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<br />2243 <br /> <br />IV, REPORT ON OPERATIONS DURING WATER YEAR 2000 <br /> <br />A. Ruedi Reservoir <br /> <br />There were 94,700 acre-feet of water stored in Ruedi Reservoir at the beginning of water <br />year 2000, The reservoir was drafted to the minimum storage for the water year of <br />63,640 (water surface elevation 7721.08 feet) on April 26, 2000. <br /> <br />The snowpack in the fryingpan River basin was near average through mid-April and then <br />dropped to well below average for the remainder of the spring. The storage space drafted <br />in the reservoi r was deemed adequate to allow filling of the reservoir by early Julywithout <br />the necessity of spi IIway releases, should either the reasonable minimum or reasonable <br />maximum inflow occur during the runoff season. Releases from the reservoirwere kept at <br />a minimum of approximately 100 cfs from early November through the end of March to <br />maintain storage. Releases were set to about 200 cfs for the month of April to <br />accommodate the anticipated near normal runpff, Releases were reduced to an average of <br />140 cfs for the month of May, as the snowpack fell to well below average. <br /> <br />Ruedi Reservoir is one of the participating reservoirs in Coordinated Reservoir Operations <br />(CROl effortofthe Upper Colorado River Endangered fish Recovery Program (RIP). The <br />effort is di rected at augmenting peak flows in the 15-M ile Reach of the Colorado River to <br />benefit habitat improvement and spawning for the two of the endangered Colorado River <br />fishes. The IS-Mile Reach is the IS-mile stretch of the Colorado River above the <br />confluence with the Gunnison River in Grand Valley, <br /> <br />With near normal snowpack and above average reservoir storage on April I, it was <br />originally planned that Ruedi would participate in the Coordinated Reservoir Operations <br />this year. However, warm and dry conditions prevailed in late April and May, rapidly <br />diminishing the snowpack and substantially reducing the water supply forecasts. Based on <br />these hydrologic conditions, the CRO effort was cancelled for water year 2000, <br /> <br />With runoff occurring earlier than usual in water year 2000, Ruedi Reservoir filled by <br />June 11. To avoid spillway releases, reservoiti releases had to be increased above 300 cfs <br />from June 10 through 18. Releases averaged 'approximately 275 cfs for the remainder of <br />June, while July releases averaged approximately 230 cfs. <br /> <br />Due to the warm and dry summer conditions, calls were placed by senior water right <br />holders on the Colorado River at the Cameo gauge throughout the irrigation season, This <br />resulted in contract releases from Ruedi Reservoir of 370.1 acre-feet in Augustand 257.7 <br />acre-feet in September, There were no out-oftpriority diversions during water year 2000, <br />and thus no releases were required to replac~ project depletions. <br /> <br />4 <br />