Weekly brief
Issue archive
Every The Waterline brief: what moved in western water, week by week.
Dolores River Drops 74% on the Week to 9.8 cfs
Dolores River drops 74% on the week to 9.8 cfs, 89% below the 5-year median; Blue Mesa falls 5% to 221,055 af; 91% of Colorado in D1+ drought.
Elephant Butte Falls Below 30,000 af, 77% Below the 5-Year Median
Elephant Butte drops to 29,804 af, down 25% on the week and 77% below its 5-year median, the widest deficit in the digest, as Colorado drought covers 91% of the state and flows surge on the Dolores.
Elephant Butte Falls 23% in a Week to 55,126 af, 60% Below Normal
Elephant Butte Reservoir shed 23% of its storage in a single week and now sits 60% below the 5-year median at peak irrigation demand, while Wyoming and Colorado carry drought coverage above 90%.
Rio Grande Reads 0 cfs During Irrigation Season
The tracked Rio Grande gauge hit 0 cfs this week, the furthest below normal of any site in the digest. Elephant Butte holds 55,126 af, down 60% vs its 5-year median. Klamath County drought stands at 88%, 57 pts above normal.
Elephant Butte Down 24% on the Week, 54% Below the 5-Year Median
Elephant Butte Reservoir storage fell 24% week over week to 69,686 af, 54% below the 5-year median. Colorado and Wyoming drought coverage runs at 93% and 100% respectively, while San Joaquin Valley counties post zero drought.
Blue Mesa at 301,580 af, 48% Below the 5-Year Median
Blue Mesa at 301,580 af, 48% below the 5-year median, heads into peak drawdown. Elephant Butte dropped 32% on the week. Rio Grande gauge at 0 cfs. Wyoming at 100% drought coverage.
Rio Grande at 0.0 cfs During Peak Irrigation Season
USGS recorded 0.0 cfs on the Rio Grande this week, down from positive flow. Wyoming, Colorado and Idaho exceed 85% drought coverage, each 50+ pts above their 5-year medians. CVP North-of-Delta at 100%, SWP at 45%, both standing status.
Elephant Butte Down 14% on the Week, 47% Below the 5-Year Median
Elephant Butte falls to 179,802 af, down 14% and 47% below the 5-year median at the start of drawdown season. Rio Grande gauge at 0.1 cfs. Wyoming at 98% drought coverage, Colorado at 93%, both 60-plus pts above their 5-year medians.
CVP South-of-Delta Irrigation Allocation Revised to 25%
Bureau of Reclamation raised CVP South-of-Delta irrigation to 25% and M&I to 75% on May 19. Elephant Butte sits at 208,870 af, 42% below the 5-year median, as the USGS-tracked Rio Grande gauge records zero flow.
CVP South-of-Delta Ag Allocation Raised to 25%
Bureau of Reclamation raises CVP South-of-Delta irrigation to 25% and M&I to 75% on May 19. Wyoming drought covers 98% of the state, 69 pts above the 5-year median. Elephant Butte sits at 223,415 af, 38% below the 5-year median.