Water users are breathing a little easier since last week’s series of winter storms brought the mountain snowpack up to normal.

The snowpack figure has climbed steadily from a low of 35 percent of the long-term average in mid-January to 98 percent on Monday. On Jan. 3, the mountain snowpack held just 2.7 inches of moisture; this week’s snowpack holds 15.7 inches. Last year at this time, the four high-mountain snow-measuring sites contained an average of 7.2 inches of moisture, or 46 percent of average.

McPhee Reservoir is 98 percent full, according to a spokesperson for the Dolores Water Conservancy District, and releases from the dam are projected to begin in mid-April. The initial change will be from 45 cubic feet per second to 245 cfs on April 16, with gradual increases up to 800 to 1,200 cfs at the end of May, depending on runoff.

Beginning June 1, operators will begin ramping down the releases by 100 cfs per day, down to 100 cfs by June 12.