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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operations with many interested groups participating. Anyone needing further information about
these meetings should contact Dan Crabtree in the Grand Junction Area Office at [phone].

lY.4 VAJO - Releases from Navajo Reservoir have been set at 450 cfs since May 13, 2003. These
releases are being made for the authorized purposes of the ~avajo Cnit, including maintaining a
target base flow of between 500 cfs and 1,000 cfs through the endangered fish critical habitat reach
of the San Juan River (T armingron to Lake Powell). With the continuing drought conditions and the
10\\- storage level of~avajo Reservoir, Reclamation will attempt to maintain the flow through the
critical habitat reach at the minimum of 500 cfs. However, because the flow is calculated as the
weekly average of gauged flo\\-s throughout the critical habitat area, daily flows of less than 500 cfs
may occur at some gages.

As the San Juan Riyer tlows fluctuate with the changing spring weather conditions, more frequent
release changes and cancellations of scheduled release changes can be expected as Reclamation
attempts to closely manage the reservoir in order to conserve as much water as possible during these
dry times. Accordingly, any scheduled release change is subject to changes in river flows and
weather conditions.

The current intlow into Navajo Reservoir is averaging about 1100 cfs. Last month's unregulated
intlow for Ylay \yas 166,000 acre-feet, or 59 percent of average. Presently, the reservoir water
surface elevation is 6018.81 feet, which corresponds to a storage content of about 901,000 acre-feet.
The monthly precipitation average in the basin above Bluff was 50 percent of normal for May.
There is very little basin snowpack remaining after the record heat during the last week of ylay. As
a result of this heat, the runoff came very fast and furious. The peak intlow into Navajo Reservoir
was nearly 4,000 cfs on ylay 28,2003. On June 4, 2003, the National Weather Service's River
Forecast Center issued an intlow forecast for 1\avajo Reservoir for April through July runoff period.
This forecast is projecting a volume inflow into the reservoir of 340,000 acre-feet, or about 42
percent of average.

A public meeting on Navajo Reservoir operations will be held on Tuesday, August 19,2003 starting
at I :00 PM in Farmington, New Mexico. At this meeting, review of last Spring and Summer
reservoir operations, and plans for this Fall 2003 operations will be discussed. These are open forum
discussions on the operation ofKavajo Reservoir with many interested groups participating. Anyone
interested in the general operation of the reservoir is encouraged to attend. Please contact Pat Page
in Reclamation's Durango, Colorado Office at [phone] for information about these meetings
or the daily operation of Navajo Reservoir.