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<br />cfs, and NIIP diversions are 350 cfs. The reservoir water surface elevation is 6073.22 feet, which
<br />corresponds to a storage content of about 1,526,000 acre-feet.
<br />
<br />A public meeting on Navajo Reservoir operations was held on Thursday, August 18,2005 at 1 :00
<br />p.m. in Farmington, New Mexico. At this meeting, review of last spring and summer reservoir
<br />operations, and plans for this fall 2005 operations were discussed. These are open forum discussions
<br />on the operation of Navajo Reservoir with many interested groups participating. Anyone interested
<br />in the general operation ofthe reservoir is encouraged to attend. Please contact Pat Page in
<br />Reclamation's Durango, Colorado Office at (970) 385-6560 for information about these meetings or
<br />the daily operation of Navajo Reservoir.
<br />
<br />Glen Canvon Dam Operations
<br />
<br />Beginning September 3, 2005 and continuing through October 31, 2005 a test release will take place
<br />from Glen Canyon Dam. This test release is being implemented to analyze the effects of two flow
<br />regimes (steady and limited fluctuating flows) on endangered humpback chub habitats and on
<br />conservation of fine sediment in the river corridor below Glen Canyon Dam.
<br />
<br />On September 3, 2005, the fluctuation range in Glen Canyon Dam releases will be limited to a low
<br />of6,500 cubic feet per second (cfs) ranging to a high of9,000 cfs. This flow regime will continue
<br />through September 20,2005. Beginning on September 21,2005 and continuing through October 7,
<br />2005, scheduled releases will be steady at 8,000 cfs. From October 8,2005 through October 19,
<br />2005, releases will return to the 6,500 to 9,000 cfs fluctuating flow regime. Finally, from October
<br />20,2005 through October 31,2005 scheduled releases will return to the steady 8,000 cfs regime.
<br />Normal operations will resume on November 1,2005.
<br />
<br />Releases will transition to the lower regime as we move from August into September. Releases on
<br />August 30, August 31, September 1, and September 2 will average about 15,000 cfs, 13,000 cfs,
<br />12,250 cfs and 10,600 cfs, respectively.
<br />
<br />The release volume in both September and October 2005 will be 497,000 acre-feet. Because ofthe
<br />draw down condition of Lake Powell, releases from Lake Powell in water year 2005 are being
<br />scheduled to meet the release objective of 8.23 million acre-feet.
<br />
<br />Upper Colorado River Basin Hydrology
<br />
<br />The Colorado River Basin experienced 5 consecutive years of extreme drought from September
<br />1999 through September 2004. In the summer of 1999, Lake Powell was essentially full with
<br />reservoir storage at 97 percent of capacity. Inflow volumes for 5 consecutive water years were
<br />significantly below average. Total unregulated inflow in water years 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, and
<br />2004 was 62, 59, 25,51, and 51 percent of average, respectively. Inflow in water year 2002 was the
<br />lowest ever observed since the completion of Glen Canyon Dam in 1963.
<br />
<br />
<br />Hydrologic conditions improved in water year 2005 in the Upper Colorado River Basin.
<br />Precipitation in the Upper Basin in water year 2005 has been above average. Rains in the fall of
<br />2004 helped reduce soil moisture deficits caused by the drought. River flows responded to the fall
<br />rains with increased flows. November 2004 was the first month with above average inflow to Lake
<br />
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