WSP10639

• File Number: 8141.700
• Description: Fryingpan-Arkansas Project - Annual Operating Plans and Reports
• State: CO
• Basin: Arkansas
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 10/1/2000
• Author: US DoI BoR
• Title: Annual Operating Plan Fryingpan-Arkansas Project Summary of Actual Operations Water Year 2000
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Annual Report

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Pueblo Dam and Reservoir are located on the Arkansas River 6 miles west of the city of
Pueblo, Colorado, The reservoir has a total storage capacity of 349,940 acre-feet at a
water surface elevation of 4898,7 feet. The upper 26,991 acre-feet of storage space are
reserved for flood control at all times, and an additional 66,000 acre-feet are reserved
from April 15 through November 1. Pueblo Reservoir is the principal storage vessel of
the Project and can store over three years of average Project imports. Non-Project water
may be stored in the reservoir under temporary contract. Native inflow can be stored
when the Project storage right is in priority or under the Winter Water Storage Program,
Arkansas River irrigators are permitted to store native water in Pueblo Reservoir during
the winter months under the Winter Water Storage Program, on the condition that the
water is used before May 1 of the next water year, The majority of Project water
deliveries is made from the reservoir. The Fountain Valley Authority can take direct
delivery of municipal water from the reservoir through the Fountain Valley Conduit, and
the Pueblo West Metropolitan District through the Pueblo West Pipeline. A direct
irrigation delivery is made to the Bessemer Ditch. Other Project deliveries are made as
releases to the Arkansas River for diversion downstream. Pueblo Reservoir is also
operated to provide for recreation and wildlife habitat.

III. HYDROLOGIC CONDITIONS AND MAJOR WEATHER EVENTS - WATER YEAR
2000

Precipitation in Colorado above Fryingpan-Arkansas Project reservoirs was close to
average during water year 2000. The months of fall and winter were extremely dry over
the region, but a wet month of March brought the annual totals closer to average for most
areas. During the rest of the water year, precipitation remained close to, but mostly
below average, Snowpack levels followed the precipitation trend, Levels stayed low
during the fall and winter, only to bounce back up during the months of February and
March, By late May, due to warmer temperatures and lack of precipitation, snowpack
levels had dropped significantly. Inflows remained low in the fall and close to average
from January through March, By the middle of April, higher temperatures along the
region triggered higher runoff volumes, increasing the inflows into the reservoirS. Due to
the large volume of water carried over from the previous year and the high spring inflows,
the content at Pueblo and Turquoise reservoirs remained well above average during most
of the water year,

Precipitation over the watershed above Ruedi Reservoir was scarce during October
through December, with a low of 8 percent of average in November. Precipitation was
above average during January and February, then fell well below average during March
through May. It returned to average for the rest of the water year. Despite the low
precipitation for most of the year, the inflows remained within approximately 15 percent
of average through March. During April and May, due to early high temperatures,
inflows went to 147 percent and 131 percent of average, respectively, After May, inflows
dropped precipitously to 50 percent to 70 percent of average through August. September
saw inflows return to average,

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