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<br />average). The last time April through July inflow was this high was 1986. <br /> <br />Open forum discussions on Flaming Gorge operations have been taking place at meetings of the <br />"Flaming Gorge Working Group". The next Working Group meeting is scheduled for August 26 at <br />10 am in Heber, Ut. For more information on the Working Group, contact Ed Vidmar at <br />801-379-1000. <br /> <br />ASPINALL - July unregulated inflow into Blue Mesa was 145,000 acre-feet or 112 percent of <br />average. The July forecasted inflow was only for 119,000 acre-feet. The extra 21,000 acre-feet of <br />runoff was primarily due to heavy thunderstorm activity during the month. It appears that the . <br />monsoon season came early with moist air masses coming up from the south. This unexpected storm <br />activity combined with the normal end of snowmelt runoff and the normal filling of the reservoir has <br />resulted in very high lake elevations for this time of year. <br /> <br />The actual April through July runoff was very near the historic average coming in at 676,000 acre- <br />feet. The present inflow rate into Blue Mesa Reservoir is about 2,200 cfs and reservoir releases are <br />averaging about 2,500 cfs. Blue Mesa's current elevation is 7517.78 feet which corresponds to a <br />storage content of about 815,000 acre-feet. <br /> <br />Releases from Crystal Dam are currently 3,500 cfs. The Gunnison Tunnel is diverting 1,000 cfs <br />from the river, leaving the flow in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison at about 2,500 cfs. Releases at <br />Crystal Dam will start being decreased today by 300 cfs. After today the release reduction will be set <br />at 200 cfs per day until the total release reaches 2,000 cfs. This release will be maintained until the <br />reservoir inflows are below the 2,000 cfs level. At that time we will reduce Crystal's release rate to <br />maximum powerplant capacity of 1850 cfs. Flows in Black Canyon of the Gunnison should reach a <br />more normal flow rate of 850 cfs later this month. <br /> <br /> <br />The next meeting ofthe "Aspinall Unit Working Group" will be held on August 19, 1999 at 12:30 <br />pm at Blue Mesa Reservoir's Elk Creek Visitors Center. These meetings are open forum discussions <br />on the Aspinall Unit reservoir operations with many interested groups participating. Anyone needing <br />further information about these meetings should contact Ed Warner in the Grand Junction Area <br />Office at (970) 248-0654. <br /> <br />NA VA10 - July unregulated inflow into Navajo Reservoir was about 123,000 acre-feet or <br />approximately 148 percent of average. The current reservoir inflow is about 3,500 cfs and the <br />reservoir water surface elevation is at 6082.41 feet which corresponds to a reservoir content of about <br />1,661,000 acre-feet. This runoff season's April through July unregulated inflow was 763,000 acre- <br />feet or 99 percent of average. July's precipitation for the San Juan River Basin was exceptionally wet <br />for the month. Precipitation was recorded at 175 percent of average. This is the forth straight month <br />of above average precipitation. <br /> <br />Last winter's light snowpack resulted in the' conservation of water storage in Navajo Reservoir. <br />Combine that with the higher than average inflow months of late Spring and early Summer has <br />resulted in the reservoir being only 2.6 feet below spillway crest. Reservoir releases have been <br />increased to control the lake elevation and to keep the reservoir from spilling. Releases were <br />