The increased snowpack coupled with a wet, cooler spring in Colorado created the perfect conditions for an extended runoff this year. An event that allowed many reservoirs to store more water.

In 2018, a drier winter followed by a hot spring drove state-wide reservoir storage levels to be just 92 percent of average. This year, as of the end of June, storage levels were 105 percent of average statewide.

Reservoirs in the Upper Rio Grande river basin are experiencing the most dramatic change with storage levels 137 percent of average compared to last year when storage was 78 percent of average.

However, one area of the state is not experiencing an improvement in reservoir storage compared to historical averages or last years’ data. Reservoirs in the Arkansas River basin are 96 percent of average compared to 2018 which was 107 percent of average at the end of June.