U.S. Water News Online
DENVER -- The Denver Water Board has declared its dought-induced water shortage over, with reservoirs at their highest levels for any October since 1999.
Greg Fisher, the utility's chief planner, told the Rocky Mountain News that healthy snows last winter, good summer and fall rains and reduced demand have left reservoirs at 90 percent capacity. That is three percentage points above the longterm average for October.
Denver Water resource engineer Bob Steger said customers should still conserve but declared the drought "essentially over" for the state's largest water utility.
Some parts of the state, however, are still struggling with the drought.
A recently released U.S. Drought Monitor report released said much of northeastern Colorado is suffering moderate to extreme drought conditions.
And although snow and rain have been heavier in the mountain watersheds where Denver gathers its water, the city itself is on course for one of the driest years in its history.
The National Weather Service had recorded 6.24 inches of precipitation at Denver International Airport this year. The long-term average is 15.81 inches.
In 2002, Denver had a record low 7.48 inches.
The possibility of a wet winter in the state is still unclear. The federal Climate Prediction Center said Colorado is expected to have warmer-than normal temperatures this winter but has equal chances for a wetter- or drier-than-normal season.
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