Dolores River basin snow water equivalent is the highest of the past 36 years

Storms approach Rico, Colorado from southern California.

U.S. National Weather Service radar
March 20, 2023

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March 31, 2023 - Dolores River Basin snow water equivalent surpassed all recorded readings since 1987

National Water and Climate Center
National Resources Conservation Service
U.S. Department of Agriculture

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Dolores River Basin
SNOTEL network
stations

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Scotch Creek station south of Rico snow depth reaches 72 inches

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National Water and Climate Center
National Resources Conservation Service
U.S. Department of Agriculture

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SW Colorado river basins lead Colorado snowpack

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March 21, 2023 - The San Miguel, Dolores, Animas and San Juan River basins had the greatest snow water equivalent in Colorado, at 167 percent of normal.

Colorado Snow Survey
National Resources Conservation Service
U.S. Department of Agriculture

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Snow water equivalent is a measure of the liquid water contained in snowpack. It is more useful than snow depth for estimating the volume of meltwater flow. This is because 3 feet of fresh, dry, fluffy snow may represent only 4-5 inches of SWE, but 3 feet of compacted, wet, spring snow may contain 12 inches or more of SWE. Using SWE helps scientists measure snowpack in a standardized way. Units are inches (in).

source:
From Snow to Flow
United States Geological Survey (USGS)