Arkansas River Report for February
The latest River Report from the Arkansas River Watershed Collaborative shows drought-free conditions across almost half of Colorado.
The latest River Report from the Arkansas River Watershed Collaborative shows drought-free conditions across almost half of Colorado.
While most of Colorado has above-average snowpack, the news isn’t quite as good for the Arkansas River Basin.
The Arkansas River Watershed Coalition’s latest River Reports shows December brought above-average snowpack to most of Colorado, but Arkansas River Basin snowpack remains low at 81% of median, up from 76% a month ago.
Wetter weather patterns have tempered drought conditions in the upper Arkansas Basin and boosted snowpack, but the latest U.S. Drought Monitor report shows Extreme to Exceptional drought across southeast Colorado.
Colorado welcomed a weekend storm that brought snow and rain across the Arkansas River Basin.
Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District board approved 32,848 acre-feet of West Slope water allocations.
Recent weather patterns have proven detrimental to the water outlook for the Arkansas River Basin with warm temperatures, minimal precipitation and high winds combining to reduce snowpack to 31% of median.
Arkansas River Basin streamflow forecasts range from a low of 22 percent of average for Grape Creek near Westcliffe to a high of 82 percent for the Arkansas River at Salida.
Arkansas River Basin snowpack has dropped to 81% of median, but upper basin snowpack remains above average, according to snow telemetry sites operated by the Natural Resources Conservation Service.