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

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Date:

October 10, 2000

From:

Water Resource Group, Salt Lake City

To:

All Colorado River Annual Operating Plan (AOP) Recipients

Current Status

September
inflow (unreg)
(Acre-F'eet)

Percent
of normal

Midnight
October 09
Elevation

Reservoir
Storage
(Acre-F'eet)

Fontenelle
naming Gorge
Blue Mesa
Pow::.11
Navajo

33,000
39,000
30,000
249,000
8,000

60
58
79
52
21

6,488.52
6,020.75
7,485.34
3,677.28
6,059.69

218,000
3,006,000
546,000
20,865,000
1,344,000

Expected Operation

FONTENELLE - Hydrologic conditions in the Upper Green River Basin continue to be dryer
than normal. The Inflow volume during September was 33,000 acre-feet (61 % of average).
Releases from Fontenelle are currently 900 cfs and will likely remain at this level until March
200 I. Conditions are expected to improve somewhat over the next three months, however
inflows will likely continue to be below normal. The Weather Service forecast issued October
2nd, is calling for 95.000 acre-feet of inflow over the next 3 months (75% of normal).

The water surface elevation is currently 6489 feet above sea level (17 feet below the spillway
crest) and is gradually declining. By April 1,2001 the water surface elevation will likely be
about 6465 feet above sea level.

FLAMING GORGE - Hydrologic Conditions in the Green River Basin continue to be below
normal. The unregulated inflow volume during September was 39,000 acre-feet (60% of
average). Releases from Flaming Gorge Dam are currently 1000 cfs and will likely remain at
this level until March of 2001. Hydrologic conditions are expected to remain dry over the next 3
month. The Weather Service forecast, issued October 2nd, is calling for 110,000 acre-feet of
unregulated inflow over the next 3 months (71 % of average). The water surface elevation is
currently 6020.8 feet' above sea level and will likely remain at about this level over the next three
months.

The total unregulated inflow volume into Flaming Gorge for water year 2000 was 961,000
acre-feet (56% of average). This inflow volume is statistically exceeded 88% of the time. In
other words, in 88 out of 100 years, Flaming Gorge would receive more unregulated inflow than
what occurred during water year 2000.

Open forum discussions on Flaming Gorge operations have been taking place at meetings of the
"Flaming Gorge Working Group". For more information on the Working Group, contact Ed
Vidmar at 801-379-1000 or access the working group website at
hno://www .oro.uc .usbr.~ov/f~w~.