Eastern Colorado Palmer Drought Severity Index Reconstruction --------------------------------------------------------------------- World Data Center for Paleoclimatology, Boulder and NOAA Paleoclimatology Program --------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE: PLEASE CITE ORIGINAL REFERENCES WHEN USING THIS DATA!!!!! CONTRIBUTOR: Connie Woodhouse, NOAA Paleoclimatology Program. NAME OF DATA SET: Eastern Colorado Palmer Drought Severity Index Reconstruction LAST UPDATE: 12/2002 (Original receipt by WDC Paleo) IGBP PAGES/WDCA CONTRIBUTION SERIES NUMBER: 2002-083 SUGGESTED DATA CITATION: Woodhouse, C., et al., 2002, Eastern Colorado Palmer Drought Severity Index Reconstruction. International Tree-Ring Data Bank. IGBP PAGES/World Data Center for Paleoclimatology Data Contribution Series #2002-083. NOAA/NGDC Paleoclimatology Program, Boulder CO, USA. ORIGINAL REFERENCES: Woodhouse, C.A., J.J. Lukas, and P.M. Brown, 2002, Drought in the Western Great Plains, 1845-56: Impacts and Implications Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 83, 10, 1485-1493. Woodhouse, C.A. and P.M. Brown, 2001, Tree-ring evidence for Great Plains drought. Tree-Ring Research, 59, 89-103. GEOGRAPHIC REGION: USA Great Plains, eastern Colorado PERIOD OF RECORD: 1550-1990 AD FUNDING SOURCE: U.S. National Science Foundation grant ATM-9729751. DESCRIPTION: Eastern Colorado May/June/July Palmer Drought Severity Index Reconstruction based on tree ring chronologies in the western Great Plains and Front Range. ABSTRACT: A sustained mid-19th century drought in the western Great Plains has been indicated by a tree-ring analysis of trees flanking the western Great Plains, and in tree-ring reconstructions of drought and streamflow for eastern Colorado and the Colorado Front Range. The development of new tree-ring chronologies for the western Great Plains, in combination with existing chronologies, now enables a more detailed assessment of the spatial and temporal characteristics of this drought. The analysis of a set of drought-sensitive tree-ring chronologies ranging from the northwestern Great Plains to central New Mexico indicates a core area of drought from south-central Wyoming to northeastern New Mexico for the years 1845-56. Drought was particularly severe in the years 1845-48, 1851, and 1854-56, contracting and affecting smaller regions in intervening years. The impact of this drought on natural ecosystems and human activities is difficult to gauge because of the paucity of historical documents and the confounding effects of land use changes occurring over the same period. However, it is probable that this drought played a role in the decimation of bison herds in the second half of the 19th century. Were it to occur today, this relatively small but persistent drought would have significant impacts on the Colorado Front Range metropolitan area and the agricultural regions of eastern Colorado. DATA: Eastern CO May-June-July PDSI Year recon PDSI obs PDSI 1552 -4.72347776 1553 1.30578258 1554 0.71339511 1555 -0.01688457 1556 1.64611162 1557 1.89505205 1558 -1.01018259 1559 0.419599 1560 0.93227699 1561 -1.50356249 1562 1.80745385 1563 -3.02396496 1564 1.6800352 1565 2.66135726 1566 -0.18704233 1567 -0.68161785 1568 0.65610052 1569 2.60939254 1570 -0.49791039 1571 -0.81870587 1572 -0.47027233 1573 -2.53502702 1574 1.03349032 1575 0.51702647 1576 -1.02438691 1577 1.6161088 1578 0.87296844 1579 -5.2603972 1580 0.07672863 1581 -2.36077522 1582 -0.70009806 1583 -0.51403545 1584 -2.1620558 1585 -1.2113408 1586 -1.06774415 1587 -3.24062061 1588 1.35246488 1589 0.65740414 1590 -2.70853926 1591 -2.78264317 1592 1.86221755 1593 0.34499706 1594 2.27337326 1595 1.27991762 1596 4.2899722 