USGS: A comparison of recharge rates in aquifers of the United States based on groundwater-age data
April 19, 2011
Here’s the link to the publication. Here’s an excerpt:
An overview is presented of existing ground- water-age data and their implications for assessing rates and timescales of recharge in selected unconfined aquifer systems of the United States. Apparent age distributions in aquifers determined from chlorofluorocarbon, sulfur hexafluoride, tritium/helium-3, and radiocarbon measurements from 565 wells in 45 networks were used to calculate groundwater recharge rates. Timescales of recharge were defined by 1,873 distributed tritium measurements and 102 radiocarbon measurements from 27 well networks. Recharge rates ranged from<10 to 1,200mm/yr in selected aquifers on the basis of measured vertical age distributions and assuming exponential age gradients. On a regional basis, recharge rates based on tracers of young groundwater exhibited a significant inverse correlation with mean annual air temperature and a significant positive correlation with mean annual precipitation. Comparison of recharge derived from groundwater ages with recharge derived from stream base-flow evaluation showed similar overall patterns but substantial local differences. Results from this compilation demonstrate that age-based recharge estimates can provide useful insights into spatial and temporal variability in recharge at a national scale and factors controlling that variability. Local age-based recharge estimates provide empirical data and process information that are needed for testing and improving more spatially complete model-based methods.
More groundwater coverage here.
Colorado River District general meeting today and tomorrow
April 19, 2011
From The Fort Morgan Times:
A “Water, Jobs and the Economy Rally for NISP” (the Northern Integrated Supply Project) is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, May 19, 2011at the Ranch Courtyard at Budweiser Event Center, 5290 Arena Circle, Loveland…The event is sponsored by NISP participants, Northern Colorado’s chambers of commerce, regional economic development organizations, business and agriculture organizations.
More Northern Integrated Supply Project coverage here and here.
Vail: Water system upgrades underway
April 19, 2011
Here’s the release from the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District:
Eagle River Water and Sanitation District will begin construction on April 18 on upgrades to the Vail public water system. The project includes installation of additional piping, remote water quality analyzers, and upgraded equipment at seven sites throughout Vail and is required to comply with the Environmental Protection Agency’s new Ground Water Rule regulations…
The Ground Water Rule applies to more than 147,000 public water systems throughout the United States that use ground water. The Environmental Protection Agency anticipated the Ground Water Rule would result in increased costs to public water systems and States. Implementation of the Ground Water Rule in the Vail public water system is funded via an existing monthly debt service rate. Construction at the various sites will continue through November.
More infrastructure coverage here.
The American Water Works Association will release their new publication ‘The Future of Water: A Startling Look Ahead’ on Earth Day
April 19, 2011
From the American Water Works Association via Water Online:
The American Water Works Association (AWWA) announced today the publication of The Future of Water: A Startling Look Ahead. As sweeping and transformational changes are heading our way in the not-too-distant future, this ground-breaking book takes a serious look at how the world will soon value water, use water, and access water.
Using his extensive experience in the water industry, Maxwell presents likely scenarios for the broad trends that will have a significant impact upon future water challenges worldwide–population, economics, energy, climate, and pollution. He discusses how the actions of individuals, investors, water utilities, industries, and nations can actually change the future of water.
“The Future of Wateris sobering and exhilarating at the same time. It’s sobering as Maxwell and Yates detail just how water touches so many aspects of modern life, and how dire the situation might be if nothing changes. However, this book is also exhilarating in the fast-paced way it examines the future of water from our own kitchen sinks to massive dams in China.”—Bill Owens, former governor of Colorado.
