San Juan River posts lowest recorded flow total for Dec. 18

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As of Dec. 18, the San Juan River had a reported flow of 21.6 cubic feet per second (cfs), the lowest reported flow total for that day according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

The USGS’s website notes that, previously, the lowest reported flow on Dec. 18 came in 1990 when the San Juan River had a reported flow of 27 cfs; the highest flow total came in 1987 when the river had a flow of 167 cfs.

Water report

Total water production has seen a decline since last week; however, this week’s total is almost 2 million gallons more than this time last year, according to a press release from Pagosa Area Water and Sanitation District Manager Justin Ramsey.

From Dec. 6 through Dec. 12 of this year, total water production was 10.40 million gallons.

Contributing to that total the Snowball water treatment plant produced 3.73 million gallons and the Hatcher water treatment plant produced 6.67 million gallons.

Last year, also from Dec. 6 through Dec. 12, water production totaled 8.80 million gallons.

From Nov. 29 through Dec. 5 of this year, water production totaled 11.06 million gallons.

Two local lakes have seen a drop in their levels since last week, according to Ramsey’s press release.

This week, Hatcher Lake is 11 inches from full, or 96.60 percent full; last week it was 15 inches from full.

Stevens Lake, Lake Pagosa and Village Lake all have maintained their levels since last week, staying at 36 inches from full, 5 inches from full and, in Village Lake’s case, remaining full.

Lake Forest is 8 inches from full this week, or 93.94 percent full; last week it was 12 inches from full.

Total diversion flows remain at 4.5 cfs, with the West Fork diversion still adding 3 cfs and the Four Mile diversion is still adding 1.5 cfs.