From the Vail Daily News (Scott N. Miller):
At a “State of the River” meeting Wednesday at Colorado Mountain College in Edwards, assistant state climatologist Wendy Ryan gave a full house in the college’s lecture hall an overview of past and current streamflows, with some predictions thrown in for the rest of the season…
While Eagle River Water and Sanitation District general manager Linn Brooks said streamflows are expected to be “OK” moving into this summer, Ryan said those flows will remain below historic averages through the rest of this year.
In the Eagle River basin, Ryan said snowpack peaked a couple of weeks later than usual this year — in late April — at about 88 percent of its historic averages. The snow is now coming off fairly quickly, though.
That’s important because the valley depends on streamflow for most of its water supply. While a snow measurement site atop Fremont Pass still has good supply, Ryan said the snow is nearly melted off at the measurement site on Vail Mountain…
Ryan said climate forecasts for the rest of this year indicate the drought will either linger or intensify. The good news, though, is that drought cycles don’t linger for extended periods.
In her presentation, Brooks said the Eagle River is subject to “extreme” variations from year to year. Brooks added that last year’s drought, when local water managers developed “water emergency” plans before summer rains brought badly-needed relief, taught both water officials and users some important lessons.