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

A public meeting on Navajo Reservoir operations was held on Tuesday, April 13, 2004 at 1:00 PM
in Farmington, New Mexico. At this meeting, review oflast autumn and winter reservoir operations,
and plans for spring and summer 2004 operations were discussed. These are open forum discussions
on the operation of Navajo Reservoir with many interested groups participating. Anyone interested
in the general operation ofthe 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.

Lake Powell - Current Status

Glen Canyon Dam Operations

In May 2004, a volume of 600,000 acre-feet is scheduled to be released from Lake Powell, which is
an average of 9,760 cubic feet per second (cfs). On Mondays through Fridays in May, daily
fluctuations due to load following will likely vary between a low of about 6,600 cfs (during late
evening and early morning off-peak hours) to a high of about 12,600 cfs (during late afternoon and
early evening on-peak hours). On Saturdays, releases will likely vary between a low of about 6,600
cfs during off-peak hours to a high of about 11,800 cfs during on-peak hours. On Sundays, releases
will likely vary between a low of about 6,600 cfs during off-peak hours to a high of about 11,000 cfs
during on-peak hours. This release pattern is shown in the following graph. It should be
noted,however, that actual releases will occasionally deviate somewhat from those displayed due to
real-time power system considerations.

A volume of 800,000 acre-feet is scheduled to be released in June which is an average release of
13,400 cfs. Because of the draw down condition of Lake Powell, releases from Lake Powell in
water year 2004 are being scheduled to meet the minimum release objective of 8.23 million acre-
feet. This is consistent with the requirements ofthe Criteria for Coordinated Long-Range Operation
of Colorado River Reservoirs.

Upper Colorado River Basin Hydrology

The month of March pretty much dashed hopes that 2004 would bring relief to the ongoing drought
in the Colorado River Basin. Basin snowpack on March 1, 2004 was 96 percent of average. At that
time the April through July inflow was forecasted to be 82 percent of average. The weather pattern
in March, 2004 was very dry and extremely warm for early spring. Temperatures around the basin
for much of the month were 20 degrees above average. Basinwide snowpack dropped over 30
percentage points in March.

In April, aggregate precipitation in the Upper Colorado River Basin was above average, with the
southern portion of the basin receiving above average precipitation, and the northern regions near
average. However, as of May 7, 2004 basinwide snowpack has dwindled to 49 percent of average.
The National Weather Service May final forecast is calling for 3.8 million acre-feet of unregulated
inflow to Lake Powell during the April through July runoff period, only 48 percent of average. This
is a sizable reduction from the volume forecasted in March.

The drought continues. The Colorado River Basin is now in its 5th year of drought. Inflow volumes
have been below average for 4 consecutive years, with 2004 almost certain to follow suit.