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Annual Report Water Division VI Yampa, White and North Platte

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Annual Report Water Division VI Yampa, White and North Platte 2 0 Annual Report 0 Water Division VI Yampa, White and 9 North Platte River Basins Erin C. H. Light Division Engineer TABLE OF CONTENTS Water Year 2009 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 1 Basin Hydrology .................................................................................................... 1 Water Administration............................................................................................. 4 Compacts and Inter-State Agreements ............................................................... 10 Dam Safety ......................................................................................................... 11 Hydrographic Program ........................................................................................ 14 Ground Water and Well Permitting ..................................................................... 18 Water Records and Information .......................................................................... 19 Water Court Activities ......................................................................................... 19 Involvement in Water User Community............................................................... 21 Issues and Achievements ................................................................................... 21 Workload ............................................................................................................. 24 Personnel ............................................................................................................ 24 Training ............................................................................................................... 25 Water Year 2010 Key Objectives .................................................................................................... 25 Water Administration Data Summaries Reservoir Storage Summaries ............................................................. Appendix A Water Diversion Summaries Water Diversions to Various Uses Transmountain Diversions River Calls ............................................................................................ Appendix B Organizational Chart ............................................................................ Appendix C Office Administration and Workload Measures .................................... Appendix D Introduction This report summarizes the activities of the Division 6 office of the Colorado Division of Water Resources in 2009. It presents an overview of the administration activities that took place during both the calendar and irrigation year 2009 and statistical data for both the water and irrigation year 2009. Please direct any questions regarding the information in this report to the Division 6 office in Steamboat Springs. Year 2009 Basin Hydrology Snow Pack In water year 2009 the snow water equivalent (SWE) started out well below average in the months of October and November, but gradually grew to being above average by January in all three basins: North Platte River, White River and Yampa River, as shown in Table 1. With spring conditions being warmer than average, the SWE by May dropped once again to well below average. TABLE 1 End of Month Snow Water Equivalent as Percent of Average Water Year 2009 Drainage Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May North Platte River 41 65 90 107 104 101 94 47 White River 16 81 110 113 106 101 87 54 Yampa River 15 62 92 115 114 111 96 32 Despite the high SWE in the winter and the warm, early spring, there was little flooding. Table 2 shows the January 1st, March 1st and May 1st runoff forecasts developed by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in comparison to the actual runoff as measured at the selected USGS gauging stations. TABLE 2 2009 Total Runoff Forecast in 1000’s of Acre-Feet Station Name 1-Jan 1-Mar 1-May Actual Runoff % Avg Runoff % Avg Runoff % Avg Runoff % Avg North Platte nr Northgate (Apr-Sept) 197 73 255 94 205 89 250 96 White River nr Meeker (Apr-Jul) 290 100 290 100 255 98 312 111 Little Snake River nr Lily (Apr-Jul) 350 96 430 118 405 131 520 150 Yampa River nr Maybell (Apr-Jul) 910 92 1070 108 840 101 1134 120 [2] Precipitation Table 3 below shows the monthly precipitation data for the towns of Walden, Meeker and Steamboat Springs. Precipitation for these selected weather stations was well below average for the month of October and then all over the board until June where the precipitation at all three stations were well above average. June was undoubtedly a wet month, with one water commissioner/rancher joking that he was beginning to grow webbed feet. The Meeker station in particular had precipitation in excess of 280% of average for the month of June. This however was followed