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<br />COLORADO BASIN <br /> <br />Basinwide Conditions Assessment <br />The SWSI value for the month was 2.9. The Natural <br />Resources Conservation Service reports that March 1 <br />snowpack is 1280/0 of normal. Flow at the gaging station <br />Colorado River near Dotsero was 1557 cfs, as compared to <br />the long-term average of 958 cfs. Storage in Green Mountain, <br />Ruedi, and Williams Fork reservoirs totaled 1230/0 of normal <br />as of the end of February. <br /> <br />Outlook <br />Total Colorado River Basin precipitation levels <br />increased slightly from 121 to 125 percent of average during <br />the month of February. All upper-basin sites now register <br />well over 100 percent of average. Ruedi Reservoir release <br />has not changed since its increase of 30 cfs on January 17th. <br />The release rate of Green Mountain Reservoir was just <br />increased on March 1 st. <br /> <br />Administrative/Manaqement Concerns <br />Although nowhere near record levels, the Colorado <br />River Basin snowpack is the highest since drought conditions <br />began in 1999. Combined with high soil moisture and near <br />capacity upstream reservoir levels, the Bureau of <br />Reclamation is currently forecasting a basin-wide runoff of <br />120 percent of normal. This would result in a Lake Powell <br />surface elevation increase of 49 feet to 3,639 feet by August <br />(currently 3590 feet). However, precipitation through mid- <br />April, and the impact of springtime wind conditions on <br />snowmelt could impact the forecast runoff considerably. <br /> <br />Public Use Impacts <br />A "high flow" experiment began today (March 5th) <br />releasing 41,000 cfs over a 60-hour duration from Glen <br />Canyon Dam power plant. This is being done to flush/move <br />upstream channel bottom sedimentation and deposit it along <br />the down-steam beaches which require repair and or re- <br />building. This release, which will raise the river elevation by <br />approximately 4 feet, has raised concern from local outfitters <br />and anglers that the fish will disappear. Researchers for the <br />Arizona Game and Fish Department are tracking fish <br />movements, but contend that fish populations will recover <br />quickly. <br /> <br />Mar-08 <br /> <br />CD...ORAD'J BASIN SNSI HISTORY <br /> <br />I- <br />W <br />S <br /> <br /> <br />W <br />::J <br />....J <br /><C <br />> 0 <br />>< <br />w <br />o <br />z <br />- -1 <br /> <br />>- <br />0:: <br />o <br />-2 <br /> <br />-3 <br /> <br />-4 <br />Jan-99 Jart-OO Jan-D1 Jan-D2 JaI1-03 Jan-04 Jal1-05 Jan-06 Jal1-07 Jal1-OO <br /> <br />rvDNTH / YEAR <br /> <br />COLrnADO RIVER NR DOTSERO, FLOW BY WATER YEAR <br /> <br />600,000 <br /> <br /> <br />Q3 500,000 <br />Q) <br />LL <br />cb <br />~ 400,000 <br /> <br />S~ <br />o <br />Li 300,000 <br />w <br />> <br />i= <br />:s 200,000 <br />:J <br />~ <br />:J <br />o 100,000 <br /> <br />o <br />O:i <br /> <br />Nov <br /> <br />Dee <br /> <br />Jan <br /> <br />Feb <br /> <br />rvlarch <br /> <br />-----8-- WET (1984) <br /> <br />~ DRY (2002) <br /> <br />---fr-- A VG <br /> <br />-*2008 <br /> <br />REPRESENTATIVE RESERVOI RS <br /> <br />90,000 <br /> <br /> <br />80,000 <br /> <br />70,000 <br /> <br />Q3 <br />~ 60,000 <br />U <br />co <br />ai 50,000 <br />0) <br />co <br />a 40,000 <br />Q) <br />~ 30,000 <br />:J <br /> <br />20,000 <br /> <br />10,000 <br /> <br />Green lVbuntain <br /> <br />Ruedi <br /> <br />Williams Fork <br /> <br />iii Avg. 2128 Contents <br /> <br />I!JJ 2129/08 Contents <br /> <br />7 <br />