Hurford’s general sentiment about this year’s drought was shared by all who presented reports at the Ouray State of the Rivers meeting at the Ouray County 4H Event Center May 16.
As of April 1, Colorado’s snowpack was 68 percent of average and 64 percent of last year’s.
Data maps show that the April 1 snowpack was between 50 percent and 69 percent for Ouray and Montrose counties, and below 50 percent for San Miguel County.
Division 4, the eastern area around Gunnison, has the most snowpack; the San Juan Mountains have the least, with snowpack above Ridgway Reservoir at just 46 percent of average.
Storage levels across the whole state were 50 percent in 2002.
In 2018, storage levels are about 100 percent.
There’s not as much water as we would like to have, but we will be able to make a crop this year.” However, to ensure its downstream water users have enough water, the association in Montrose may have to put a call on water use later in the season, shutting headgates to irrigators upstream in Ouray County (who have junior water rights).
“Our concern is if we have a similar year (drought) next year, all bets would be off then.
That is when the Ouray County Water Users Association was founded.
…Currently, Ridgway Reservoir doesn’t help water users on Log Hill or on Dallas Creek.” With the drought conditions came concerns about wildfires, and Ouray and Montrose counties implemented Stage 1 Fire Restrictions on Monday.