WSP08927 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

0053 3.5 [ ,;"';':: ~"... i _ Streamflows in the Fryingpan River under p~esent operating conditions for i " Ruedi Reservoir have been altered compared tot~ose of the natural watershed. i Flows in the winter months of November through pebruary currently average 111 , " cfs while unregulated winter flows would average 39 cfs. Peak flows in June currently average 296 cfs while unregulated flows would average 1,024 cfs'. The present operation of the Ruedi Reservoir thus reduces peak summer flows in the Fryingpan River and augments winter flows. Table 3.2 gives monthly flows in the Fryingpan River for the probable average:, probable dry and probable wet years. The average annual undepleted water yie'ld from the Fryingpan watershed i is 164,500 acre-feet (period of record from 1948 to 1980). Average depletions by diversions in the headwaters of the watershed are 59,800 acre~feet (53,400 for Fryingpan-Arkansas project and 6,400 for Busk-Ivanhoe). Average depleted inflow to Ruedi Reservoir is 104,700 acre-feet, which is slightly in excess of the reservoir capacity of 102,400 acre-feet. The ROaring Fork above its confluence with the Fryingpan is largely unre- gulated. This upper portion of the ROaring Fo~k watershed produces some 45 . ,. percent of the water yield from the entire Roaring Fork watershed, Remaining water yield comes primarily from the FryingpanRiver (19 percent) 'and the crystai1River (32 percent). The Roaring Fork ~ver below the Fryingpart c6n~ , ' . .' " fluence extends 27 miles from Basalt to Glenwood Springs with an average 'gra- . . -.- .: dient of 27 feet per mile. The river has a bO~lder and cobble bed cha~nei " ' along most of its animal flood except ih which is well incised into the alluvial valley 'deposits length, The channel has adequate capacity for the mean some low-lying flood plain areas. The strearnflows in the ROaring Fork River:are typi~~l of the natural runoff cycle of high mountain watersheds. Tabi~ 3.3 gives probable average " I1lonthly flows for ,the ROaring Fork River at Gl~nwood. Average' water yie1'd , , I .. from the Roaring Fork watershed is 857,000 acre-feet, Diversion by the Hunter Creek collection system of the Fryingpan-Arkan$as project averages 16,100 acre-feet. Most of the potential uses for Ruedi Reservoir water are 'located in the Colorado River valley from Glenwood Springs to! Grand Junction. The control~ ling senior water rights are located on the cotorado River in the Grand , i Junction area, The Ruedi Reservoir rights are relatively junior in comparison with these rights, therefore wh;n the Frylngpan-Arkansas collection system is operating, a replacement release is required when a shortage of water occurs