Drought in Upper Colorado BasinSolaleh Khezri, GIS in Water Resources, University of Texas, Fall 2009

Upper Colorado River Basin

Upper Colorado Basin Reservoirs

Hydro Excel

Generation of Graphs in Hydro Excel

10/1/2000 6/1/2002 2/1/2004 10/1/2005 6/1/2007 2/1/20090

1000

2000

3000

4000

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6000

7000

Taylor Park

Inflo

w (c

fs)

10/1/2000 3/1/2002 8/1/2003 1/1/2005 6/1/2006 11/1/2007 4/1/20090

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

Navajo Reservoir

Inflo

w (c

fs)

10/1/2000 6/1/2002 2/1/2004 10/1/2005 6/1/2007 2/1/20090

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

Blue Mesa Reservoir

Inflo

w (c

fs)

10/1/2000 6/1/2002 2/1/2004 10/1/2005 6/1/2007 2/1/20090

1000

2000

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6000

Crystal ReservoirIn

flow

(cfs

)

Drought Indices

• Palmer Drought Severity Index :Indicator of soil moisture

• Surface Water Supply Index: based on snowpack, streamflow, precipitation, and reservoir storage.

• Drought Monitor: Combination of indices, including the PDSI, Soil Moisture Model, Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), USGS weekly streamflow percentiles, etc.

Reservoirs Monthly Inflow Index-2002

Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep

-4.2

-3.2

-2.2

-1.2

-0.2

0.8

1.8

2.8

3.8

Morrow Point's Inflow Index

Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep

-4.2

-3.2

-2.2

-1.2

-0.2

0.8

1.8

2.8

3.8

Taylor Park's Inflow Index

Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep

-4.2

-3.2

-2.2

-1.2

-0.2

0.8

1.8

2.8

3.8

Crystal 's Inflow Index

Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep

-4.2

-3.2

-2.2

-1.2

-0.2

0.8

1.8

2.8

3.8

Navajo's Inflow Index

JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember

Monthly Inflow Index Maps-2002

Monthly Drought Monitor-2002

What to do next?

• Calculate Inflow Index for 8 years• Create Inflow Index maps