If you click on the thumbnail graphic to the right you’ll see a good representation of this winter’s La Niña effects on Colorado’s snowpack. Monster snowpack north drier conditions south. Here’s a reportfrom Scott Condon writing for the Glenwood Springs Post Independent. From the article:
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation boosted its releases earlier than usual from Ruedi Reservoir in anticipation of the tub filling. The reclamation bureau wants to avoid a scenario like last year when the reservoir filled quickly in June and threatened to send water into the dam’s spillway…
The snowpack in the Upper Fryingpan Valley was 118 percent of average yesterday, with another snowstorm barreling down on the Colorado mountains. The upper snowpack is showing little sign of melting — the inflow to Ruedi was 105 cubic feet per second on Monday. During peak runoff in early June last year it surged to between 1,200 and 2,000 cfs…
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Colorado Basin River Forecast Center foresees an impressive runoff for the Roaring Fork drainage this year. Its April 1 forecast indicated there was a 50 percent chance the flow of the Roaring Fork River at Glenwood Springs will exceed 7,400 cfs and a 25 percent chance peak flow will exceed 8,400 cfs. The average flow is 6,150 cfs. Last year the river peaked at 8,710 cfs in Glenwood Springs on June 11. It was an unusual year: unseasonably warm temperatures in June melted out the high country snowpack in a hurry, creating an intense but brief peak…
About a quarter of the automated Snotel sites operated by the federal agency that measures snowpack logged record levels in the Upper Colorado River region, Kanzer noted. Heavy snowpack translates into ample runoff. The forecast is for reservoirs to receive 110 to 130 percent of average runoff, he said.
Energy policy — nuclear: Many eyes are on the proposed electrical generation plant in Pueblo County
April 18, 2011
From The Denver Post (Mark Jaffe):
But here’s the hitch, one that Banner freely concedes: There is no money, developer, committed transmission line or customer for the nuclear power plant. What Banner has is an option on the land and a plan, already approved by the county planning commission, to give him sweeping rezoning and development ability. “I don’t know if this is going to work,” Banner said. “It is a new approach. I’m just saying let’s give it a try.”[...]
“Politically this is a tough call because it is going to split the community right down the middle,” said Ross Vincent, chairman of the Sangre de Cristo Group of the Sierra Club…
Banner makes no promises. If the plan is approved, he said he’ll sound out the NRC and U.S. Department of Energy. “If they don’t like it,” Banner said, “I’m not going to pursue it.”
Energy policy — hydroelectric: Public Scoping Begins on Proposed Hydropower Project at Ridgway Dam
April 18, 2011
Here’s the release from Reclamation (Steve McCall/Justyn Hock):
Reclamation announced today that it will hold a public scoping meeting to provide information and answer questions about a proposed hydropower project at Ridgway Dam in Ouray County, Colo. The project, proposed by the Tri-County Water Conservancy District, would generate electricity using the existing water releases from Ridgway Dam throughout the year.
Ridgway Dam is a feature of the Dallas Creek Project, which is a federal Reclamation project designed to provide irrigation and drinking water to Montrose, Delta, and Ouray counties in western Colorado.
The public meeting will be on April 26, 2011 at 5:30 p.m. at the 4H Event Center located at 22739 Highway 550 in Ridgway.
Reclamation is also seeking comments for preparation of a draft environmental assessment on the proposed project. Comments can include: questions or concerns you have with the proposal; significant issues to be addressed; and any information or data that could help in review of the proposal. Comments can be provided at the meeting or submitted by May 27, 2011 by email or mail to Steve McCall at smccall@usbr.gov or Bureau of Reclamation, 2764 Compass Drive, Suite 106, Grand Junction, CO 81506.
Meanwhile Orchard City is weighing their options with low head hydroelectric generation. Here’s a report from Hank Lohmeyer writing for the Delta County Independent. From the article:
Town administrator David Varley reported during a trustee work session last week that an engineer would begin assessing the project sometime soon…There is a lot of hope for low-head hydro generating projects now because of government grant money available for them.
More hydroelectric coverage here and here. More Uncompahgre River watershed coverage here and here.
