WSP08910

• File Number: 8282.600.40
• Description: Colorado River Annual Operating Reports
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 8/1/2000
• Author: USDOI/BOR
• Title: Colorado River Reservoir Operation Status Reports Part 2
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Data

I

Date: September 8, 2000

RECEIVED
SEP 14 2000
CaoIBdo w"tor c", .
SBIV8110rJ Board

From:

Water Resource Group, Salt Lake City

To:

All Colorado River Annual Operating Plan (AOP) Recipients

Current Status

August
inflow (unreg)
(Acre-Feet)

Per:cent
of nor:mal

Midnight
September: 7
Elevation

Reser:voir:
Stor:age
(Acr:e-Feet)

Fontenelle
Flaming Gor:ge
Blue Mesa
Powell
Navajo

40,000
43,000
36,000
163,000
4,000

45
40
54
27
10

6,492.68
6,021.13
7,492.15
3,679.11
6,063.48

246,000
3,020,000
598,000
21,129,000
1. 393,000

Expected Operation

FONTENELLE - Releases from Fontenelle are currently 1025 cfs.

The Upper Green River Basin is still experiencing dryer than normal conditions. Inflows into
Fontenelle Reservoir during August were below expected levels. The Weather Service forecast,
issued on August 1,2000, called for 55,000 acre-feet of inflow during August. The actual inflow
volume for August was 40,000 acre-feet(45% of the average). The forecasted inflow for
September is 40,000 acre-feet (74% of average).

The water surface elevation is currently 6493 feet above sea level(l3 feet below the spillway
crest) and is gradually decreasing. Based on the latest Weather Service forecast, releases will
likely be decreased this month in order to reach a target elevation of 6465 feet above sea level on
April 1,2001.

FLAMING GORGE - The average daily release from Flaming Gorge is currently 1300 cfs.

Unregulated inflow into Flaming Gorge during August was below expected levels. The Weather
Service forecast, issued on August I, 2000, called for 60,000 acre- feet of unregulated inflow
during August. The actual unregulated inflow for August was 43,000 acre-feet (40% of average).
The latest Weather Service forecast is calling for 45,000 acre-feet of unregulated inflow for
September(65% of average.) .

Releases will be decreases this month to 1000 cfs in order to increase reservoir storage. Releases
will likely remain at 1000 cfs for the remainder of the fall and winter months. As of September
8,2000, the water surface elevation was 6021.1 feet above sea level. The water surface elevation
will likely begin to increase during the fall and winter months.

Some hour to hour fluctuation in releases is now occurring. The amount of fluctuation is
constrained by the 1992 Flaming Gorge Biological Opinion (FGBO) which states that flows on