Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1889-04-24
Braves WATERSHED
Official Data on the Snowfall Of the
Past Winter and the Summers
Water Flow,
The Rio 6rande and It's Tributaries
Facts Gathered by the U. S.
Geological Survey

In the interest of the residents OF the
! territory watered by the Rio Grande and
its tributaries the United States geologi-
cal survey has collected information re-
garding the amount of snow that has
fallen the past winter as Il basis for esti-
mating the probable amount Of water that
will be available the coming season for
the use OF agriculturists and stock raisers
in New Mexico, This information has
been obtained in the form OF answers to
the following questions that have been
sent TO selected residents in the Rio
Grande drainage area
l. Has the snowfall in your locality
been greater or less this winter than last
! winter?
2. Has it been less than the usual
average amount?
8. Is there much snow still remaining in
the mountains and canOns?
4. What do YOU believe will he the
water flow from your locality the coming
season as compared with the average OF
other years?
Replies to these questions have been
kindly furnished by over l20 men, many
of whom are specially qualified by reason
OF long residence t. report upon the
amount OF snowfall during the past winter
as compared with that OF previous Years.
These have included mail carriers, stage
/ drivers, pr0spectOrs, and others whose
! business brings them into the mountains,
atfording them special opportunities ior
observing the depth OF snow over large
areas and at high elevations.
The territory covered by the replies COM
| prises the whole drainage area of the Rio
| Grande from its headWaters in the mount
aims of Colorado to the ranges OF Socorro
county, \. NJ. In many eases reports
| have been received from a considerable
number Of persons in the same locality.
Although some times disagrceing, these
reports, in general, afford Corroborative
evidence as to the main characteristics Of
the snowfall.
Uniform answers to the second ques-
ton depend upon the adoption Of the
same standard or normal OF comparison,
and where disagrcemcntS have occurred
in answers from the same locality, they
have apparently arisen from a lack OF
uniformity in this respect
The fourth question, to which the others
are Introductory, calls for Il personal es-
! innate of the probable water flow for the
! coming season, based not only upon the
amount OF snowfall, but upon all other
modifying conditions observed BY the re-
porter or that form part OF his experience.
With this understanding observers in
making their estimates have taken into
consideration the different factors OF the
situation, such as the dryness of the soil
at the beginning Of winter, the probable
amount OF rain and snow still to be re-
ceived during the spring months and the
results OF different temperatures and winds
! in melting the mountain snow. rs Il ma.
tural result OF the early dates OF the re-
ports, averaging about March ), the an
swers are less satisfactory for the north
ern mountain districts in Colorado, where
large quantities Of snow are received in
March, April and May. The reports from
these sections, therefore, may be mntprial'
! h modified by the later snOWfalls.
! SUMMARY or RESULTS,
The general characteristics OF the
amount and distribution of the snowfall
are very clearly indicated by the reports.
In the south, over Socorro Valencia and
the southern part OF Santa Fe counties
! the snowfall has been exceptionally large
/ in many places indeed being reported
greater than has been experienced for
many years. From these counties the
relative snowfall decreased northward,
/ but still remained somewhat about the
average in the northern part OF Bernalillo
county and in the southern part OF Rio
/ Arriba county. Northward the Snowfall
i diminished rapidly and on the northern
border OF the territory was much less than
! the usual amount. This deficiency con
tinued northward over Conejos and Cos.
/ tilla counties in southern Colorado, where
the reporters bear uniform testimony tc
| the meager amount received. Northward
from Conejos and Costilla counties the
snowfall regained very nearly its usual
amount, all reports showing that the def.
cheney of the preceding winter has not
been repeated
| The large snowfall OF >Ocorro and Va.
| lencia counties has now all melted except
on the north mountain sides, but its effect
will undoubtedly he apparent throughout
! the spring and early summer months in
the increased flow OF springs and brooks
A more detailed presentation OF the
replies will bring out more fully the par.
ticular conditions prevailing in different
| localities
sOC0RRo COUNTY.
/ The snow over the Datii mountains is
reported as having exceeded that Of any
year in the recollections OF the old set
| tiers" Near the continental divide the
snow was twenty inches deep in the
canons on March II , and still deeper on
the north hillsides 4 much greater flow
OF water than has been usual in ether
years is promised.
VALENCIA COUNTY.
Fifteen reports from Valencia county
all state that the amount of snow is
greater than last year, and greater than
the average. From Cubero is reported
twice as much this winter as last" being
in some places six feet deep. From Man
zano, three times greater than last win
ter, and much heavier than any winter
for the last twenty years" from Valencia
and Cienega (Manzano mOuntains) four
times more this winter than last. All