WSP12932 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

FLAMING GORGE - The current elevation of Flaming Gorge (4/13) is about 6009.8 feet above sea level (30.2 feet from full pool elevation). Inflows have been averaging about 1400 cfs over the past 10 days while releases are averaging about 860 cfs. The Colorado Basin River Forecast Center (CBRFC) has updated the coordinated water supply forecast for Water Year 2004. The official forecast for Flaming Gorge Reservoir was updated during the first week of April to 620,000 acre-feet (52% of normal) of unregulated inflow for the April-July period. This reflects a 205,000 acre-foot decrease from March's forecast. Snow conditions above Flaming Gorge decreased significantly during March. On March 1 st the snowpack above Flaming Gorge measured 88.3% of normal. As of April 1st, the snowpack was 70.7% of normal. As of April 13th the snowpack had decreased to 58.7% of normal. The snowpack building season is nearly complete at this point ofthe year. Based on the forecast, Flaming Gorge Reservoir will likely see some filling during the spring runoff. Currently the reservoir elevation is 6009.79 feet above sea level (30.21 feet from full pool elevation). Inflows are beginning to increase and the reservoir elevation will likely increase over the next 5 months by 2 to 4 feet. The next "Flaming Gorge Working Group" meeting is to be held on April 15th, 2004 in Vernal, Utah at 10:00 a.m. at the Western Park Convention Center. The Working Group is a forum for information exchange between Reclamation and all other parties associated with the operation of Flaming Gorge Reservoir. The public is encouraged to attend and express their concerns and interests with regard to the operation of Flaming Gorge Reservoir. For more information about the Working Group please contact Ed Vidmar at 801-379-1182. ASPINALL - March unregulated inflow into Blue Mesa Reservoir was 46,000 acre-feet or 131 percent of average. This higher than average inflow volume was mainly the result of a much drier and warmer March. Therefore, drought conditions still remain the controlling factor for water management throughout the region. Precipitation during the month of March was only 30 percent of average. On March 10, 2004 the basin snowpack was averaging 99 percent of average, however by April 1 Oth the basin snowpack was only averaging 77 percent of average. With the soil moisture being severely depleted from 4 years of drought, we can expect of much reduced spring runoff from the already below normal snowpack. The current inflow rate into Blue Mesa Reservoir is about 1200 cfs and reservoir releases are averaging about 300 cfs. Blue Mesa's present elevation is 7470.6 feet, which corresponds to a storage content of about 440,000 acre-feet. To view the most current reservoir elevation, content, inflow and release, click on: Blue Mesa Reservoir Data or Crystal Reservoir Data. On April 5, 2004, the National Weather Service's River Forecast Center issued the forecasted inflow for the April through July runoff period. The forecast is projecting a volume runoff into Blue Mesa Reservoir of 460,000 acre-feet or 64 percent of average. This is a reduction of 160,000 acre-feet from March's seasonal runoff forecast of 620,000 acre-feet. Based on this forecast, Blue Mesa Reservoir is not expected to fill this year. Uncompahgre Valley Water Users (UVWU) started diverting water through their Gunnison Tunnel on March 23, 2004. Releases from Crystal Dam were increased to correspond to tunnel demands.