WSP08941

• File Number: 8282.600.10
• Description: Colorado River Operating Annual Reports
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 1/1/1985
• Author: USDOI/BOR
• Title: Operation of the Colorado River Basin 1985 Projected Operations 1986
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

Flaming Gorge Reservoir
(Green River)

Water Year 1985
Water year 1985 started at elevation
6038.5 feet, and the first 6 months had
above average inflow due to above
average precipitation and carry.over
effects from the previous wet year. On
November 15, 1984, the projected
November through March forecast was
217 percent of normal and the actual
unregulated inflow for this period was 162
percent of normal. On April 1, Flaming
Gorge was at elevation 6020 teet and the
Aprrl-July forecast was at 90 percent of
normal. Releases were projected to keep
the elevation below 6035.0 feet due to
continued construction to repair the
spillway.

Powerplanl at FlamIng Gorge

Flaming Gorge Dam

8

April was a warm, dry month and
received above average inflow. This
pattern continued into May with just over
average unregulated inflow. June was
aiso hot and dry and the flows dropped
considerably because the snowpack had
melted by iate May and early June. As a
result of decreasing inflows Flaming
Gorge reached a maximum elevation of
6032.8 feet on July 2, with a storage of
approximately 3.46 million acre.feet of
which 0.14 million acre-Ieet is due to
lowering Fontenelle Reservoir in May.

The actual unregulated inflow into
Flaming Gorge for April-July was 922,000
acre-feet which is 76 percent of normal.
The peak inflow of 13,250 cfs occurred
on May 6 due to lowering Fontenelle
Reservoir. The peak discharge was 3,700
cfs on June 2. Total water year unregu-
lated inflow was 1.51 million acre-feet
which is 91 percent of normal and lolal
releases were 1.98 million acre-feet.

Water Year 1986
The projected minimum water surface
elevation for water year 1986 is 6017.8
feet by April 1. Spillway construction was
not finished as scheduled in the fall and
the current schedule calls for compietion
in January il this is a mHd w.,nter, or late
spring for a normal winter. The operation
plan is based on not having a spillway in
the spring with the reservoir drawn down
3.5 feel for satety purposes in June and
July.

Flaming Gorge Active Storage' Char12

Reservoir

Maximum Storage
Rated Head
Minimum Power
Surface Area (Full)
Reservoir Length
(Full)

Powerplanl

Number of Units
T olal Capacity

Acre.Feet EI. (Ft.)

3,749,000 6040
1,062,000 5946
233,000 5871
42,020 Acres

91 Miles

3
108,000 Kilowatts

'Does nol,nclucle 40,000 acre.Teel 01 dead Storage below 5740 'eet