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<br />Major Storage Projects
<br />
<br />Reservoir
<br />
<br />Blue Mesa Reservoir
<br />Morrow Point Reservoir
<br />Taylor Park Reservoir
<br />Ridgway Reservoir
<br />Crystal Reservoir
<br />Paonia Reservoir
<br />Crawford Reservoir
<br />Silverjack Reservoir
<br />Onion Valley (a.k.a., Gould) Reservoir
<br />Overland Reservoir
<br />Fruitgrowers Reservoir
<br />
<br />Normal Storage
<br />(acre-feet)
<br />940,800
<br />11 7, 190
<br />106,200
<br />94,126
<br />26,000
<br />20,950
<br />14,395
<br />13,520
<br />9,000
<br />5,828
<br />4,540
<br />
<br />Source: Colorado Division of Water Resources Office of Dam
<br />Safety Database
<br />
<br />Annual Discharges
<br />
<br />~ 16,000
<br />~
<br />~ 14,000
<br />C'l:I
<br />~ 12,000
<br />is
<br />>- 10,000
<br />:E
<br />g 8,000
<br />2:
<br />& 6,000
<br />E
<br />~ 4,000
<br />
<br />~ 16,000
<br />~
<br />~ 14,000
<br />C'l:I
<br />~ 12,000
<br />is
<br />>- 10,000
<br />:E
<br />g 8,000
<br />:i:
<br />& 6,000
<br />E
<br />~ 4,000
<br />
<br />Gunnison River near Grand Junction, Colorado
<br />
<br />20,000
<br />18,000
<br />
<br />Average Annual Discharge: 1,896,377 AF
<br />Minimum Annual Discharge: 606,916 AF (1934)
<br />Maximum Annual Discharge: 3,765,620 AF (1984)
<br />
<br />o Avg. Year
<br />
<br />. Max. Year
<br />
<br />o Min. Year
<br />
<br />2,000
<br />
<br />
<br />Oet Nov Dee Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep
<br />
<br />20,000
<br />18,000
<br />
<br />Gunnison River near Gunnison, Colorado
<br />
<br />DAvg. Year
<br />
<br />. Max. Year
<br />
<br />OM in. Year
<br />
<br />2,000
<br />
<br />
<br />Oet Nov Dee Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep
<br />
<br />Source: U. S. Geological Survey Water Data Reports
<br />
<br />Average Annual Discharge:
<br />Minimum Annual Discharge:
<br />Maximum Annual Discharge:
<br />
<br />545,209 AF
<br />185,607 AF (1977)
<br />925,581 AF (1995)
<br />
<br />Major Water Rights Calls
<br />
<br />Water rights administration on the Gunnison mainstem is in a
<br />state of flux. Recovery flows for endangered fish and reserved
<br />rights for the Black Canyon National Park are expected to
<br />change the status quo. Tributaries typically are controlled
<br />internally by senior agricultural water rights.
<br />
<br />Historically, mainstem calls have been very infrequent. The
<br />Gunnison Tunnel (1905 priority, 1,175 cfs) can control the
<br />Upper Gunnison but is nearly always satisfied by storage in
<br />Blue Mesa and Taylor Park Reservoirs. This operation is
<br />expected to continue. The hydropower and storage rights of
<br />the Aspinall Unit of the Colorado River Storage Project
<br />(1957 priority) can call on the Upper Gunnison, but have not.
<br />A subordination agreement recognizing this practice has been
<br />fmalized which will allow 60,000 acre-feet of junior in-basin
<br />depletions above the Aspinall Unit.
<br />
<br />The now infrequent Redlands Water and Power call
<br />(750 cfs at Grand Junction) may occur often in the future.
<br />This water right has been satisfied historically by irrigation
<br />return flows and reservoir releases from Bureau of Reclama-
<br />tion projects. Federal ESA Section 7 consultations may result
<br />in bypass flow requirements below the Redlands diversion for
<br />recovery of the four endangered fish. These bypass require-
<br />ments may result in a year-round Redlands call.
<br />
<br />The Uncompahgre River is internally controlled by the
<br />irrigation water rights of the Uncompahgre Project which call
<br />every year. The number of users calling varies from year to
<br />year. The North and Smith Forks of the Gunnison are also
<br />internally controlled. The Paonia Ditch (1889 priority, 9.05 cfs)
<br />can dry the North Fork every year; however, irrigation return
<br />flows usually satisfy users from Hotchkiss to Delta. On the
<br />Smith Fork, water rights above Crawford generally dry the
<br />stream each summer. Most water users rely on storage for
<br />irrigation water after mid-summer.
<br />
<br />Hydrological Variations
<br />
<br />Annual and seasonal variations are shown below for the
<br />Gunnison River.
<br />
<br />Gage
<br />
<br />Maximum
<br />Recorded
<br />Flow (cfs)
<br />11,400 (1918)
<br />35,200 (1920)
<br />
<br />Minimum
<br />Recorded
<br />Flow (cfs)
<br />80 (1963)
<br />106 (1934)
<br />
<br />Near Gunnison
<br />Near Grand Junction
<br />
<br />Source: U. S. Geological Survey Water Data Reports
<br />
<br />( Gunnison River Basin Facts - 2 )
<br />
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