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December brought above-average snowpack to most of Colorado, but Arkansas Basin snowpack remains low at 81% of median. As of Jan. 3, 40% of Colorado was no longer experiencing drought conditions, according the latest U.S. Drought Monitor report. However, severe drought persists across parts of the lower Arkansas Basin with extreme drought continuing in the southeast corner of the basin in Colorado.  Snowpack
Snowpack Telemetry (SNOTEL) sites relevant to the upper Arkansas Basin show snowpack near or above median in most, but the numbers drop off in the southern headwaters of the basin. The Saint Elmo SNOTEL site reports 127% of median for snow-water equivalent (SWE). At Brumley, near Independence Pass, the current reading is 93%, and Glen Cove, north of Pikes Peak, is at 108%. Fremont Pass stands at 94%, but nearby Buckskin Joe in South Park reads 62%. In the Sangre de Cristo Range, Hayden Pass shows 49% of median. Current aerial snow survey data is not yet available in Colorado. Reservoir Storage Water storage in Pueblo Reservoir increased from 184,866 acre-feet to 195,933 during December, bringing the largest Fry-Ark Project reservoir to 60.7% full. Water storage in Turquoise Lake , currently 64.9% full, experienced a slight monthly decline of 511 acre-feet to 83,941.2. At Twin Lakes storage levels also decreased in December, from 114,014 acre-feet to 105,754 acre-feet or 75% full. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports water storage in John Martin Reservoir, which is used to store water for the Winter Water Storage Program (WWSP), increased to 23,462 acre-feet at the end of December, up from 15,921 acre-feet at the end of November. River Flows Arkansas River flows generally decrease during Colorado's winters, and ice limits the effectiveness of gauges in the upper parts of the basin, like the gauges near Leadville and below Granite, which are not reporting new data. The gauge at Wellsville, near Salida, reports 279 cfs and ice. The gauge at Cañon City reports 322 cfs, and the flow below Pueblo Reservoir has increased to 106 cfs. River flow near Avondale is 280 cfs, almost unchanged from a month ago, while the flow at Rocky Ford has doubled to 141 cfs. Flow has dropped to 0.23 cfs below John Martin Reservoir but has increased to 19.4 cfs near Lamar. Calling Water Rights Eight water rights are currently calling for water in the Arkansas Basin. Additionally, the Maria Stevens Reservoir has an authorized diversion in place with an 1887 priority date. The most senior calling right is the 1862 Chilili Ditch, which began calling for Purgatoire River water Dec. 30, 2022. Otherwise, with the WWSP in effect, calling water rights remain unchanged from a month ago:
While most of the Upper Arkansas River Basin remains drought-free, severe drought has returned to parts of the lower basin with the southeastern corner of Colorado now experiencing extreme drought, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor report.  Snowpack
In spite of recent snowfall in the upper basin, early season snowpack is trending below average with NRCS Snowpack Telemetry (SNOTEL) data showing basin-wide snowpack at 76% of median for snow-water equivalent (SWE). The highest reading is currently at Saint Elmo, where the SNOTEL station shows SWE at 4.5 inches, 118% of median. More accurate than SNOTEL data, aerial snow survey data is expected to be implemented in Colorado this winter by Airborne Snow Observatories, but that data is not yet available. Water Availability The Governor's Water Availability Task Force report for November summarizes data for Water Year 2022, noting it was "the sixth warmest and 35th driest on record going back to 1896" with February being the coldest month of the year. Colorado experienced a "wet July" and benefited from "monsoonal moisture in the central and southern parts of the state." As Water Year 2023 begins, "Colorado has some of the best antecedent soil moisture in years," the report states, "but on the eastern side of the Divide, (soil) conditions are a lot drier than normal. Precipitation is near normal at 95% of median. ... La Niña looks likely to continue through early winter and possibly beyond. On average, the Northern Rockies are wetter during La Niña and with colder temperatures that can result in good snowpack conditions. Drier conditions may impact the southern part of the state." Winter Water Storage