight daily snowpack records from April 2 through April 9. However, for a drought-stricken state like Colorado to recover substantially and replenish local reservoirs, consistent improvement in precipitation over the long term has to happen, Hatchett said. That is about to change drastically in the coming weeks as the upper Colorado basins snowpacks, which are 157% of normal, melt and flow into Powell and upstream reservoirs. PHOENIX A heavy snowpack is expected to produce the most water flowing into Lake Powell in more than a decade. Streamflow forecasts in this region call for between 54 and 76 percent of normal streamflow volumes. Theyre going to be very aware of it, whether its a law enforcement issue, a flood, a fire evacuation, or whatever., Shannon Mullane writes about Western water issues for The Colorado Sun and her work is funded by a grant from the Catena Foundation. Open: 3, New (24 hr): N/A" | Base: 30" Northern basins, like the Yampa-White, Gunnison, Colorado main stem, North Platte and South Platte, will peak this weekend or later this month. To get out of those problems, were going to really need not just one year, but back-to-back, probably three or four years of really good winters, he said. Open: 1, New (24 hr): N/A" | Base: 31" The Western Slope snowpack has piled up to its normal peak weeks ahead of usual, and with more snow in the forecast, the healthy supply promises some relief to receding Colorado reservoirs, experts say. Recent snowfall drastically improves Colorado snowpack in most of state Footnotes for median and average:
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