WSP09495

• File Number: 8282.600.40
• Description: Colorado River Annual Operations Reports
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 1/1/1998
• Author: USDOI/BOR
• Title: Colorado River Reservoir Operation Status Reports
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Data

Releases from Crystal Dam have been steady at 2,000 cfs, Starting today (January 8, 1998)
release are being cut back by 200 cfs per day until total release of 1,400 cfs is reached, This flow
release will remain steady for the rest of January and into February.

The mountain snowpack for the Gunnison River Basin above Crystal is currently at 89 percent of
average, Additional changes to these operations will occur as needed following the issuance of
updated runoff forecasts by the National Weather Service,

The next meeting of the "Aspinall Unit Working Group" is scheduled for January 27, 1998 in
Grand Junction, Colorado. At this meeting, review of the summer and fall operations, and plans
for the winter and spring operations will be discussed. These meetings are open forum
discussions on the Aspinall Unit operations with many interested groups participating. Anyone
needing further information about these meetings should contact Ed Warner in the Grand
Junction Area Office at [phone].

NA VAJO - December unregulated inflow into Navajo Reservoir was about 23,000 acre-feet or
approximately 91 percent of average. The current reservoir inflow is about 400 cfs and the water
surface elevation is at 6075.17 feet which corresponds to a reservoir content of about 1,554,000
acre-feet. Reservoir releases are currently at 800 cfs. This release is expected to continue
through the rest of January and through February,

The current mountain snowpack as of January 6, is 79 percent of normal for the San Juan Basin
and 74 percent of normal for the Animas River Basin.

Anyone needing further information about the daily operations of Navajo Reservoir should
contact Don Fazzan or Rege Leach in the Durango Office at [phone].

GLEN CANYON DAM - Unregulated inflows to Lake Powell were 133 percent of normal in
December, nearly the same percentage as in November. Precipitation throughout the basin has
continued below normal, and current basinwide snowpack conditions are about 70 percent of
normal.

Glen Canyon Dam average daily releases are continuing at about 20,000 cfs and will likely
remain at this level through. at least the end of January, This !low rate is typical for this time of
year, Hourly flows likely will be ranging from about 19,000 cfs to 22,500 cfs, with flows only
slightly lower than this on the weekends. Lake Powell inflows are about 12.000 cfs and the
current lake elevation is now about 3682 feet with a live storage of21.5 MAF, While this is
higher than last year, it is our normal target elevation for January I. Additional storage space
will be evacuated after this date if required based on future runoff forecasts. The spring runoff
projection by the National Weather Service issued January 8 predicts below normal inflows
during the April - July 1998 period (6.6 MAF, 85 percent of normal). This is a drop of about 2
MAF from the projection of a month ago. If this forecast continues to hold as the winter
progresses, releases during March through June will be much lower than at present, perhaps
averaging about 10,000 to 14,000 cfs, and the risk of a spill will be negligible.