An above-average snowpack so far this winter is good news for water users in the Gunnison River Basin, but area reservoir levels are expected to remain well below average into the summer and the long-term forecast for Lake Powell is grim.

Those were the mixed messages state water experts delivered March 16 to about 60 ranchers, farmers, recreationists and other community members who gathered at the Ouray County 4-H Center for the State of the River meeting.

Coming off an extraordinarily dry 2021, ...