Program The Winter Water Storage Program (WWSP) in the Arkansas River Basin runs from Nov. 15 to March 14 every year. The program was devised during the early planning stages of the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project and stores water that would otherwise be diverted by irrigators downstream from Pueblo Reservoir during the winter months. This stored water is then released during the following irrigation season. The WWSP has been refined to arrive at "an equitable means of apportioning the stored water among the WWSP participants and avoiding injury to non-participants." Negotiations ultimately produced a consensus among participants and objectors, producing an initial decree approved by Water Court Judge Tracey in 1987. In 1990, Tracey entered an order making the decree final. The participants in the WWSP primarily store their WWSP water in Pueblo Reservoir but also use Henry, Meredith, Holbrook, Dye, Adobe, Horse Creek, Great Plains and John Martin reservoirs. When space is limited, priority for storage of WWSP water in Pueblo Reservoir goes to entities that don't have access to off-channel reservoir storage. When active, the WWSP affects reservoir storage, river flows and calling water rights in the Arkansas Basin. Reservoir Storage Water storage in Pueblo Reservoir increased during November, from 177, 342 acre-feet to 184,866 acre-feet or 57.2% full. Water storage in Turquoise Lake fell from 85,368.5 acre-feet a month ago to 84,452.2 acre-feet or 65.3% full. At Twin Lakes storage levels also decreased in November, from 120,899 acre-feet to 114,014 acre-feet or 80.9% full. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports water storage in John Martin Reservoir increased from 11,442 acre-feet to 15,921 acre-feet in November. River Flows With Fyingpan Arkansas project water releases currently suspended and the WWSP in effect, Arkansas River flows have generally decreased in Colorado. The Leadville gauge hasn't reported any new data for the past week, and the gauge at Granite currently reads 119 cfs. River flow at Wellsville is 315 cfs, and at Cañon City, 380 cfs. The flow below Pueblo Reservoir has dropped 69.9 cfs, a reflection of the WWSP. The gauge near Avondale currently reads 289 cfs, while the flow at Rocky Ford has dropped to 68.8 cfs. Flow below John Martin Reservoir has dropped to 1.16 cfs but has increased to 16.3 cfs near Lamar. Calling Water Rights With the WWSP in effect, only eight water rights are currently calling for water in the Arkansas Basin. The most senior calling right is the Lewellyn McCormick right with an 1864 priority date on the Purgatoire River. The 1866 Gonzales Ditch right on the Apishapa River is next in priority, followed by the 1867 Coleman Ditch right on Hardscrabble Creek. The Fernandez Ditch (1868 priority) has a call on Turkey Creek, the Upper Huerfano No. 2 (1869) has a call on the Huerfano River, and the Doris Ditch (1870) has a call on Fourmile Creek. On the Arkansas River mainstem, the 1910 Fort Lyon Storage Canal right has a call, and as always, the Arkansas River Compact has a call at the Kansas state line to ensure that Colorado sends water to Kansas. Colorado and the Arkansas River Basin saw the first snowfall of the season in October. Drought severity generally lessened across the state and did not change significantly in the Ark Basin, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor report.  Twin Lakes Reservoir in the Upper Arkansas Valley. Precipitation The CoCoRaHS (Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow) Network reports the following precipitation amounts for the month of October:
Snowpack Early season snowpack is trending above average for the Arkansas Basin with the latest NRCS Snowpack Telemetry (SNOTEL) report showing basin-wide snowpack at 155% of median for snow-water equivalent (SWE). The highest reading is currently at Hayden Pass, where the SNOTEL station shows the SWE at 2.5 inches.  Reservoir Storage Water storage in Pueblo Reservoir trended slightly lower in October, from 178,299 acre-feet to 177, 342 acre-feet, leaving the Fry-Ark Project storage vessel 54.9% full. Water storage in Turquoise Lake also saw a slight drop to 85,368.5 acre-feet or 66.6% full, while the water level in Twin Lakes edged up to 120,899 acre-feet, bringing the reservoir to 85.7% full. