WSP12931

• File Number: 8282.600.40
• Description: Colorado River AOP Status Report
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Author: USDOI/BOR
• Title: Colorado River Reservoir Operations Status Reports Partial Part 2 2005
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Data

".

Date: September 15, 2005

From:

Water Resource Group, Salt Lake City

To:

All Colorado River Annual Operating Plan (AOP) Recipients

Current Status

August
inflow (unreg)
(Acre-Feet)

Percent
of normal

Midnight
September 14
Elevation

Fontenelle
Flaming Gorge
Blue Mesa
Powell
Navajo

59,000
70,000
53,000
472,000
31,000

65
65
83
77
69

6494.51
6025.87
7493.59
3602.31
6073.13

Expected Operation

Reservoir
Storage
(Acre-Feet)

259,000
3,192,000
610,000
11,972,000
1,524,000

FONTENELLE - Releases from Fontenelle Reservoir are currently 1010 cfs. As of September 13th,
the reservoir elevation is 6494.6 feet above sea level (11.4 feet from full pool) and is decreasing at
about 1 foot per week.

The inflow forecast for September, October and November is 140,000 acre-feet which is 93% of
normal. Releases will likely remain at or about 1010 cfs for the fall and winter months and the
reservoir elevation will likely decline to approximately 6470 feet above sea level by March 2006.
The Colorado River Forecast Center has issued an outlook forecast for water year 2006 that is 81 %
of normal. This outlook forecast is the basis for the current 24 month study operation ofFontenelle
Reservoir.

Open forum discussions on Fontenelle operations take place at the "Fontenelle Reservoir Working
Group" meetings. The Working Group is a forum for information exchange between Reclamation
and other parties associated with the operation ofFontenelle Reservoir. The public is encouraged to
attend and express their concerns and interests with regard to Fontenelle Reservoir operation. The
next Working Group meeting is scheduled for April 2006 and will be held in Green River,
Wyoming. For more information about the Fontenelle Working Group, contact Ed Vidmar at 801-
379-1182.

FLAMING GORGE - Releases from Flaming Gorge Dam are now 1400 cfs on average each day
with peak fluctuations for power generation occurring each afternoon up to 1650 cfs. Night time
releases are being reduced to approximately 900 cfs. The reservoir elevation is declining slowly and
is currently (9/13/2005) 6025.9 feet above sea level (14.1 feet from full pool).

Forecasted unregulated inflows for September, October and November are 160,000 acre-feet which
is 81 % of normal. Releases will likely remain at this level through the fall and winter months and the