As this season opened the slow
start of snow accumulation caused drastic measures to be discussed across the
state. Colorado Springs went on
mandatory water restrictions and a plan was set for the draining of Antero
Reservoir. As late March and early April set in however
so did the spring storms. These storms
vastly improved the drought situation, but to what extent are still
undetermined. Snowpack is measured in
snow water equivalent inches and there are two ways of considering percentages
of snowpack. The first is to look at the
total snowfall over the season (Oct. through May) and the other is to observe
the current available snowpack. Last
year we received 77% of average total average, but received much of that total
early and much of it had melted off by early spring. This year we have reached 78% of the average
for the total snowpack. So in relation
this year is not much different from last year in total water. The huge difference however between last year
and this year is that we currently have a snowpack on ground that is 324%
higher than last year. It is this number
which leads us to believe that a true runoff will occur this year.
The upper Arkansas, above Canon City, and the local tailwater will experience runoff differently. The upper river is subject to the weather. If several consecutive days of warm weather occur a more dramatic runoff will be seen. If things continue as they have however with cold days breaking up our warm spells then runoff will be gradual and slow. Regardless of how it happens there is a sense of predictability to the runoff on the upper Ark. The water will rise to its unknown peak and then will come back down to a relatively stable flow. Below Pueblo Dam however is a much different story.
Pueblo Tailwater is controlled only in part by mother nature. It is true that if the reservoir has reached a capacity that does not required any further storage the powers that be may mimic "in-flows" with "out-flows." Due to last years drought however this is very unlikely to occur. The current lowered levels of the reservoir will limit how high the release from the dam will be, as any excess will be retained as storage for the reservoir. The timing and extent of the release from the dam will be dictated more by the needs of the water rights holders to the east. Many of the sudden increases of water seen in the summer months will be a direct result of the water rights holders placing calls for water downstream. There is no forewarning when these calls will come and therefore the river can change dramatically from day to day. The encouraging part of this litany of information is that there ought to be enough water available to constitute releases which will be conducive to maintaining our fishes through the hot summer months. Higher water will present a new set of challenges as fish spread out and have a larger selection of foods flushed from the reservoir, but these are good issues and ones we welcome. The health of the fish is vital to us and if that means fishing in higher water, bring it!
Pueblo Tailwater is controlled only in part by mother nature. It is true that if the reservoir has reached a capacity that does not required any further storage the powers that be may mimic "in-flows" with "out-flows." Due to last years drought however this is very unlikely to occur. The current lowered levels of the reservoir will limit how high the release from the dam will be, as any excess will be retained as storage for the reservoir. The timing and extent of the release from the dam will be dictated more by the needs of the water rights holders to the east. Many of the sudden increases of water seen in the summer months will be a direct result of the water rights holders placing calls for water downstream. There is no forewarning when these calls will come and therefore the river can change dramatically from day to day. The encouraging part of this litany of information is that there ought to be enough water available to constitute releases which will be conducive to maintaining our fishes through the hot summer months. Higher water will present a new set of challenges as fish spread out and have a larger selection of foods flushed from the reservoir, but these are good issues and ones we welcome. The health of the fish is vital to us and if that means fishing in higher water, bring it!
All source data about snowpack
levels was obtained through the NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service)
and can be viewed at :
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