Colorado experts to update snowpack, flood outlook

Colorado water officials are getting an update on mountain snowpack and an early look at potential flooding threats from the spring runoff.

Experts will meet in Denver on Tuesday.

Colorado’s snowpack is closely watched because it provides water for four major river systems that originate in the state: the Colorado, the Platte, the Arkansas and the Rio Grande.

The Colorado River is under especially close scrutiny because it helps supply drought-stricken California. The snowpack in the mountains and valleys that feed the river ranged from 73 to 91 percent of the long-term average Monday.

East of the Continental Divide, snowpack in the major basin that feeds the Platte was 104 percent of average. Snowpack in the Arkansas River basin was 96 percent of average.