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<br />Oct-l0-Z00Z OS:40pm <br /> <br />.tv.","", ."fl:t: <br />From-USBR WCAO Grand Junction CO <br /> <br />970-Z48-0601 <br /> <br />T-Z7S P,OOS/OOS F-Z6Z <br /> <br />'. , <br /> <br />OOOOil4 <br /> <br /> <br />Western Colorado Area Office <br />Grand Junction, Colorado <br />Dan Crabtree (970) 248-0652 <br />For Release October 10, 2002 <br /> <br />Gunnison River Winter Flows To Be Reduced <br /> <br />On October 15, the Bureau ofRecJamation will reduce releases to the Gunnison <br /> <br />River rest.llting in flows through the Black Canyon and Gunnison Gorge of 250 cubic feet <br /> <br />per second (cfs). Flows should remain at this level through the winter unless unusually <br /> <br />high winter precipitation occurs. The river flows are controlled by the upstream <br /> <br />reservoirs of the Aspinall Unit-Crystal, Morrow Point, and Blue Mesa Reservoirs. <br /> <br />Normally, a minimum. flow of at least 300 efs is maintained in the river; however, <br /> <br />extraordinary drought conditions have created a need to conserve water in the upstream <br /> <br />reservoirs for next year. The spring runoff into the Aspinall Unit reservoirs was a record <br /> <br />low of only 22 percent of normal this year. August and September inflows have only <br /> <br />been 10 percent ofnonnal. Blue Mesa Reservoir, currently 77 feet from full, is expected <br /> <br />to be drawn down another 10 to 15 feet by the end oftrus year. Bureau of Reclamation <br /> <br />officials have coordinated this decision with Colorado agencies, water users, and other <br /> <br />Federal agencies. <br /> <br />If you have questions, contact Ms. Justyn Hock of the Bureau ofReclamatioD's <br /> <br />Grand Junction office, (970) 248-0625. <br /> <br /># # # <br />