ALAMOSA — There is a degree of new optimism about the current snowpack for the Rio Grande Basin.

At the Tuesday meeting of the Rio Grande Basin Roundtable, Colorado Division of Water Resources Division 3 Engineer Craig Cotten shared that that the current snowpack for the Rio Grande Basin is just over 100 percent. Cotten called the numbers “a little bit better,” and also attributed some of the improvement that has been seen to the snowfall that the mountains around the basin have seen in recent days.

This announcement drew cheers from those present. He also noted that there is more moisture projected in the forecast. The new numbers also move the Rio Grande Basin out of the position for the lowest moisture percentage for the state. There was consensus among the Roundtable members that while the snowpack is still relatively low, the numbers are certainly beginning to look better moving forward in 2019.

Cotten also shared that the annual meeting for the Rio Grande Compact will be hosted by Colorado for 2019. The event is set to begin on April 3rd and will be held at the Rio Grande Water Conservation District Office.