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<br />OJ2357 <br /> <br />segment of the Green River for endangered fish, peaked at about 11,200 cfs (317 cms) on May 13, <br />2004. The 2-day spring peak release for 2004 was a test release. The Flaming Gorge Biological <br />Opinion (FGBO) recommends at least 1 week of power plant capacity releases during the spring. By <br />reducing the peak to 2 days, approximately 35,000 acre-feet (43 mcm) of water was conserved. This <br />conserved water was released during the months ofJune, July and August. Releases were increased <br />from 800 cfs (22.6 cms) to 1,000 cfs (28.3 cms) during these months to provide higher base flows for <br />endangered fish in the Green River below Flaming Gorge Dam, The release regime was considered <br />a test release under the 1992 Biological Opinion, Reclamation, the Fish and Wildlife Service and <br />Western Area Power Administration conducted informal consultations in setting up the parameters <br />of the test release. <br /> <br />In September 2000, a final report titled "Flow and Temperature Recommendations for Endangered <br />Fishes in the Green River Downstream of Flaming Gorge Dam" (Flaming Gorge Flow <br />Recommendations) was published by the Upper Colorado Recovery Program, The report compiled <br />and summarized research conducted on endangered fish in the Green River under the Upper <br />Colorado Recovery Program and presented flow recommendations for three segments ofthe Green <br />River. Reclamation is in the process of conducting a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) <br />process to determine the best operational alternative for Flaming Gorge Dam to meet these flow <br />recommendations. A draft EIS was released to the public in August 2004. Completion ofthe final <br />EIS and Record of Decision (ROD) will likely occur in the spring of2005. <br /> <br />During water year 2005, Flaming Gorge Dam will be operated under the FGBO until a ROD is <br />executed for the Flaming Gorge EIS. At that time, operations will adopt the findings of the <br />ROD, which could impact how Flaming Gorge Dam will be operated in the future. High spring <br />releases will likely continue to occur each year, timed with the Yampa River's spring runoff peak <br />flow, followed by low summer and autumn base flows. Under the most probable scenario, <br />releases in the winter and early spring during 2005 will be relatively low (approximately 800 cfs <br />[23 cms]) in order to conserve reservoir storage. <br /> <br />Blue l\fesa, l\forrow Point, and Crystal Reservoirs (Aspinall Unit) <br /> <br />Drought conditions prevailed again in the Gunnison River Basin during water year 2004, The April <br />through July unregulated runoff into Blue Mesa Reservoir in 2004 was 0.421 maf(519 mcm), or <br />59 percent of average. Water year 2004 unregulated inflow into Blue Mesa Reservoir was 0.629 maf <br />(776 mcm) or 63 percent of average. Even though this marks the fifth consecutive year of drought, <br />water year 2004 had considerably more runoff volume than the record low water year of2002. The <br />net effect ofthe 2004 runoff and the water conservation practices by water users in the basin during <br />the year resulted in Blue Mesa Reservoir increasing in storage during the water year 2004 by 0.120 <br />maf(148 mcm). Storage in Blue Mesa Reservoir on September 30, 2004, was 0.507 maf(625 mcm), <br />or 61 percent of capacity. <br /> <br />Releases from Aspinall Unit reservoirs in 2004 were at lower than normal levels, in part to conserve <br />reservoir storage, Releases from the Aspinall Unit were reduced on November 6,2003, to provide <br />for a flow 0 f 3 00 c fs ( 7.1 c ms) in the Gunnison River through the Black Canyon (below the <br /> <br />10 <br />