by two very dry months where the precipitation was just below 20% of average. Table 4 shows the NRCS Snotel site precipitation for all three basins combined (North Platte, White and Yampa Rivers). Based on the precipitation recorded at the NRCS Snotel sites, precipitation was at its highest in January at 154% of average and at its lowest in August at 51% of average. At the end of the water year, the total annual precipitation was 102% of average, which was very similar to the water year total in 2008 of 103%. Table 3 Monthly Precipitation Data for Selected Sites Water Year 2009 Site Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Total Walden (inches) 0.50 0.42 0.76 0.52 0.16 0.54 1.02 0.90 1.90 1.52 0.90 0.57 9.71 % Avg 56 51 129 84 26 66 95 60 179 119 86 47 84 Meeker (inches) 0.56 1.35 1.07 1.77 0.42 1.80 1.80 1.89 2.87 0.25 0.23 2.14 16.15 % Avg 34 123 119 221 56 133 129 126 287 19 18 178 113 Steamboat (inches) 1.20 1.91 2.21 4.60 1.51 1.50 2.04 2.19 2.65 1.22 0.86 0.69 22.58 % Avg 62 81 93 178 70 74 88 95 185 84 59 40 94 Monthly Precipitation Data for Selected Sites Calendar Year 2009 Site Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Total Walden (inches) 0.52 0.16 0.54 1.02 0.90 1.90 1.52 0.90 0.57 1.23 0.57 0.77 10.6 % Avg 84 26 66 95 60 179 119 86 47 138 69 131 92 Meeker (inches) 1.77 0.42 1.80 1.80 1.89 2.87 0.25 0.23 2.14 0.98 0.85 1.29 16.29 % Avg 221 56 133 129 126 287 19 18 178 59 77 143 114 Steamboat (inches) 4.60 1.51 1.50 2.04 2.19 2.65 1.22 0.86 0.69 2.88 0.81 1.62 22.57 % Avg 178 70 74 88 95 185 84 59 40 150 34 68 93 Table 4 Basin-Wide Monthly Precipitation Data from NRCS SNOTEL Sites Water Year 2009 Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Total Inches 40.1 82.9 128.4 154.3 86.2 97.0 106.5 61.2 84.5 33.3 20.9 40.7 936 % Avg 59 90 120 147 90 90 110 72 191 87 51 92 102 Stream Flows Stream flow on the North Platte River near Northgate were as low as 64% of average for the month of September and as high as 155% of average in February. The total runoff for the water year at this site was 98% of average. As shown in Table 5, the peak discharge occurred on June 5, 2009 at a rate of 2,450 cfs. Historically, the peak has occurred on May 25 with an average peak discharge of 3,081 cfs. The highest peak of record (1904 through 2009) occurred on June 11, 1923 at 6,720 cfs. Stream flow on the White River below Boise Creek (the most downstream gauging station on the White River in Colorado) dropped as low as 64% of average in August and was as high as 136% of average in May. The total runoff for the water year was 101% of average. As shown in Table 5, the peak discharge occurred on May 26, 2009 at a value of 3,680 cfs. Historically, the peak has occurred on May 28 with an average peak discharge of 3,267 cfs. The highest peak of record (1983 through 2009) occurred on June 7, 1984 at 6,440 cfs. Stream flow on the Little Snake River near Lily dropped to as low as 86% of average in August and was as high as 156% of average in May. The total runoff for the water year was 144% of average. As shown in Table 5, the peak discharge occurred on May 27, 2009 at a value of 6,510 cfs. Historically, the peak has occurred on May 24 with an average peak discharge of 5,302 cfs. The historic peak of record (1922 through 2009) occurred on May 18, 1984 at 16,700 cfs. Stream flow on the Yampa River near Maybell dropped to as low as 70% of average in October 2008 and was as high as 132% of average in May. The total runoff for the water year was 115% of average. As shown in Table 5, the peak discharge occurred on May 26, 2009 at a discharge of 10,700 cfs. Historically, the peak has occurred on May 25 with an average peak discharge of 10,379 cfs. The historic peak of record (1916 through 2009) occurred on May 17, 1984 at 25,100 cfs. Table 5 Total Runoff for Water Year 2009 Station Name Total Flow Average % of Average (AF) (AF) North Platte River near Northgate 303,300 308,200 98 White River below Boise Creek 531,000 527,000 101 Little Snake River at Lily 588,600 409,700 144 Yampa River near Maybell 1,295,000 1,125,000 115 Peak Flow Rate and Date of Occurrence Station Name Peak Flow (cfs) Date North Platte River near Northgate 2,450 June 5, 2008 White River below Boise Creek 3,680 May 26, 2009 Little Snake River at Lily 6,510 May 27, 2009 Yampa River near Maybell 10,700 May 26, 2009 Water Administration As a result of above or near average snowpack and runoff and a wet month of June, the Michigan River of the North Platte River was only subject to administration for a very short time during the month of May. The Illinois River of the Michigan River of the North Platte River was not subject to administration at all. Unlike these two main tributaries of the North Platte River, Piceance Creek of the White River and all other systems typically subject to administration were under administration for a substantial portion of the summer as more fully described below.
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