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<br /> <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br /> <br />1995 OPERATIONS SUMMARY AND RESERVOIR STATUS <br /> <br />Water year 1995 signalled the end of dry hydrological conditions in the basin. Basinwide <br />precipitation during 1995 was above average and translated into an above average <br />snowpack. At the beginning of the runoff season the basinwide runoff forecast was <br />107 percent of average, varying between 89% of normal in the Green River basin to 140 <br />percent of normal in the San Juan Basin. However, very cold, wet weather dominated <br />late April and May resulting in very deep snowpacks above 10,000 feet elevation. Hot <br />weather in mid-June produced high runoff peaks and boosted the runoff volume <br />significantly. This produced a weU above average runoff throughout the basin. Annual <br />runoff in the Green River was 110 percent of average, the Gunnison was 210 percent of <br />average, the San Juan basin was 155 percent of average and Lake PoweU was 139 percent <br />of average. <br /> <br />With the high runoff during 1995 there were numerous reports of local flooding, but most <br />damage was minimal. <br /> <br />Unregulated inflow into Lake Powell is expected to be 20,127 MCM (16.315 MAF) in <br />water year 1995, approximately 139 percent of the 30 year average. This inflow resulted <br />in the gain of approximately 6,008 MCM (4.871 MAF) of storage in Lake Powell. <br />Approximately 1,198 MCM (0.971 MAF) of storage was gained in upstream reservoirs. <br />With an additional gain of approximately 976 MCM (0.791 MAF) within the Lower <br />Basin reservoirs, the total Colorado storage system gained approximately 8,182 MCM <br />(6.633 MAF) during water year 1995. It is now estimated that it would take two years <br />of average inflow to completely fiU the storage system. During 1995, all deliveries of <br />water to meet obligations pursuant to "The Law of the River" were maintained. Tables <br />l(a) and 1(b) list the expected October 1, 1995 reservoir vacant space, live storage, water <br />elevation, percent of capacity, change in storage, and change in elevation during water <br />year 1995. <br /> <br />3 <br />