WSP12928

• File Number: 8282.600.40
• Description: 2003 Annual Operating Plan
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Author: Lower Colorado Region River Operations Group
• Title: 2003 Annual Operating Plan Reservoir Information Operation Study
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Data

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Date: June 12,2003

From:

Water Resource Group, Salt Lake City

To:

All Colorado River i\nnual Operating Plan (AOP) Recipients

Current Status

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Expected Operation

FONTENELLE - Inflo,vs to Fontenelle Reservoir finally picked up by the last week of May, the
inflO\,,- volume for xlay was 76,000 acre-feet which was 24,000 acre-feet below the forecasted
volume. Last year the May inflo'''- '''-as only 45.000 acre-feet. The peak inflow (so far) has been
about 6500 cfs on June 3rd. Inflows have decreased some,,,-hat due to cooler weather. Releases were
reduced from -1400 cfs to -1050 cfs during the first week of June as a reaction to a reduction in the
forecasted water supply volume for Fontenelle Reservoir. In May the water supply forecast was
updated to 510,000 acre-feet (57% of normal). For June this forecast was updated to 450,000 acre-
feet (52% of normal). With the ne"- forecast and the changes made to operations for the
remainder of the summer, Fontenelle Reservoir is still anticipated to be very nearly full by the end of
July.

Open forum discussions on Fontenelle operations take place at the "Fontenelle Reservoir Working
Group" meetings. The next Working Group meeting is scheduled for August 12th, 2003 at 10:00
a.m. at the Seedskadee Kational Wildlife Refuge. All those interested in the operation ofFontenelle
Reservoir are encouraged to attend this meeting. For more information about the \V orking Group,
contact Ed Vidmar at 801-379-1182.

FL4JJING GORGE - Releases from Flaming Gorge Reservoir have resumed the minimum release
rate of 800 cfs. The spring release for endangered fish began on ylay 18th and ended on June 7th.
The spring release this year had a peak duration of 8 days at powerplant capacity beginning May
20th. The timing of this release with the peak of the Yampa River allowed flows of the Green River
measured at Jensen Utah to achieve about 19,000 cfs for 4 consecutive days from June 1st through
June 4th. These flows exceeded an established threshold for over bank filling of flood plains
thought to be very important for the recovery of the endangered fish in the Green River. During the
spring release the reservoir elevation declined about 1.8 feet (6011.87 to 6010.07 feet above sea