State water officials say that as of March 31, the Yampa River Basin watershed measured 110% of the median annual snow pack water equivalent compared to historical records.

Division Engineer Erin Light — of the Colorado Division of Water Resources based in Steamboat Springs — said that as of the end of March, the Elk River basin was at 109% of historical median and the Yampa River basin at 111%. To the northwest, the Snake River basin was slightly higher at 118%, and to the southwest, the Williams Fork of the Yampa was slightly lower at 103%.

Light was among the speakers at the annual Upper Yampa State of the River presentation on Wednesday evening hosted by Community Agriculture Alliance and Colorado River District.

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The engineer discussed this year’s warm weather outlook for water by looking at data comparisons of snow pack and stream flows from previous years. She highlighted two river gauges that have provided data for more than 100 years, one in downtown Steamboat at the Fifth Street bridge and one in Maybell in western Moffat County.

Light said although 2023 was a high snow pack year with a wet spring and isolated flooding in the valley, an early and strong spring warm up, and lower summer rain levels created the need for officials to conduct strategic water releases from Stagecoach Reservoir starting Aug. 18 for water quality temperature purposes.

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“Even in nice snow pack years, we are dropping low in historic averages,” Light said. “In late season, we are still dropping below the average because of warming temperatures and not as much summer precipitation.”

Light said the peak snow water equivalent in the Yampa River during 2023 reached 28 inches, which translates to 125% of median. The annual average peak snow water equivalent in the Yampa River is 22.4 inches. That ranked 2023 as the 15th highest river flow year in the Yampa River Valley in the past 100 years.

“Even in nice snow pack years, we are dropping low in historic averages. In late season, we are still dropping below the average because of warming temperatures and not as much summer precipitation.”

Division Engineer Erin Light

The current water levels in the Upper Yampa basin are tracking similar to patterns in 2016, which was an average snow water equivalent year, according to Light. The spring and summer water levels this year will depend largely on the speed and intensity of the spring warm up and snow pack runoff.

“2016 was very similar to where we are today,” Light said. “It depends on how the snow melt goes as to when the river will peak.”

The five largest reservoirs in the Yampa River Basin as of March 31 were filled to expected operating levels, including Stillwater at 53%, Yamcolo and Stagecoach both at 88%, Fish Creek at 41% and Elkhead Creek at 72%.

During the strong snow pack year in 2023, Stagecoach, Fish Creek and Elkhead Creek all filled to their capacity — however, Stillwater and Yamcolo in the Bear River Valley in southern Routt County did not fill due to strong agricultural water use in 2022.

In summer 2023, following a fast spring runoff and limited summer rains, nine stream systems within the greater Yampa River basin went on call, meaning senior water right holders requested their water and junior water right holders were required to reduce or sometimes shut off use. Those areas included Talamantes Creek, White River, Bear River, Evans Gulch, Middle Hunt Creek, South Hunt Creek, Trout Creek, Fortification Creek and Elk River.

“It’s just more evidence that a strong snow pack year does not guarantee everybody’s water rights will be met across the basin,” Light said.

Department of Water Resources Rules Measurement Coordinator Jacob Olson told the crowd of roughly 60 people that state officials finalized on Jan. 16 important dates for water user compliance to have fully functioning water diversion structures. Structures diverting equal to or greater than 5 cubic feet per second must comply by Jan. 16, 2025. Structures diverting 2 to 5 CFS must comply by July 16, 2025 and structures diverting less than 2 CFS by Jan. 16, 2026.

A representative from the Upper Yampa Water Conservancy District reminded that the district still has Community Grant Funding available for in-district water users, including private land owners for infrastructure improvements, water supply planning, river restoration and water quality, and watershed health.

“It’s just more evidence that a strong snow pack year does not guarantee everybody’s water rights will be met across the basin.”

Division Engineer Erin Light