(Note: Where is the credit that rightfully belongs to the ranchers and farmers? It is conspicuous in its absence. Keep in mind, this is one facet of the same agency -- the Department of Interior -- that is helping to implement The Wildlands Project. This same agency is REMOVING rancher-installed guzzlers in the Mojave desert, thereby causing the death of untold numbers of animals.)

April 14, 2003

Press release from the Bureau of Reclamation

Contact: Elaine Simonson 303-445-3139

Washington, D.C. - Today, Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner John W. Keys announced that -- even with serious drought conditions throughout most of the region west of the Missouri River -- Reclamation continues to help states meet critical water needs by providing water from reservoirs located throughout the 17 western states.

"Reclamation's 348 reservoirs -- which can store up to 256 million acre-feet of water -- have proven their worth many times over," Keys stated. "Without this storage, we would be experiencing even more critical water shortages."

"With drought conditions in most of the West persisting, we are at a critical juncture," Keys said. "Only by employing the same foresight, planning, and cooperation as early Western settlers will we be able to ensure adequate water for our cities and farms, recreation, fish and wildlife, hydropower, and many other uses."

In addition to water storage, Reclamation provides many services to help western states survive drought conditions. "We have been providing farmers and water districts with financial and technical assistance to improve water conservation planning and installation of new equipment since 1996," Keys states.

Reclamation also serves as a liaison and collaborator to help states arrange water banking, reuse, and other innovative methods to stretch available supplies. Reclamation is working in partnership with universities, other government agencies, and private businesses to learn more about designing safe passages for fish, affordable desalination methods, reuse, and other water conservation measures.

According to figures from the U.S. Drought Monitor, precipitation measurements do not indicate an end to drought conditions throughout much of the West. As of January 2003, El Nino patterns indicate a drier spring for the states of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming and a wetter spring for Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, west Texas and southwestern Utah. However, the states of California, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota, and Oklahoma are experiencing extreme or severe drought in some areas.

Boise River Basin: Average snowpack is 81 percent, while reservoir storage is 36 percent. To date, the water year's average precipitation is at 83 percent, with 81-percent average forecasted spring runoff. Colorado River Basin: The Colorado River system is 61 percent full, with 68 percent of normal snowpack and 73 percent of normal precipitation. Lake Powell is presently 54 percent; the April through July inflow forecast to Lake Powell is 58 percent. Lake Mead is 65 percent full. All compact water delivery requirements from the upper basin to the lower basin will be met this year, as will delivery requirements to Mexico from the upper and lower basins.

Flathead River Basin: Average snowpack is currently 73 percent, while reservoir storage is at 70 percent. To date, the water year's average precipitation is at 67 percent, with 72-percent average forecasted spring runoff.

Green River Basin: Average snowpack is at 72 percent. Reservoir storage is at 69 percent. To date, the water year's average precipitation is at 74 percent, with 55-percent average forecasted spring runoff. Klamath River Basin: Average snowpack is at 58 percent, while reservoir storage is at 75 percent. To date, the water year's average precipitation is at 87 percent, with 74-percent average forecasted spring runoff.

Lahontan Basin: Average snowpack is currently at 160 percent, while reservoir storage is at 25 percent. To date, the water year's precipitation is at 128 percent, with 106-percent average forecasted spring runoff.

Milk River Basin: Snowpack is currently 70 percent of average, with 55-percent of average runoff forecasted.

North Platte River Basin: Total expected April through July runoff above Glendo Dam is expected to be 31 percent of average. Water in storage for delivery to North Platte Project contractors is 17 percent of average, the lowest end-of-January report for the last 30 years. With the current forecast, river flows throughout the system are expected to be much less than average and below last year's flows.

Payette River Basin: Average snowpack is at 94 percent, while reservoir storage is at 42 percent. To date, the water year's average precipitation is 96 percent, with 90-percent average forecasted spring runoff.

Pecos River Basin: Average snowpack is at 92 percent. Current river flow levels are at 16 percent, while reservoir storage is at 22 percent. To date, the water year's average precipitation is at 86 percent, with 94 percent average forecasted spring runoff.

Rio Grande Basin: Snowpack in the Rio Grande is at 58 percent of average. Current river flow levels are at 71 percent, while reservoir storage is at 42 percent. To date, the water year's average precipitation is at 85 percent, with 45-percent average forecasted spring runoff.

Salt River/Verde River System: The Salt River Project system is currently 27 percent full, with a projected spring forecast of 55 percent. Roosevelt Lake, the key storage reservoir on the system, is only 14 percent full. The snowpack for the Salt River system is 37 percent of average; for the Verde, snowpack is 25 percent of average.

Sacramento River Basin: Average snowpack is currently 119 percent, while reservoir storage is 78 percent. To date, the water year's average precipitation is at 131 percent, with 111-percent average forecasted spring runoff. Central Valley Project reservoir storage levels are above the 15-year average for this time of year.

San Joaquin River Basin: Snowpack is presently 83 percent of average, with average reservoir storage at 71 percent. To date, the water year's average precipitation is at 97 percent, with 100-percent forecasted spring runoff.

Upper Missouri River Basin: Snowpack is presently at 80 percent of average, with a forecasted spring runoff of 50 percent of average.

Upper Snake River Basin: Average snowpack is currently 84 percent, while average reservoir storage is at 42 percent. To date, the water year's average precipitation is at 85 percent, with 83-percent average forecasted spring runoff.

Wind/Bighorn River Basin: Inflows from the Shoshone River to Buffalo Bill Reservoir from April through July are projected at 81 percent of average. The Wind River portion of the Bighorn River Basin forecasts include the snowmelt runoff into Bull Lake Reservoir from Bull Lake Creek and runoff into the Wind River above Bull Lake Creek, which are both expected to be 71 percent of average. The expected inflows to Boysen Reservoir for the same period are expected to be 41 percent of average. With this projected inflow and Boysen Reservoir storage at a record low, water users are being encouraged to take measures to conserve available water supplies.

Yakima River Basin: Snowpack to date is 73 percent of average, while precipitation is at 80 percent. The spring runoff is forecasted at 77 percent of average and reservoir storage is at 49 percent for the system.

Information on local water supplies is available by contacting the nearest Bureau of Reclamation office.

Reclamation is the largest wholesale water supplier and the second largest producer of hydroelectric power in the United States, with operations and facilities in the 17 Western States. Its facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation, and fish and wildlife benefits.

http://www.blm.gov