Here’s the release from Reclamation (Ted Dunn):
Reclamation’s Curecanti Field Office announced today that the East Portal Road located east of Montrose is open after being closed for the winter months. The road, beginning at the junction with State Highway 347, provides access to the Gunnison River within the Curecanti National Recreation Area, the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, and Crystal Dam. The East Portal Road will remain open throughout the summer and fall until snow, ice, or rockslides make it unsafe for travel.
More Aspinall Unit coverage here.
From Steamboat Today (Matt Stensland):
The district had been looking to firm up its water supply by finding an alternative source to the Yampa River and proposed diverting of water from Morrison Creek. This was met with opposition from the people who owned the land where the diversion equipment and infrastructure would be located. The water court sided with the opposed parties and “found the district’s existing water rights associated with Stagecoach Reservoir to be adequate to meet its reasonably foreseeable demand for water.” The district appealed the decision to the state Supreme Court, which upheld the lower court’s ruling.
[Steamboat Springs lawyer and Upper Yampa director Tom Sharp] is concerned that because of the Supreme Court’s decision in the 2-year-old lawsuit, the district could potentially have a hard time obtaining additional water rights to help fulfill water contracts it has with customers.
The original lawsuit, heard in water court by District Chief Judge Michael O’Hara, was brought by landowners in the south Yampa Valley and supported by the Colorado Water Conservation Board and the state engineer for Water Division 6. “My clients are pleased the Supreme Court affirmed Judge O’Hara’s finding that the Upper Yampa Water Conservancy District had no legitimate need for the water that is claimed in this case,” Denver lawyer Barney White said Friday…
The Supreme Court essentially ruled, Sharp said, that having a contract in place does not demonstrate the need for the water. Customers need to actually use the water and cannot speculate on the possibility of needing the water. The Craig power plant, for example, has an annual $300,000 contract for 7,000 acre-feet, but the water is not used, and there are no plans to use it.
Sharp also is concerned because the ruling implies that if the district needs to justify obtaining additional water rights, it must now know how customers plan to use water. “Because the applicant’s evidence of existing demands included contracts for stored water that had admittedly not yet been put to beneficial use and for which no specific plan for beneficial use was offered, and because the applicant failed to adequately demonstrate a reasonably anticipated future need based on projected population growth, its evidence was insufficient to establish that it had made the required first step to obtain a conditional water right,” the water court ruled.
From The Greeley Tribune (Chris Casey):
Leprino has also begun construction of the core and shell building for the wastewater treatment plant at 1133 Ash Ave., by Glacier Construction, for a total valuation of $1.56 million. Nick Opper, Leprino’s Greeley plant manager, said the three-phase construction is “on time, and we’ve got a lot of people working on the site right now.”
Windsor: Town board okays water rate 3.6 percent hike
April 18, 2011
From Windsor Now! (Ellie Bean):
For now the board will stick with a two-tiered system, increasing rates by 3.6 percent across the board. They will still consider the three-tiered system for implementation in 2012, as well as looking into alternative options such as what it would take for Windsor to get its own treatment plant.
More infrastructure coverage here.
Arkansas River basin: Fort Lyon Canal water still on the land for the most part despite Pure Cycle purchase
April 18, 2011
From The Pueblo Chieftain (Chris Woodka):
The long-term plan for the water is to move it north to new homes east of Denver, but with a weak housing market, no court authority or infrastructure is in place to move water and people still hungry to farm on the Fort Lyon, the water stays.