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the water level in John Martin Reservoir dropped to 11,442 acre-feet. River Flows October saw Arkansas River flows decrease in the upper basin and lower basin with increased flows in between – Cañon City to Avondale. The flow near Leadville dropped to 24.3 cfs, the gauge at Granite currently reads 111 cfs, and the flow at Wellsville is 408 cfs. Flows at Cañon City and below Pueblo Reservoir are up from the end of September at 375 cfs and 211 cfs, respectively. The river flow near Avondale has also increased, to 437 cfs, while the flow at Rocky Ford dropped to 148 cfs. Flows have dropped to 11.8 cfs below John Martin Reservoir and 10.1 cfs near Lamar. Calling Water Rights The number of calling water rights in the Arkansas Basin has dropped to 15 (from 20 at the end of September). The most senior calling right is the Cañon Heights Ditch right with an 1863 priority date on Fourmile Creek. Next in priority are the Model Ditch on the Purgatoire River and the Francisco Daigre Mill right on the Cucharas River, both with 1864 priority dates. Next in seniority is the Hayden Supply Ditch on Greenhorn Creek with an 1865 priority date. Three 1866 rights are calling for water – the Walsenburg Ditch on the Cucharas River, the Bannister Ditch on Fountain Creek and the Gonzales Ditch on the Apishapa River. Next in seniority are the Coleman Ditch on Hardscrabble Creek (1867), the Fernandez Ditch on Turkey Creek (1868) and the Upper Huerfano No. 2 right on the Huerfano River (1869). Additional calls include:
Arkansas River Basin drought conditions continue to improve, with the U.S. Drought Monitor showing moderate drought in small portions of the lower basin and drought-free to "abnormally dry" conditions across the rest of the basin.  Precipitation
The CoCoRaHS (Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow) Network reports the following precipitation amounts for the past week:
Reservoir Storage Water storage in Pueblo Reservoir remains the same as it was a week ago – 178,299 acre-feet and 55.2% full. Water storage in Turquoise Lake and Twin Lakes dropped by 0.1% 66.5% and 84.4% full, respectively – 86,039.2 acre-feet in Turquiose and 118,969 acre-feet in Twin. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the water level in John Martin Reservoir dropped to 12,373 acre-feet. River Flows Most of the gauges that track Arkansas River flows are reporting decreased flows compared to a week ago. The flow near Leadville steadily decreased this week to 28.2 cfs. Below Granite the river flow dropped to 180 cfs. The Wellsville gauge reports 353 cfs, down from 432 cfs a week ago. The flow at Cañon City increased into the weekend, peaking at 439 cfs before dropping to the current reading of 322 cfs. The gauge below Pueblo Reservoir currently registers 131 cfs, while the gauge near Avondale reports 233 cfs. At Rocky Ford the river is flowing at 102 cfs. Flows are 56.4 cfs below John Martin Reservoir and 34.7 cfs near Lamar. Calling Water Rights The number of calling water rights in the Arkansas Basin remains at 20, the same number as last week, with the six most senior calling rights unchanged:
The Fernandez Ditch (1868) has a call for water on Turkey Creek, as does the Gomez Ditch (1868) on the Cucharas River. Next in seniority are the Jose Maria Ditch (1873) on Huerfano River and the Cottonwood and Maxwell Ditch (1874) on Cottonwood Creek. Additional calls the Risser and Locke Ditch (1875) on Grape Creek, and the Lamar Canal (1875) on the Arkansas River mainstem. Rounding out the list are:
The U.S. Drought Monitor shows drought conditions across Colorado and the Arkansas River Basin almost identical to a week ago, with most of the Ark Basin drought-free or abnormally dry. The Drought Monitor report does not reflect precipitation from the most recent weather system that brought rain to the entire basin. Twin Lakes Reservoir. Precipitation
The CoCoRaHS (Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow) Network reports the following precipitation amounts for the past week:
