Southeast Colorado Basin
(November 2004)

The 2004 water year was another rough one in a long string of consecutive drought years for those living in Southeast Colorado River Basin. Although spring runoff brought a little more water than during the previous year, it was not enough to fill reservoirs and avoid difficulties. Agricultural irrigation was restricted in most areas and various measures were taken in many communities to reduce demand on irrigation and drinking water systems.

Agricultural Irrigation:
Water managers in most areas of the basin were forced to restrict agricultural water deliveries. Near Monticello and Blanding only minimal agricultural deliveries were made. Current reservoir storage in Ken’s Lake (near Moab), Loyd’s Lake (near Monticello) and Recapture Reservoir (near Blanding) are below normal. Unless runoff next year is above average, it is unlikely that agricultural irrigation will be allowed without continued.

Municipal and Industrial:
The impacts of the drought on municipal and industrial water users was generally less severe than it was on agriculture. In communities such as Moab, Eastland and Bluff, which are almost entirely dependent upon ground water, for instance, water supplies held up well and their residents weathered the drought without much difficulty.

The communities of Blanding and Monticello continued to feel the effects of the drought more severely than others. Because they rely heavily upon springs and other surface water for their drinking water, these communities are particularly vulnerable to sustained drought. In Monticello, watering restrictions were eased somewhat from previous years, but still limited residents to only a few hours watering each week.

Outlook for 2005:
Currently, mountain precipitation indicates the water year 2005 has gotten off to a tremendous start. At most stations, precipitation is at or above 200 percent of normal. Even with slightly below normal precipitation for the rest of the year, things are looking good. Also, soil moisture is way up from previous years, which bodes well for a good runoff next spring. Such a scenario would be just what the doctor ordered to ease the burden of drought on this stricken region of the state.