It’s a matter of time, as the owner still has plans to eventually move the water. “We don’t have any expectations about when the water will be moved,” said Mark Harding, president of Pure Cycle Corp., the Thornton-based company that bought High Plains A&M’s assets on the Fort Lyon in 2006. High Plains purchased about 23 percent of the shares on the Fort Lyon Canal and in many cases the farms associated with them in 2001 for about $1,750 an acre — roughly $40 million. The company won a battle to take the water out of the canal, in rotation in 2003, but lost a Water Court case to change the water rights in 2004 and a state Supreme Court appeal in 2005. Pure Cycle stepped into the picture the next year, buying High Plains out in a $100 million deal. Initially, the company announced plans to build a $400 million pipeline to move the water to the Denver area to serve thousands of future homes. That plan is still in the picture, but Harding is not in any hurry to move the water…
The company’s official line remains moving the water to valuable real estate it owns or holds service rights in the Denver area. “This is a long-term investment for us,” Harding said. ”We will look at the opportunities over a long period of time.” For at least a few more years, at least, it appears the water will be staying with the land…
Pure Cycle leases the water back to farmers for about $70 an acre, with varying terms based on water availability. The 63 tenant farmers, in turn, have sales of about $3.5 million on 14,500 irrigated acres, irrigated by 21,600 shares of the Fort Lyon. Tenants also receive any payments from government farm programs. Another 1,275 acres are leased as grass pasture…
About Pure Cycle
Pure Cycle is a Thornton-based water and wastewater service provider listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange.
- Last year, Pure Cycle purchased the 940-acre Sky Ranch property east of Denver in the Interstate 70 corridor. The largely undeveloped area is zoned for 4,400 homes and 1.35 million square feet of commercial and retail property. Previously, the company had a service agreement for the property. It also leased oil exploration rights to Anadarko on the property.
- The company has a long-term contract to provide water to portions of the Lowry Range, east of Aurora, that may be developed in the future. As a member of the South Metro Water Supply Authority, Pure Cycle is working with Denver Water and Aurora in the WISE partnership that looks at ways to share urban water infrastructure.
- Pure Cycle holds the largest block of agricultural water rights in the Arkansas River basin, with 21,600 shares of the Fort Lyon Canal, almost one-quarter of the ditch. Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association owns half of the Amity Canal, which historically irrigated much less ground than the Fort Lyon.
- Besides its Arkansas Valley Water Rights, Pure Cycle has ground water, surface and storage rights in the South Platte River and Colorado River basins.
More Pure Cycle coverage here and here. More Arkansas River basin coverage here.
South Platte River basin: Greeley city council green-lights easement acquisition for pipeline route in LaPorte
April 17, 2011
From the Fort Collins Coloradoan (Kevin Duggan):
Last week, the Greeley City Council gave its water department permission to pursue construction and access easements for the pipeline along a disputed route from Shields Street west to the city’s water treatment plant in Bellvue. The council previously had given authorization for easements and the use of eminent domain, if necessary, to acquire them. But city officials wanted to revisit the issue given changes in plans for installing the pipeline and requirements for easements, said Jon Monson, water and sewer director for Greeley. The go-ahead from the council means Greeley officials soon will send offers to affected property owners and begin negotiations on temporary and permanent easements, he said.
But some property owners along the route and local residents say they will continue to fight the project, which they say would be overly disruptive to the land. “I’m not sure what we will do,” said Rose Brinks, whose property sits west of Overland Trail and south of the river. “We’re getting people from Bellvue involved and hopefully bringing some new energy to this over concerns about the environment and the impact this would have on wildlife habitat.”
The route around LaPorte is known as the Northern Segment of a 30-mile project that would carry water from the Bellvue plant to Greeley.
More South Platte River basin coverage here.
Gary Atkin has penned a rebuttal to The Denver Post’s investigation of the ACWWA’s deal for South Platte water. From the article:
The contracts were discussed in ACWWA board meetings, which are open to the public, and the minutes are posted online. The “Water System Investment Fee” of $26.50 per month, first added to customer bills in 2010, was discussed in public meetings for months, and appears in the bond documents. ACWWA also had three open houses for citizens to discuss the project. The idea that this was sprung on customers is false.
The deal has all the elements to make it work: a sufficient quantity of long-term renewable water; the ability to collect and deliver treated, potable water to ACWWA; and the ability to negotiate a suitable price.