Reservoir Storage The past week saw water storage in Pueblo Reservoir decrease slightly to 178,299 acre-feet – 55.2% full. Water storage in Turquoise Lake decreased to 86,200.7 acre-feet or 66.6% full, while the water level in Twin Lakes increased to 119,112 acre-feet, bringing the reservoir to 84.5% full. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the water level in John Martin Reservoir saw a slight drop to 13,054 acre-feet. River Flows Arkansas River flows increased over the past week except for in the lower basin. The flow near Leadville increased to 41.8 cfs, and the gauge below Granite increased from 187 cfs a week ago to 240 cfs. The Wellsville gauge showed a gradual decline in river flow until the rains arrived Wednesday, bringing the flow up to 432 cfs. The flow at Cañon City is currently 357 cfs, and below Pueblo Reservoir, 82.3 cfs. The gauge near Avondale reports 210 cfs, while the flow at Rocky Ford dropped to 88 cfs. Flows are 41.7 cfs below John Martin Reservoir and only 11.6 cfs near Lamar. Calling Water Rights The number of calling water rights in the Arkansas Basin now stands at 20. The Hardscrabble Ditch, with its 1860 priority date on Hardscrabble Creek, remains the most senior calling right, followed by the Titsworth Ditch on Fourmile Creek, the Hayden Supply Ditch on Greenhorn Creek, the Hoenhe Ditch on the Purgatoire River, all with 1865 priority dates. The Bannister Ditch on Fountain Creek and the Gonzales Ditch on the Apishapa River are next in seniority with 1866 priority dates. The Garcia Ditch No. 2 (1867) is also calling on the Apishapa River, and the Gomez Ditch (1868) is calling for water on the Cucharas River. Next in seniority is the Camblin Ditch on Hayden Creek and the Trout Creek Ditch on Cottonwood Creek, both with 1872 priority. Additional calls include the Hill Ditch (1873) on Howard Creek, the Risser and Locke Ditch (1875) on Grape Creek, and the Lamar Canal on the Arkansas River mainstem (1875). Rounding out the list are:
Drought conditions remain virtually unchanged from a week ago, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor report. Most of the Arkansas River Basin is abnormally dry or drought-free with a few areas of moderate drought.  Precipitation
The CoCoRaHS (Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow) Network reports the following precipitation amounts for the past week:
Reservoir Storage The past week saw water storage in Pueblo Reservoir continue its gradual decline. At 179,153 acre-feet, the reservoir is 55.5% full. Water storage in Turquoise Lake decreased to 86,400.9 acre-feet or 66.8% full while the water level in Twin Lakes increased to 118,921 acre-feet, bringing the reservoir to 84.3% full. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports the water level in John Martin Reservoir has declined to 13,857 acre-feet. River Flows Arkansas River flows haven't changed significantly over the past week but are generally lower. The gauge near Leadville reads 34.9 cfs, and the gauge below Granite dropped from 211 to 187 cfs after the Bureau of Reclamation reduced the Twin Lakes outflow today. The flow at the Wellsville gauge is 353 cfs while the flow at Cañon City is currently 281 cfs. The flow below Pueblo Reservoir has dropped to 76.9 cfs, and the gauge near Avondale reports 188 cfs. The Rocky Ford gauge reports 131 cfs, and flows are 51.7 cfs and 47.5 cfs below John Martin Reservoir and near Lamar, respectively. Calling Water Rights The number of calling water rights in the Arkansas Basin remains at 19, but most of the rights in play have changed since last week. The most senior right with a call is the Hardscrabble Ditch with an 1860 priority date on Hardscrabble Creek. An 1865 Hayden Supply Ditch priority (on Greenhorn Creek) is next in seniority, followed by the Hoenhe Ditch (Purgatoire River) and the O'Brien Ditch (Fourmile Creek), which also have 1865 priority dates. Next in seniority are two water rights with 1866 priorities: the Baxter Pioneer Ditch on the Huerfano River and the Gonzales Ditch on the Apishapa River. The Gomez Ditch (1868) is calling for water on the Cucharas River, and the Talcott and Cotton Ditch (1872) is calling on Fountain Creek. The Camblin Ditch and the Cottonwood Irrigating Ditch, also with 1872 priority dates are calling for water on Hayden Creek and Cottonwood Creek, respectively. The Hill Ditch (1873) is calling for water on Howard Creek, and the Lamar Canal (1875) is the most senior calling water right on the Arkansas River mainstem. Next in seniority are the Seth Brown Ditch (1876) on Stout Creek, the Dotson Ditch No. 1 (1881) on the St. Charles River, the North Fork Ditch (1882) on the South Arkansas River, and the Fort Lyon Canal (1884) on the mainstem. Rounding out this week's calling water rights are the 1885 Buffalo Canal right, the 1889 X-Y Irrigating Ditch right and the 1949 Arkansas River Compact call at the Kansas state line, all on the mainstem. |
