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

the Green River at Jensen, Utah shall change by no more than plus or minus 12.5 percent of the
average daily flow. The range of fluctuation (high to low) from Flaming Gorge Dam is generally
be on the order of about 600 cfs on any given day.

Open forum discussions on Flaming Gorge operations have been taking place at meetings of the
"Flaming Gorge Working Group". The next Working Group meeting is scheduled for September
12 at II :00 a.m. in Heber City, UT. For more information on the Working Group, contact
Ed Vidmar at 801-379-1000 or access the working group website at
hltp:{{www.pro.uc.usbr.gov{fgwg.

ASPINALL - August unregulated inflow into Blue Mesa was 36,000 acre-feet or 54 percent of
average. Precipitation in the Gunnison basin was 149 percent of average for August. The
current inflow rate into Blue Mesa Reservoir is about 750 cfs and reservoir releases are averaging
about 1,600 cfs. Blue Mesa's present elevation is 7492.15 feet, which corresponds to a storage
content of about 598,000 acre-feet.

Releases from Crystal Dam are currently 1,700 cfs. The Gunnison Diversion Tunnel.has been
divening about 950 cfs over the last few days. The Gunnison River below the tunnel remains
steady at about 800 cfs. These releases should remain at this level until the next reduction in
tunnel diversion flows. Crystal releases are reduced to match reductions of tunnel diversion in
order to keep the river flows into the Black Canyon as constant as possible. Fall releases are
projected to be gradually reduced for the Gunnison River in general, which will affect the flows
below the diversion tunnel. River flows below the diversion nmnel are scheduled to be at 600
cfs by the end of September. This flow rate was requested by the Colorado Depanment of
Wildlife so that they can complete their fish survey on the Gunnison River. This lower flow will
probably be kept until some time after the brown trout spawn occurs, which last from mid
October to mid November.

The "Aspinall Unit Working Group" meeting was August 17,2000 at 12:30 pm at Blue Mesa
Reservoir's Elk Creek Visitor Center. Al this meeting, review of last spring and summer
operations, and plans for this fall 2000 operations were discussed. These meetings are open
forum discussions on the Aspinall Unit reservoir operations with many interested groups
panicipating. Anyone needing further information about these meetings should contact Dan
Crabtree in the Grand Junction Area Office at [phone].

NA VAJO - Releases from Navajo Reservoir are currently 600 cfs. This is a 150 cfs decrease
from last week, which is in response to river flows increasing enough above the 500 cfs
minimum flow at Bluff, Utah. The 500 cfs minimum flow level is set by the Flow
Recommendations for endangered fish. August unregulated inflow into Navajo Reservoir was
about 4,000 acre-feet or approximately 10 percent of average. Precipitation for the month was
near 94 percent of normal. The current reservoir inflow is about 370 cfs and the water surface
elevation is 6063.48 feet which corresponds to a reservoir content of about 1,393,000 acre-feet.
All reservoir releases are being made through the powerplant.

A public meeting on Navajo Reservoir operations was held on August 22, 2000 at 1:00 pm in
Farmington, New Mexico. At this meeting, review of last spring and summer operations, and
plans for this fall 2000 operations were discussed. These are open forum discussions on the