The transaction has all those elements, including water voluntarily sold by farmers being delivered to a well field near Brighton, being treated to drinking water standards and moved down a massive pipeline along E-470. The water will be integrated into ACWWA’s system.
More South Platte River basin coverage here.
El Paso County: Upper Black Squirrel alluvial aquifer study will be the subject of a public meeting April 25
April 17, 2011
From the Colorado Springs Independent (Pam Zubeck):
The results of a study of water quality will be outlined at a public meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, April 25, in the Falcon High School Cafeteria/Commons area, 10255 Lambert Road. The main target of the study was the alluvial (shallow) aquifer of the Upper Black Squirrel Creek Basin, which spreads out over a vast area northeast and east of the city. General information and handouts on groundwater use and quality will be available at the meeting. A formal presentation will be made from 6 to 6:30 p.m., followed by a question-answer period.
More groundwater coverage here.
From the Leadville Herald-Democrat:
The April 1 surveys show statewide snowpack is 113 percent of average, and is 28 percent above the state’s readings of one year ago. Although these statistics show a slight decline from last month, they continue the trend of above-average totals measured throughout the winter of 2011…
For those river basins with their source in the northern mountains, including the Colorado, Yampa, White and South Platte Rivers, this year’s April 1 snowpack is the highest since back in 1996. At 135 percent of average, the North Platte River Basin had the highest basinwide total in the state. These totals are the highest for April 1 since the computation of basinwide totals began in 1968.
Meanwhile, the latest readings show snowpack conditions across the southern mountains continued to decline for the third consecutive month. Percentages have now declined to the lowest readings of the year and are consistently below average in the Rio Grande and combined San Juan, Animas, Dolores and San Miguel basins. In striking contrast to the snowpack readings across northern Colorado, some smaller tributary basins in the Rio Grande Basin have dropped to nearly 50 percent of average.
Conservation: The Mesa Land Trust adds 115 acres of orchard land to their ‘Fruitlands Forever Initiative’
April 17, 2011
From the Grand Junction Free Press (Sharon Sullivan):
“We feel for our children, and our children’s children, we really don’t want this valley to be totally without fruit farms,” Guy Parker said. “We feel the ability to grow food in western Colorado is too important to leave to chance, or the economy.”
The Parkers joined three other family farms in conserving 115 acres of peach and wine grape producing lands, as part of the Land Trust’s Fruitlands Forever Initiative, which seeks to conserve a critical mass of farmland sufficient to support fruit growing into the future. The families sold their development rights, but retain ownership and may continue to live on and farm the land. They can even sell the property, although it can never be subdivided or developed.
Sons of longtime farmer Harry Talbott agreed to conserve their 37-acre Riverview Vineyard which sits atop a Colorado River bluff, and which buffers the Tillie Bishop Wildlife Area. Talbott was one of the original founders in 1980 of the Mesa County Land Conservancy, whose name later changed to Mesa Land Trust. “We were first in the United States to conserve agricultural land,” Talbott said.
Meanwhile the Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust has completed a conservation easement for the Soward Ranch near the headwaters. Here’s a report from Toni Steffens-Steward writing for The Mineral County Miner. From the article:
The first easement of 580 acres on the land was through the Wetland Preserve Program and set aside much of the “moving water” on the ranch. Then they started to look at a way to preserve at least some of the lakes. After a great deal of planning and negotiations, they now have 268 acres under a conservation easement with the Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust.
The project was made possible through funding through Great Outdoors Colorado, the Gates Family Foundation, The Brown Family Foundation and the North American Wetlands Conservation Act and a donation from the Soward Ranch, LLC.
Energy policy — oil shale: The perpetual fuel of the future is an, ‘interesting and high potential area’
April 17, 2011
From the Colorado Independent (David O. Williams):
“All of the major companies are doing oil shale because they think it’s an interesting and high-potential area, but they’re not in a hurry to make it productive,” said Jeremy Boak, director of the Center for Oil Shale Technology and Research (COSTAR) at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden. COSTAR’s research is described on its website as “industry-driven and science-guided.”
