The District operates and maintains the Colorado-Big Thompson Project, a transmountain diversion project that provides supplemental water to seven northeastern Colorado counties. Because the water is in addition to native supplies, less is made available in wet years and more in dry ones. In an extremely wet year, the quota might be as low as 50 percent; during a dry one, 100.

The quota will supply 248,000 acre feet of Colorado River water for agricultural, municipal and industrial users in the District. One acre foot is nearly 326,000 gallons of water, roughly the amount used by two urban families in a year.

At the District's Spring Water User's meeting Wednesday in Longmont, irrigators pushed for a 100 percent quota, saying the low snowpack and anything under a 100 would likely drive up the cost of water on the rental market.

The Board last April set a 70 percent quota, then increased it to 100 in June after spring streamflow forecasts didn't develop as expected.

Snowpack in the South Platte River basin was a concern throughout the winter. Along the St. Vrain, one of its tributaries, readings were less than 70 percent of normal in early April. Corresponding streamflow forecasts are far below average.

"Northern Colorado is coming out of one of the wettest decades ever," said NCWCD General Manager Eric Wilkinson. "People need to realize we can't have above average runoff every year."

The C-BT quota is set each April to help farmers; ditch and irrigation companies; city water officials, and rural domestic suppliers plan water supply needs. The Board considers current snowpack, forecasted streamflow runoff and estimated direct diversions.

In addition, Board members examine year-end reservoir storage levels. They balance the region's supplemental needs with the long-term reserves in the C-BT Project.