Note that if drought conditions are not being experienced, or in the case of river flooding or heavy rain, this statement may be used to indicate river flows or flood potential.
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NMC001>061-312359-
HYDROLOGIC OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBUQUERQUE NM
300 PM MST WED MAY 7 2008
WATER SUPPLY FORECAST NEWS RELEASE FOR NEW MEXICO
THIS IS A COORDINATED RELEASE FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AND
THE USDA NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE.
THE WATER SUPPLY FORECAST AS OF EARLY MAY 2008 RANGES FROM WELL ABOVE
NORMAL RUNOFF IN THE UPPER RIO GRANDE BASIN AND RIO CHAMA BASIN TO
WELL BELOW NORMAL RUNOFF FOR STREAMS ORIGINATING IN THE SACRAMENTO
MOUNTAINS OF SOUTH CENTRAL NEW MEXICO AND FOR THE CANADIAN RIVER IN
NORTHEAST NEW MEXICO THROUGH THE REST OF THIS SPRING AND INTO EARLY
SUMMER.
FORECAST FLOWS ON THE RIO GRANDE INCLUDE 137 PERCENT OF NORMAL INTO
COCHITI LAKE AND 121 PERCENT OF NORMAL INTO ELEPHANT BUTTE LAKE.
OTHER RIO GRANDE BASIN RESERVOIR FORECAST INFLOWS RANGE FROM 139
PERCENT OF NORMAL AT EL VADO LAKE TO 80 PERCENT OF NORMAL AT JEMEZ
CANYON RESERVOIR. INFLOW TO CONCHAS LAKE IS FORECAST TO BE ONLY 44
PERCENT OF NORMAL WHILE INFLOW TO SANTA ROSA LAKE IS EXPECTED TO BE
83 PERCENT OF NORMAL. NAVAJO RESERVOIR IS EXPECTING 131 PERCENT OF
NORMAL INFLOW.
FLOW IN THE RIO RUIDOSO IS FORECAST TO BE ONLY 33 PERCENT OF NORMAL
IN MAY AND JUNE.
NEW MEXICO PRECIPITATION DURING APRIL 2008 WAS WELL BELOW NORMAL
NEARLY STATEWIDE FOR THE SECOND CONSECUTIVE MONTH. HOWEVER A FEW
SITES IN THE SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS AND ALONG THE EAST SLOPES
DID RECEIVE MORE THAN 70 PERCENT OF NORMAL APRIL PRECIPITATION.
MUCH DRIER THAN NORMAL CONDITIONS ALSO PREVAILED ACROSS SOUTHERN
COLORADO DURING APRIL.
THE SOUTHERN THIRD OF NEW MEXICO AND THE EAST CENTRAL PLAINS HAVE
BEEN THE DRIEST AREAS OF THE STATE SO FAR IN 2008...AVERAGING LESS
THAN 30 PERCENT OF NORMAL PRECIPITATION.
SEASONAL PRECIPITATION...OCTOBER 2007 THROUGH APRIL 2008...RANGED
FROM WELL BELOW AVERAGE IN THE EASTERN PLAINS AND SOUTHERN THIRD OF
NEW MEXICO TO ABOVE AVERAGE IN PARTS OF THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS.
SEASONAL PRECIPITATION THROUGH APRIL IN SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST
COLORADO HAD BEEN ABOVE AVERAGE.
SURVEYS BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURES NATURAL RESOURCES
CONSERVATION SERVICE INDICATE THAT SNOWPACK WATER CONTENT IN THE
RIO GRANDE BASIN AS OF MAY 1 WAS 107 PERCENT OF NORMAL...AND 170
PERCENT OF ONE YEAR AGO. IN THE SAN JUAN BASIN THE SNOWPACK WATER
CONTENT IS 111 PERCENT OF NORMAL AND 201 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL OF
MAY 1 2007.
JUST TWO MONTHS AGO...THE SNOWPACK WATER CONTENT WAS 147 PERCENT
OF NORMAL IN THE RIO GRANDE BASIN AND 158 PERCENT OF NORMAL IN THE
SAN JUAN BASIN. SINCE EARLY MARCH THE STORM TRACK HAS SHIFTED
FURTHER NORTH TOWARD THE GREAT BASIN...EXPOSING NEW MEXICO AND
MUCH OF SOUTHERN COLORADO TO PERSISTENT DRY WINDS AND VERY LOW
HUMIDITY. THE COMBINATION OF FEW SPRING STORMS...DESICCATING WINDS
AND PREMATURE SNOWMELT HAS SIGNIFICANTLY LIMITED THE REMAINING
SNOWPACK TO THE VERY HIGH ELEVATIONS.
IN THE COLORADO HIGH COUNTRY HEADWATERS OF THE RIO GRANDE BASIN...
SNOWPACK WATER CONTENT AS OF MAY 1 2008 WAS 117 PERCENT OF NORMAL
AND 170 PERCENT OF ONE YEAR AGO.
NEW MEXICO RESERVOIR STORAGE IS WELL BELOW NORMAL IN THE RIO
GRANDE BASIN AND THE CANADIAN BASIN...BELOW NORMAL IN THE PECOS
BASIN...AND ABOVE NORMAL AT NAVAJO LAKE. IN THE RIO GRANDE BASIN...
STORAGE IS 59 PERCENT OF THE 1971 TO 2000 NORMAL AND 96 PERCENT OF
LAST YEARS STORAGE AT THIS TIME. IN THE SAN JUAN BASIN...NAVAJO
RESERVOIR STORAGE IS 106 PERCENT OF THE 30 YEAR NORMAL...AND 84
PERCENT OF THE STORAGE OF ONE YEAR AGO.
THIS WATER SUPPLY FORECAST REFLECTS CONDITIONS AS OF THE FIRST FEW
DAYS OF MAY 2008.
SNOTEL DATA
MAY 1 2008 1971-2000 AVERAGE
WATER CONTENT WATER CONTENT
INCHES INCHES
CHAMITA 0.0 1.4
RED RIVER 0.0 2.2
CUMBRES TRESTLE 28.9 23.3
WOLF CREEK SUMMIT 46.0 36.8
$$
EAP