“With [oil] prices going back up through the roof again,” Boak said, “[companies have] an awful lot of things to spend their money on and some of them more near-term than oil shale. The big budgets tend to move toward things that are a little closer in.”
From the Aspen Daily News (Curtis Wackerle):
At least two Aspen City Council members have voiced support for the municipal government to withdraw its application to the federal government for a conduit exemption on the proposed Castle/Maroon creek hydroplant. Aspen Mayor Mick Ireland is instead proposing the city seek a license for a “small hydro facility of 5 megawatts or less,” which is a separate designation offered by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and would require a more stringent environmental review, Ireland said.
CWCB: Next board meeting May 17-18 in Durango
April 17, 2011
From email from the Colorado Water Conservation Board:
Notice is hereby given that a meeting of the CWCB will be held on Tuesday May 17, 2011, commencing at 8:00 a.m. and continuing through Wednesday, March 18, 2011. This meeting will be held at Fort Lewis College, 1000 Rim Dr., Durango, CO 81310, in the Student Union Building, Ballroom (SUN 212).
More CWCB coverage here.
Energy policy — oil and gas: Hydraulic fracturing chemicals include 29 known or suspected carcinogens
April 17, 2011
Here’s the release from the Democrats on the Committee On Energy & Commerce:
Today Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Henry A. Waxman, Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Edward J. Markey, and Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Ranking Member Diana DeGette released a new report that summarizes the types, volumes, and chemical contents of the hydraulic fracturing products used by the 14 leading oil and gas service companies. The report contains the first comprehensive national inventory of chemicals used by hydraulic fracturing companies during the drilling process.
“Hydraulic fracturing has helped to expand natural gas production in the United States, but we must ensure that these new resources don’t come at the expense of public health,” said Rep. Waxman. “This report shows that these companies are injecting millions of gallons of products that contain potentially hazardous chemicals, including known carcinogens. I urge EPA and DOE to make certain that we have strong protections in place to prevent these chemicals from entering drinking water supplies.”
“With our river ways and drinking water at stake, it’s an absolute necessity that the American public knows what is in these fracking chemicals,” said Rep. Markey. “This report is the most comprehensive look yet at the composition of the chemicals used in the fracking process, and should help the industry, the government, and the American public push for a safer way to extract natural gas.”
During the last Congress, the Committee launched an investigation into the practice of hydraulic fracturing in the United States, asking the leading oil and gas service companies to disclose information on the products used in this process between 2005 and 2009.
The Democratic Committee staff analyzed the data provided by the companies about their practices, finding that:
The 14 leading oil and gas service companies used more than 780 million gallons of hydraulic fracturing products, not including water added at the well site. Overall, the companies used more than 2,500 hydraulic fracturing products containing 750 different chemicals and other components.
The components used in the hydraulic fracturing products ranged from generally harmless and common substances, such as salt and citric acid, to extremely toxic substances, such as benzene and lead. Some companies even used instant coffee and walnut hulls in their fracturing fluids.
Between 2005 and 2009, the oil and gas service companies used hydraulic fracturing products containing 29 chemicals that are known or possible human carcinogens, regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) for their risks to human health, or listed as hazardous air pollutants under the Clean Air Act.
The BTEX compounds – benzene, toluene, xylene, and ethylbenzene – are SDWA contaminants and hazardous air pollutants. Benzene also is a known human carcinogen. The hydraulic fracturing companies injected 11.4 million gallons of products containing at least one BTEX chemical over the five-year period.
Methanol, which was used in 342 hydraulic fracturing products, was the most widely used chemical between 2005 and 2009. The substance is a hazardous air pollutant and is on the candidate list for potential regulation under SDWA. Isopropyl alcohol, 2-butoxyethanol, and ethylene glycol were the other most widely used chemicals.
