WSP12033

• File Number: 8240.200.46.J
• Description: Ruedi Reservoir
• State: CO
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 3/1/1995
• Title: Report to the Colorado Water Conservation Board on 1994 Water Releases from Ruedi Reservior for Endangered Fish Habitat in the 15-Mile Reach of the Colorado River
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

over the weekend, Flows for the next 18 days were closely managed to maintain
the flows in the IS-Mile Reach between 400 to 450 cfs, a number which was
determined in discussions with Service biologists in Grand Junction.
Biologists who had been floating the Reach each week as a part of a larval
fish monitoring, were providing reports of river conditions. By mid-August,
temperatures in the Reach were felt to be a problem and releases were
increased to 150 cfs to help elevate temperature stress on fish populations,
Ruedi flow releases to the IS-Mile Reach were maintained at 150 cfs through
the end of August, On September 2, releases were increased to 175 cfs, and on
September 9, increased to 225 cfs. As flows in the Reach began to increase,
releases were cut back to 175 cfs in mid-September to conserve water in Ruedi
Reservoir. Releases continued at this rate throughout September and were
curtailed on October 7, when the 20,000 acre-feet pool available from Ruedi
for flow augmentation in the IS-Mile Reach was depleted. Ruedi Reservoir
contents varied from 98,479 acre-feet on July 28, to 76,561 acre-feet on
October 7. Reservoir contents dropped below 85,000 acre-feet on September 11,
just after Labor Day. Maintaining Ruedi Reservoir contents above 85,000 acre-
feet until after Labor Day when recreational use drops off is a concern of
Ruedi Recreational users and the Board.

Water Management

Coming into the summer of 1994, it was recognized that 1994 was going to be a
very water-short year with near record low snowpack in the Colorado and Green
River systems. Because of the expected low flows, the Service began a
dialogue with Service biologists in our Grand Junction office, Looking at the
forecast it did not appear that a target of even 600 cfs could be maintained
in the IS-Mile Reach. The biologists considered the situation and made the
recommendation that they would not want the Reach to go below 400 cfs. Based
upon these conversations a target range of 400 to 450 cfs was established for
1994 flow management purposes. The biologists wanted to be notified when
flows dropped into this range so that they could float the IS-Mile Reach to
monitor conditions.

During mid-July, a weekly conference call was set up between the Service
Hydrology Division, Service biologists, Reclamation operations staff in
Loveland, and the State Engineers office in Glenwood Springs to monitor flows
and decide on releases from Ruedi Reservoir. To facilitate this process,
Reclamation put together a biweekly accounting sheet which provided
information on river flows and reservoir contents. The weekly conference
calls and accounting sheets continued through mid-September, and guided
decisions, on when to release water based on river and climate conditions.
A copy of the October 4, accounting sheet is attached.

Concurrent with the Service scheduling the releases from Ruedi Reservoir,
there was another group made up of many of the same agencies who met every 2
weeks to plan releases out of Green Mountain Reservoir to provide water to
West Slope beneficiaries, There was excellent coordination between the groups
which resulted in both groups considering the needs of the fish in their
decisions, This process worked well and should be continued in the future
during water short years to stretch water supplies as far as possible.

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