SouthPlatteComments11 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

stored to be used in times of drought. To manage the supply from the snowmelt, water suppliers have built reservoirs to capture runoff and release it for later use. The amount of water captured by the water supply system varies from year-to-year largely based on four factors: · Amount and timing of runoff from the melting snow · Water rights · Physical constraints, such as reservoir capacity · Customer use Reservoirs have increased the naturally low winter streamflows and attenuated the naturally occurring peak streamflows within the constraints of these four factors. Table 4 lists in more detail the constraints on reservoir operations. Spinney Mountain, Eleven Mile, and Cheesman reservoirs and the Roberts Tunnel are the primary facilities managed under this Plan. However, to some extent this Plan will correspondingly affect the operation of other components of Denver Water and Aurora's water collection systems, including Antero, Strontia Springs, and Chatfield. These water facilities are needed to ensure that the residents of metropolitan Denver have an adequate supply of water throughout the year and during drought. However, there is flexibility in how these facilities are operated~ Table 4: Reservoir Operation Constraints LEGAL (WATER RIGHTS) · In Priority - "Storablet' Inflow Rule · Out of Priority -- Bypass or Exchange WATER SUPPLY AND DEMAND . Meet Customer's Needs · No Loss of Yield FACILITIES · Dam Safety · Outlet Capacity · Spillway Configuration NATURE · Daily Variation: Rainstorms · Seasonal Variation: High Runoff, Low Winter Flow · Y ear-to- Year Variation: Droughts and Floods FORECASTING · Can't Accurately Forecast Streamflow~ Weather~ Water Use~ River Call, etc. N :\Supply\ Waage\wiJdscen\attachb.doc B-32