Many of the hydraulic fracturing fluids contain chemical components that are listed as “proprietary” or “trade secret.” The companies used 94 million gallons of 279 products that contained at least one chemical or component that the manufacturers deemed proprietary or a trade secret. In many instances, the oil and gas service companies were unable to identify these “proprietary” chemicals, suggesting that the companies are injecting fluids containing chemicals that they themselves cannot identify.
Due to an embargo break, the committee is releasing the report this evening [instead of] Monday morning.
Related Documents:
Hydraulic Fracturing Report, April 18, 2011.
From the Associated Press via the Laramie Boomerang:
The report said 29 of the chemicals injected were known-or-suspected human carcinogens. They either were regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act as risks to human health or listed as hazardous air pollutants under the Clean Air Act. Methanol was the most widely used chemical. The substance is a hazardous air pollutant and is on the candidate list for potential regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act. The report was issued by Reps. Henry Waxman of California, Edward Markey of Massachusetts and Diana DeGette of Colorado.
Here’s the link to the announcement from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Climatic Data Center website. From the intro page:
- The combined global land and ocean average surface temperature for March 2011 was the 13th warmest on record at 13.19°C (55.78°F), which is 0.49°C (0.88°F) above the 20th century average of 12.7°C (54.9°F). This was also the 35th consecutive March with global land and ocean temperatures above the 20th century average.
- The March worldwide land surface temperature was 0.83°C (1.49°F) above the 20th century average of 5.0°C (40.8°F)—the 12th warmest March on record.
- The March worldwide ocean surface temperature was 0.36°C (0.65°F) above the 20th century average of 15.9°C (60.7°F)—also the 12th warmest March on record.
- For the year-to-date, the global combined land and ocean surface temperature of 12.73°C (54.87°F) was the 14th warmest January–March on record. This value is 0.43°C (0.77°F) above the 20th century average.
Here’s Bob Berwyn’s analysis, running in the Summit County Citizens Voice. From the article:
Across the planet’s land masses, the most prominent warmth was recorded across most of Siberia, southwestern Greenland, southern North America, and most of Africa. Cooler-than-average conditions were reported from the western half of Canada, most of Mongolia, China and southeastern Asia. A notable exception to global warmth was in Australia, which experienced its coolest March on record, with above average rainfall across the entire country.
The wettest parts of the planet included Thailand, the Philippines, many western Pacific island nations, parts of northern and eastern Australia, and a band across central South America. The driest areas included across eastern Asia, much of Europe, the central United States, parts of Canada, and Argentina.
CWCB Water Availability Task Force: Monster snowpack across the northern basins, southern basins not so much
April 16, 2011
Below are my notes from Thursday’s meeting:
Flooding outlook
It’s too early in the season to know what to expect from the monster snowpack. The state is watching the Yampa, White and Upper Colorado rivers closely. Localized flooding is expected and could be exacerbated by precipitation events or warming temperatures shortening the runoff season. The large main stem reservoir operators are drawing down right now in anticipation of the above average streamflows expected across the northern part of the state.
The CWCB is watching streamflow gages around the state and has set alarms for 5 or 10 year flows for advance flood warning.
The state’s Flood DSS website startup is May 1. There is some information there now. Here’s the URL:
[Macintosh users: The viewer app doesn't work in Safari. I hope the state fixes that.]
Report from the CWCB:
Veva DeHeza mentioned the drought workshops taking place over the first part of the summer:
At the CWCB meeting, May 17-18 in Durango, the board will consider, for the first time, a set of revised guidelines for approving municipal drought plans.
Another round of outreach is planned for phase one of the Colorado River Water Availability Study. Phase one of the study is not yet complete and phase two is on hold.
