Day: June 30, 2013

Drought news: It’s been hot across the southwestern US, monsoon on the way? #COdrought

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Click on the thumbnail graphics for the current US Drought Monitor map and the June 30, 2013 seven day precipitation forecast map from NOAA.

From USA Today (Doug Stanglin):

Temperatures in Las Vegas shot up to 115 degrees on Saturday afternoon, just two degrees shy of an all-time record, as the Desert Southwest continued to stagger under a relentless heat wave…

In Southern California, Palm Springs peaked at 122 while the mercury in Lancaster set a record at 111, according to the L.A. Times. The forecast for Death Valley in California called for 128, but it was a few degrees shy of that, according to unofficial reports from the National Weather Service. Death Valley’s record high of 134, set a century ago, stands as the highest temperature ever recorded on Earth. Phoenix hit 119 by mid-afternoon, breaking the record for June 29 that was set in 1994.

From the Associated Press via the Christian Science Monitor:

DEATH VALLEY

The desert valley in California will see temperatures approach 130 degrees. The hottest temperature ever recorded on Earth occurred in Death Valley with a reading of 134 degrees, almost 100 years ago to the day in 1913. The park is dotted with locations such as Furnace Creek and Dante’s View, and officials are urging people to exercise extreme caution. But sweltering heatis often a big draw for visitors to Death Valley National Park — especially tourists from Europe — with hotels already booked solid during the hotter months of July and August.

From USA Today (Doyle Rice):

The cause of the heat wave is a “massive and unusually strong high-pressure system” over the region, the weather service reports.

‘Now *that* looks like a monsoon’ — John Fleck #NMdrought #COdrought

Click here for the 7 day precipitation outlook from NOAA.

‘If you have the whole river for three days, you can accomplish a lot more’ — Larry Mondragòn #NMdrought #COdrought

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From The Taos News (J. R. Logan) via the Taos Valley Acequia Association:

The extremely low flows have prompted four acequias that use the river to enter into a water-sharing agreement that some say hasn’t been implemented since the devastating droughts of the ’30s. Following a special meeting June 16, the acequias have agreed to take turns using the full flow of the river on a rotating schedule. Per the sharing agreement, Ledoux’s ditch — the Acequia Madre del Rio Grande del Rancho — will have the water for three days. The Acequia del Finado Francisco Martinez ditch will then have three days, followed by two days for the Acequia Abajo de la Loma and Acequia en Medio de Los Rios.

On Tuesday (June 25), the Rio Grande del Rancho was trickling at 2.3 cubic feet per second (cfs) — less than 10 percent of normal — according to the U.S. Geological Survey stream flow gauge near Talpa. Since 1952, the only other June with a lower flow was in 2002 when the river averaged a meager 1.7 cfs.

Given its current flow, none of the acequias would be able to do much if they all pulled from the river at once.

Acequias — dug in the Ranchos Valley by Hispano settlers starting in the 1700s — are engineered to use the
momentum of the river to push water down the ditches. Every turn and slight rise in the landscape slows that water, and it can be impossible to get it from the river to the fields when there isn’t enough oomph. Diverting the river into a single ditch maximizes the water’s push and gets it to as many properties as possible.

“If you have the whole river for three days, you can accomplish a lot more,” said Larry Mondragòn, chairman of the Francisco Martinez ditch commission.

More Rio Grande River Basin coverage here and here.

The latest Water Center at CMU newsletter is hot off the presses #ColoradoRiver #COdrought

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Click here to read the newsletter. Here’s an excerpt:

POWELL/ MEAD HEAD FOR RECORD LOWS

While the Colorado River headwaters enjoyed some easing of drought conditions this spring, this year’s Lake Powell inflows are forecast to be a mere 44% of the 30-year average. Combined Lake Mead & Powell reservoir levels are approaching the lowest levels since Powell was filling in the late 1960’s. If the reservoirs continue to drop, the lower basin could face its first ever shortage declaration as early as 2015, with the first impacts felt by AZ farmers. For a discussion and graphic on the reservoir level forecast, see NM journalist John Fleck’s blog post here.

More Colorado River Basin coverage here and here.

There’s a lot of beach at Dillon Reservoir #COdrought

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Here’s an in-depth look the economics around Dillon Reservoir from Nathan Heffel writing for KUNC. Denver sells the water to its customers, Frisco depends on wet water in the reservoir for 30% of its tourism. Here’s an excerpt:

After back to back drought years, Dillon Reservoir is about nine to ten feet below average for this time of year. That’s where the interests of Denver Water and the town of Frisco play out.

Dillon is both the largest reservoir in the Denver Water system and a major economic driver for Frisco. During the summer, the marina provides a substantial boost to Frisco’s economy, accounting for a third of the town’s tourism.

A stylized sailboat adorns each street sign in downtown Frisco. It’s a relationship that’s part of their identity; a sail boat is etched on the town logo.

The issue? Frisco doesn’t own any of the water they rely on so much. It belongs to Denver Water and the on-going demands of Front Range water users.

More Blue River Watershed coverage here and here.