1597 -0.49145045 1598 -3.3654578 1599 -1.11109196 1600 -1.31097757 1601 -1.95621151 1602 0.55968576 1603 2.53922197 1604 -0.44821823 1605 -0.80477131 1606 -1.07759841 1607 0.48712945 1608 -1.27940555 1609 -1.96726572 1610 0.89358751 1611 0.7441966 1612 -2.45280335 1613 0.4843618 1614 -0.71181023 1615 -0.30243726 1616 -2.08265507 1617 0.32135279 1618 2.28229244 1619 4.99248241 1620 2.31625123 1621 1.38723969 1622 -2.0743207 1623 -0.03231825 1624 -0.58897246 1625 -2.63360304 1626 -0.53610314 1627 -1.37255317 1628 -0.90245697 1629 0.81574539 1630 -0.48705039 1631 -3.71462574 1632 -2.24623551 1633 -0.58369175 1634 0.98853461 1635 1.30663514 1636 2.85350317 1637 1.62092911 1638 -1.50355366 1639 1.1679978 1640 0.08564788 1641 -1.07604174 1642 3.48244951 1643 2.7882498 1644 0.42620575 1645 -4.65956934 1646 2.14274589 1647 0.68494586 1648 -1.21625618 1649 0.97235655 1650 -3.23470044 1651 2.1332424 1652 -0.66111222 1653 0.06983916 1654 -4.93626888 1655 2.68533616 1656 1.28882289 1657 1.32632394 1658 0.12521141 1659 -0.8979426 1660 2.56512453 1661 2.24391979 1662 2.01152942 1663 0.62457532 1664 -0.32287146 1665 -1.11772881 1666 -2.6623641 1667 -0.69778643 1668 -2.57152744 1669 -1.01623111 1670 -1.56511689 1671 -0.27393919 1672 -1.98880224 1673 -0.28823641 1674 1.92348088 1675 -2.08716519 1676 -0.3807066 1677 0.71625715 1678 1.97838434 1679 -3.06834075 1680 2.40151039 1681 -1.80502014 1682 -3.71071074 1683 3.78645128 1684 -2.71616348 1685 -2.99451173 1686 -1.75139539 1687 -0.13698415 1688 -0.58671988 1689 -0.44917007 1690 -1.03149257 1691 -0.19032899 1692 2.60157111 1693 1.35460054 1694 -1.72579189 1695 0.7241447 1696 -1.01763081 1697 1.35887876 1698 -1.00019883 1699 -2.17151238 1700 0.2851793 1701 0.89616819 1702 0.90050334 1703 2.59589727 1704 -1.74419229 1705 -1.79530243 1706 3.70796593 1707 0.63940879 1708 -0.03058767 1709 -1.37129669 1710 3.72546159 1711 -0.77859099 1712 3.72257611 1713 2.30249309 1714 1.18182776 1715 -2.28574999 1716 -1.2661462 1717 -1.28894269 1718 0.97021156 1719 0.73114329 1720 1.06789086 1721 1.24255435 1722 -0.60860765 1723 0.43406577 1724 1.24012513 1725 -2.41710862 1726 2.26530708 1727 1.27986236 1728 2.92183313 1729 -1.65650107 1730 -3.21730511 1731 -0.53896101 1732 1.72788159 1733 -2.56631604 1734 1.40145359 1735 -0.63681199 1736 -0.70429187 1737 -1.35551252 1738 -2.6122735 1739 -1.96292524 1740 -0.86028892 1741 -1.78701563 1742 -1.572171 1743 1.2431809 1744 -1.60076399 1745 -2.09547309 1746 3.81257673 1747 2.96798053 1748 -2.14486823 1749 1.21880321 1750 -1.2070313 1751 0.70747357 1752 -0.84767781 1753 1.37447326 1754 -1.4255072 1755 1.66945271 1756 -1.91655658 1757 -0.10099447 1758 -0.01004606 1759 0.2390184 1760 0.35068865 1761 1.02631125 1762 0.5629892 1763 -1.42461846 1764 1.36177807 1765 -1.0578715 1766 2.14009461 1767 -0.39180312 1768 1.5556969 1769 0.22572938 1770 -2.3194487 1771 1.99812386 1772 -1.9244449 1773 0.68879191 1774 0.699177 1775 -1.60545997 1776 0.68329114 1777 -0.72630282 1778 -0.34996399 1779 0.4768638 1780 -1.92287383 1781 -1.77814882 1782 1.05944191 1783 0.74426615 1784 -1.03601709 1785 1.45175771 1786 -1.26146239 1787 -0.58562251 1788 0.24167201 1789 -3.86270417 1790 1.36988574 1791 -0.03530768 1792 1.67395305 1793 0.54661725 1794 0.6971337 1795 -0.48500053 1796 -0.74971072 1797 2.01370229 1798 -1.15486758 1799 1.44314624 1800 2.06036672 1801 -1.78480618 1802 -0.40704837 1803 0.93773046 1804 0.26461451 1805 -0.33832412 1806 -0.45124571 1807 0.69739003 1808 -1.40750507 1809 -3.54142966 1810 0.49526776 1811 -1.65446572 1812 -0.32720925 1813 -0.43125676 1814 0.76462689 1815 0.42772875 1816 0.66336386 1817 1.06157286 1818 -2.7940623 1819 -0.07388524 1820 -2.11711061 1821 -0.43906948 1822 -1.47682385 1823 1.27668003 1824 -1.99134178 1825 2.2632945 1826 -0.3118887 1827 1.20325698 1828 2.51552743 1829 0.98608911 1830 -1.57585506 1831 -0.45622462 1832 0.09172724 1833 1.7160238 1834 -0.86276403 1835 1.09756198 1836 1.38236761 1837 0.68402946 1838 2.36584876 1839 3.8443812 1840 0.73211383 1841 0.02634516 1842 -4.11393118 1843 1.51986551 1844 2.04041679 1845 -1.76282747 1846 -1.53395725 1847 -1.58692028 1848 -2.74732021 1849 1.35417679 1850 -1.08735021 1851 -4.29608887 1852 -1.42324872 1853 1.46890374 1854 1.80573766 1855 -2.15514433 1856 -2.6479114 1857 -0.36958809 1858 2.49202431 1859 -0.54998496 1860 -0.32945968 1861 -4.07404023 1862 -1.6889376 1863 -3.43292555 1864 1.35443269 1865 -0.51186824 1866 0.18921073 1867 0.59834168 1868 -0.26544569 1869 2.0099284 1870 -0.44380267 1871 -0.47784957 1872 2.83645353 1873 -0.93325824 1874 -0.90093175 1875 -0.28694524 1876 -0.56231769 1877 0.01282172 1878 3.61210436 1879 -0.49737416 1880 -5.60306349 1881 0.16035249 1882 1.06150744 1883 -0.57031776 1884 1.86562639 1885 -0.04586092 1886 0.25880049 1887 0.58086204 1888 -1.73884127 1889 0.59545771 1890 0.89933918 1891 0.93743233 1892 0.90853304 1893 -3.79459092 1894 -0.60202289 1895 0.58291716 1896 -1.52971005 1897 1.29046325 1898 1.26567239 1899 -4.30828115 1900 1.87933718 1901 0.11479157 1902 -1.45848095 -1.277333333 1903 0.12269975 0.450666667 1904 0.22382624 -0.572 1905 2.0475219 2.454 1906 -0.47001695 0.938 1907 0.85590339 -0.922666667 1908 -4.43617722 -3.556666667 1909 2.07366271 1.955333333 1910 -0.29413109 0.356666667 1911 -1.07654778 -1.993333333 1912 0.95860661 1.748666667 1913 0.41145621 -0.327333333 1914 2.6407396 3.529333333 1915 1.80350603 3.408666667 1916 -1.07402075 -0.829333333 1917 0.18724228 1.151333333 1918 1.38284612 -0.688 1919 2.13619249 1.630666667 1920 0.75056252 1.425333333 1921 2.71967511 1.254666667 1922 -0.52240541 0.300666667 1923 -0.23269498 0.98 1924 1.0850649 2.610666667 1925 -1.34154664 -2.51 1926 0.54642976 1.064444444 1927 -3.03910245 -0.304444444 1928 1.77025591 2.299444444 1929 -0.55093217 -0.923888889 1930 -0.07615577 -0.71 1931 0.79775772 -0.570555556 1932 -1.90721023 -2.996666667 1933 -1.1735465 -2.160555556 1934 -3.85726613 -3.978888889 1935 -0.47872696 -3.017222222 1936 -2.317407 -3.827777778 1937 -0.41219136 -3.555555556 1938 -1.10097416 -0.675 1939 -2.05475602 -1.11 1940 -1.27718981 -1.514444444 1941 1.22189939 0.755555556 1942 1.34204743 3.987777778 1943 0.65207041 0.191111111 1944 0.9695597 3.076666667 1945 -0.1586458 -0.482777778 1946 0.46505918 -1.991666667 1947 2.21409034 3.965 1948 1.51750532 3.678888889 1949 2.21931239 1.842222222 1950 -2.88286232 -2.530555556 1951 0.03718581 -0.390555556 1952 -0.96389857 -0.411666667 1953 -1.71955793 -1.175 1954 -2.66844559 -3.504444444 1955 0.17857435 -2.715 1956 -2.32173391 -2.587777778 1957 1.79117475 3.061666667 1958 1.30088245 3.319444444 1959 -0.9054915 0.345 1960 0.1522439 1.707777778 1961 0.70061531 1.197222222 1962 -0.69237116 -0.041666667 1963 -4.6033476 -3.751666667 1964 -1.22707963 -1.831666667 1965 0.24312486 -0.153888889 1966 -0.21501595 -2.103333333 1967 0.72575232 -0.433333333 1968 -1.92793393 -1.35 1969 2.63575541 1.18 1970 0.39127133 2.186666667 1971 0.22166778 0.483333333 1972 0.03306102 -1.575555556 1973 0.61464988 2.313333333 1974 -2.39503576 -1.128888889 1975 0.37854647 -0.663333333 1976 -0.38191499 -1.539444444 1977 0.86485487 -1.089444444 1978 0.01001104 0.031111111 1979 1.10807889 1.059444444 1980 -0.43112807 3.333333333 1981 -2.15255653 -2.024444444 1982 0.70621676 0.521111111 1983 1.01406161 3.186666667 1984 -0.34024838 0.423333333 1985 0.29919895 0.786111111 1986 -0.5240598 -1.225555556 1987 2.24877689 2.026666667 1988 1.04971592 0.075 1989 -1.27179319 -1.465555556 1990 0.86842343 0.924444444