Report from the State Climatologist
Colorado had above average temperatures over most of the state in March. For the period of April 1-11 the northern mountains are doing very well with 1-2 in. of precipitation. Becky Smith reported above average precipitation for the Upper Colorado River. Fort Collins was near normal until March and has dropped since then. Boulder is showing below average precipitation for the water year.
Report from the Natural Resources Conservation Service
Snowpack/reservoir storage/streamflow forecast:
Yampa/White — snowpack 131% of average (the best since 1996 and second highest since the SNOTEL program began), this year has exceeded maximum values for the basin, streamflow forecast for the North Platte is 174% of average and the Yampa forecast is 157% of average.
Colorado — Snowpack is 131% of average, again the highest since 1996, reservoir storage is 113% of average.
South Platte — This is an interesting year for this basin. Echo Lake (Bear Creek watershed) is below average and the SNOTELS above Antero are all below average. Overall the basin is 120% of average and reservoir storage is 99% of average.
The forecasted streamflow for Clear Creek is 136% of average up from 121% of average last month. The streamflow forecast for the South Platte River is 112% of average and the forecast for the Poudre is 135% of average.
Gunnison — Snowpack is 114% of average, reservoir storage is 96% of average and inflows to Blue Mesa Reservoir are forecasted to be 111% of average.
San Miguel/Dolores/San Juan — Snowpack is 86% of average. Things have flattened down there with precipitation coming in at 94% of average — most of that due to a big storm in December. Without that storm things would now be very alarming. Reservoir storage is 105% of average. The streamflow forecast for inflows to McPhee Reservoir is 70% of average.
Rio Grande — The April 1 snowpack is 76% of average and reservoir storage 82% of average. The Sangre de Cristos are very dry. For example, the streamflow forecast for Culebra Creek is only 42% of average. That’s down from the forecast of 57% of average in March.
Arkansas — Snowpack is 103% of average but the number is misleading. The upper Ark valley is doing very well but the southern tributaries are very dry. Precipitation for the basin is 91% of average and reservoir storage is 90% of average. The streamflow forecast for the Arkansas River at Salida is 129% of average.
Long Term Weather Outlook
According to Klaus Wolter the current La Niña is the biggest event in 35 years. He forecasts a slight chance of above normal precipitation in May and June. The next week should be on the cool side helping to preserve the snowpack. There have been 3 dust events, “in the San Juans at least,” he said. Over the next two weeks he is forecasting that the northern mountains could get 1 – 2 inches of moisture and if those storms hit the plains some areas could see one half – 1 inch. The next two weeks may be wetter than normal.
Other task force reports
The representative from the Ag Task Force said, “Conditions have gone from bad to worse.” There are record low numbers of cattle in Colorado due to sell-offs of herds during the 2002 — numbers have not recovered and won’t this year. 60% of pasture and rangeland is in poor to very poor condition. 80% of the winter wheat crop is poor to very poor.
The representative from Colorado Springs Utilities said that there is virtually no snowpack above their South Slope collection system.
Wiggins: The town is gearing up to file a substitute water supply plan for their new well
April 16, 2011
From The Fort Morgan Times (Dan Barker):
The ditch company [Weldon Valley] also did not have any objections to discharging the concentrated remains after the town uses reverse osmosis to clarify its water, said Tim Holbrook of Industrial Facilities Engineering, which is overseeing the project. Once Weldon Valley gives its approval, the town can file its water plan with the water court, Nation said.
That begins a time of waiting on a number of issues.
The case will wait for 60 days while other water users have a chance to file objections to the plan, and then a substitute water plan will be filed, Nation said. Usually, a town cannot file for a well permit until the substitute plan is filed, but it is possible Wiggins could receive an exception through an emergency filing, he said. If that happened, Wiggins could have authority for a well as quickly as two to three weeks after filing, but otherwise it will take longer, Holbrook said.
Wiggins can probably begin pumping water as soon as the substitute water plan is filed, but the best-case scenario for that is three months, Nation said.
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