<br />WAYNE N. ASPINALL UNIT
<br />BLUE MESA, MORROW POINT, AND
<br />CRYSTAL RESERVOIRS
<br />(GUNNISON RIVER)
<br />
<br />
<br />Water Year 1989
<br />
<br />The Wayne N. Aspinall Unit, is comprised of Blue Mesa,
<br />Morrow Point, and Crystal Reservoirs. Blue Mesa provides
<br />nearly all of the long-term storage and regulation for all three
<br />powerplants. Morrow Point provides peaking power, and thus
<br />has highly variable releases, The primary function of the
<br />Crystal Reservoir is to regulate the variable Morrow Point
<br />releases.
<br />
<br />The Gunnison River Basin experienced below average runoff
<br />for water years 1988 and 1989. which substantially reduced
<br />reservoir storage. In 1988, Blue Mesa Reservoir peaked at 40
<br />feet from full capacity and in 1989 had recovered to within 18
<br />feet of capacity. This recovery was accomplished by limiting
<br />releases from Crystal Reservoir to provide minimum
<br />stream flows of 300 cfs through the Black Canyon of the
<br />Gunnison River.
<br />
<br />Blue Mesa Reservoir began water year 1989 at elevation
<br />7472,0 feel with a storage of 449,000 acre-feet. The reservoir
<br />was at elevation 7473.4 feet by January 1,1989, and the April
<br />through July runoff forecast at that time was 670,000 acre-feet,
<br />or 96 percent of the long-term average, The reservoir inflow
<br />forecast continued to decline for each month's forecast
<br />through the entire runoff season until on June 1, the forecast
<br />had declined to 429,000 acre-feet, or 47 percent of average.
<br />Due to these below average forecasts, releases from Blue
<br />
<br />ACTUAL CRYSTAL RELEASES
<br />
<br />WY 1989
<br />
<br />1000 ora
<br />.
<br />
<br />.
<br />
<br />.
<br />
<br />
<br />NDJFMAMJJASO
<br />
<br />Mesa Powerplant averaged about 34 percent of maximum
<br />powerplant capacity for January through May, By June 30,
<br />1989, Blue Mesa Reservoir had reached a maximum elevation
<br />of 7501.72 feet with a storage of 675,350 acre-feet, or 81
<br />percent of capacity, The maximum peak inflow to the
<br />reservoir of 3,058 cfs occurred on May 30,1989,
<br />
<br />The actual April through July unregulated runoff into Blue
<br />Mesa Reservoir was 444.000 acre-feet, or 57 percent of
<br />average, The total water year 1989 inflow was 671.000
<br />acre-feet, or 61 percent of average, Releases from Blue Mesa
<br />Dam totaled 518,000 acre-feet for the water year,
<br />
<br />Morrow Point Reservoir was operated between elevations
<br />7154 and 7160 feet. The April through July side inflow into
<br />Morrow Point Reservoir was 38,000 acre-feet, or 54 percent
<br />of average, A total of 576,000 acre-feet was released during
<br />the water year,
<br />
<br />Crystal Reservoir was operated to meet minimum
<br />downstream commitments during water year 1989, The April
<br />through July side inflow to Crystal was 38,000 acre-feet, which
<br />was 32 percenl of average, A total of 658,000 acre-feet was
<br />released during the water year, of which 124,000 acre-feet
<br />bypassed the powerplant. During water year 1989 the
<br />maximum release from Crystal Reservoir was 1400 cfs,
<br />
<br />BLUE MESA RESERVOIR
<br />
<br />Reservoir
<br />
<br />Acre-feet
<br />
<br />Elevation. feet
<br />
<br />Maximum Storage
<br />Rated Head
<br />Minimum Power
<br />Surface Area, full
<br />Reservoir Length, full
<br />
<br />829,523
<br />249,395
<br />81,070
<br />
<br />7,519
<br />7,438
<br />7,393
<br />9,180 Acres
<br />24 Miles
<br />
<br />Powerplants (Blue Mesa. Morrow Point, & Crystal)
<br />
<br />Number of Units
<br />Total Capacity
<br />
<br />5
<br />208,000 KW
<br />
<br />9
<br />
|