WSP12932

• 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 1 2004
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Data

Date: February 10, 2004

From:

Water Resource Group, Salt Lake City

To:

All Colorado River Annual Operating Plan (AOP) Recipients

Current Status

January
Inflow (unreg)
(Acre-Feet)

Percent
of Normal

Midnight
February 9
Elevation

Reservoir
Storage
(Acre-Feet)

Fontenelle
Flaming Gorge
Blue Mesa
Powell
Navajo

25,000
28,000
21,000
303,000
15,000

81
62
83
75
66

6480.54
6008.76
7462.26
3590.24
5995.83

170,000
2,601,000
385,000
10,842,000
706,000

Expected Operation

FONTENELLE - Snowpack conditions above Fontenelle decreased somewhat during the month of
January. As of January 13, 2004 the snowpack above Fontenelle Reservoir measured 99% of normal.
As of February 9th, the snowpack measured 89% of normal. The snowpack building season is about
two thirds complete at this point.

The Colorado Basin River Forecast Center (CBRFC) has updated the 2004 Water Supply Forecast
for Fontenelle to 650,000 acre-feet (76% of normal) for the period from April through July. This
reflects a 30,000 acre-foot reduction from January. Based on this forecast, it is very likely that
Fontenelle Reservoir will fill during the summer of 2004. The reservoir elevation is currently 6480
feet above sea level and declining about I foot every 9 days. The reservoir elevation will continue to
decline until April and will likely reach a minimum elevation for the year of about 6467 feet above
sea level. By late July Fontenelle will be very nearly full depending on the accuracy of the Water
Supply Forecast. Releases will likely remain at the current level (750 cfs) until late March when ice
cover on the river has subsided.

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 14th, 2004 at 10:00 a.m. and will at the
Wyoming Fish and Game office located in Green River Wyoming. For more information about the
Working Group, contact Ed Vidmar at 801-379-1182.

FLAMING GORGE - Due to experimental flows being conducted at Glen Canyon Dam, releases
from Flaming Gorge Dam could see some fluctuations during the month of February. Fluctuating
releases are being made to assist Western Area Power Administration make up generation that has