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<br />COLORADO BASIN <br /> <br />Basinwide Conditions Assessment <br />The SWSI value for the month was -0.1. Flow at the <br />gaging station Colorado River near Dotsero was 1509 cfs, as <br />compared to the long-term average of 1777 cfs. Storage in <br />Green Mountain, Ruedi, and Williams Fork reservoirs totaled <br />1070/0 of normal as of the end of August. <br /> <br />Outlook <br />An increase in precipitation contributed to increased <br />stream flows throughout most of the basin. A decrease in <br />agricultural, commercial and domestic irrigation may result. <br />Accordingly, more water may be available to senior users. <br />Key reservoirs in the basin are steadily declining, but <br />generally remain above average. Carry-over storage for next <br />year is expected to be good. Ongoing releases will be required <br />to create storage capacity for spring 2008 runoff. The releases <br />will allow more junior users to remain in priority <br /> <br />Administrative/Manaaement Concerns <br />Stream flow levels in the basin were generally below <br />average throughout the month of August. However, an <br />increase in precipitation generally boosted flows to average or <br />above-average in the later part of the month. Higher <br />precipitation and a reduced demand for trans-mountain water to <br />the east slope have contributed to higher than normal reservoir <br />level. This has allowed some flexibility for releases to meet <br />downstream user needs. <br />The Shoshone power plant remains offline with no <br />associated call. Intermittent calls have occurred at Cameo to <br />ensure water availability for Grand Valley irrigators. Reservoir <br />releases may prevent the call from becoming more senior <br />throughout the remainder of the irrigation year. <br />Division 5 implemented a well-enforcement program to <br />curtail non-permitted uses of residential wells in Summit <br />County. Compliance with well permits will reduce depletion of <br />associated surface water and increase water available to <br />downstream senior users. <br /> <br />Public Use Impacts <br />The lower Fryingpan, Roaring Fork and Colorado <br />Rivers were heavily colored through late August following a <br />flash flood at Seven Castles Creek, which carried large volumes <br />of sediment into the lower Fryingpan River on August 3rd. The <br />fly-fishing industry was concerned about the insect reduction <br />and resulting fish habitat degradation. The Division of Wildlife <br />considered requesting a Ruedi Reservoir release increase from <br />250 to 800 cfs from the Bureau of Reclamation to "flush" the <br />accumulated sediment. This decision has been delayed <br />pending spring runoff which could produce naturally higher <br />flows from snow melt and higher Fryingpan River releases. <br />Granby, Green Mountain, Wolford Mountain, and <br />Williams Fork Reservoir releases resulted in successful 1200 <br />cfs target flow rates for the Grand, Eagle, and Garfield County <br />rafting industries through Labor Day. These releases have <br />ended, with the exception of a 25 cfs/day contract release from <br />Granby Reservoir for the Government HighLine Canal which <br />indirectly increases flows for the Endangered Fish Critical <br />Reach of the Grand Valley. <br /> <br />Sep-07 <br /> <br />COLORADO BASIN SWSI HISTORY <br /> <br />4.0 <br /> <br /> <br />3.0 <br /> <br />2.0 <br /> <br />I- <br />W <br />S <br /> <br />1.0 <br /> <br />w <br />:3 <br /><( <br />> 0.0 <br />>< <br />w <br />o <br />z <br />- -1.0 <br />>- <br />a:: <br />o <br />-2.0 <br /> <br />-3.0 <br /> <br />-4.0 <br />Jan-97 Jan-98 Jan-99 Jan-OO Jan-01 Jan-02 Jan-03 Jan-04 Jan-05 Jan-06 <br /> <br />MONTH / YEAR <br /> <br />COLORADO RIVER NR. DOTSERO, FLOW BY WATER YEAR <br /> <br />3,500,000 <br /> <br /> <br />3,000,000 <br /> <br />ill <br />Q) <br />LL <br />cD 2,500,000 <br />U <br /><( <br />~ 2,000,000 <br />---l <br />LL <br />~ 1,500,000 <br />i= <br /><( <br />~ 1,000,000 <br />:J <br />U <br /> <br />500,000 <br /> <br />Nov Dee Jan Feb Mareh April May June July Aug Sept <br /> <br />--e- WET (1984) <br /> <br />-fr- A VG <br /> <br />--* 2007 <br /> <br />---+-- DRY (2002) <br /> <br />REPRESENTATIVE RESERVOIRS <br /> <br />160,000 <br /> <br /> <br />140,000 <br /> <br />120,000 <br /> <br />Q) <br />~ <br />~ 100,000 <br />ctl <br />Q)- <br />~ 80,000 <br />o <br />U3 <br />~ 60,000 <br />ctl <br />(/) <br />::J <br /> <br />40,000 <br /> <br />20,000 <br /> <br />o <br /> <br />Green fvbuntain <br /> <br />Ruedi <br /> <br />Wiliams Fork <br /> <br />II Avg. 08/31 Contents <br /> <br />II 08/31/07 Contents <br /> <br />7 <br />