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<br />The following paragraphs discuss the operation of each of the reservoirs with respect to compact, <br />decree, statutory water delivery obligations, and instream flow needs for maintaining or improving <br />aquatic resources, where appropriate. <br /> <br />Fontenelle Reservoir <br /> <br />Drought conditions persisted during water year 2004 in the Upper Green River Basin for a fifth <br />consecutive year. The April through July inflow to Fontenelle Reservoir during water year 2004 was <br />0.482 maf (594 rncm), which was 56 percent of normal. Even with lower than average inflow, <br />Fonte.nelle Reservoir filled in 2004. The inflow peaked at 5,700 cubic feet per second (ds) or <br />161 cubic meters per second (cms) on June 12, 2004. Releases from F ontenelle Reservoir reached a <br />maximum of3000 cfs (85 cms) between July 3,2004, and July 5,2004. These maximum releases <br />were a combination ofbyp3;sS releases and powerplant releases. The powerplant releases during this <br />period were approximately powerplant capacity of 1,500 cfs (40 cmsr The peak elevation of <br />Fontenelle Reservoir during water year 2004 was 6505.2 feet above sea level which occurred on <br />July 20,2004. This elevation is only 0.8 feet (0.24 meters) below the spillway crest: elevation. <br /> <br />The most probable April through July inflow to Fontenelle Reservoir during water year 2005 is 0.677 <br />maf (835 mcm). This volume far exceeds 0.345 maf (426 mcm) which is the storage ca.pacity of <br />Fontenelle Reservoir. For this reason, the most probable and maximum probable inflow scenarios <br />require releases during the spring that exceed the capacity of the power plant to avoid uncontrolled <br />spills from the reservoir. It is very likely that Fontenelle Reservoir will fill during water year 2005. <br />In order to minimize high spring releases and to maximize downstream water resources and power <br />production, the reservoir will most likely be drawn down to the minimum pool elevation 6,463 feet <br />above sea level (1,970 meters) by early April 2005, which corresponds to a volume of 0.093 maf <br />(115 mcm) oflive storage. <br /> <br />Flaming Gorge Reservoir <br /> <br />Inflows into Flaming Gorge Reservoir during water year 2004 were well below normal for a fifth <br />consecutive year. The annual unregulated inflow volume for water year 2004 was 0.874 maf <br />(1,076 mcm), which was 51 percent of normal. The annual unregulated inflow volumes during this <br />drought period (water year 2000 through water year 2003) were 56, 43, 31, and 44 percent of normal, <br />respectively. Flaming Gorge Reservoir did not fill during water year 2004. On Octoberl, 2003, <br />(the beginning of water year 2004) the reservoir elevation was 6,009.8 feet above seale:vel (1,832 <br />meters). The reservoir elevation remained relatively steady throughout water year 2004 andended <br />water year 2004 (on September 30,2004) at an elevation of6,011.2 feet (1,832.2 mt::ters). Thewater <br />year ending reservoir elevation was 28.8 feet (8.78 meters) below the full pool elevation 0:f6,040 feet <br />(1,841 meters)wmch amounts to an available storage space of 1.070 maf(1,320 mcm)" <br /> <br />A spring peak release of approximately 4,400 cfs (124.6 cms) was made for a period of 2 days <br />between May 10,2004, and May 12, 2004. This release was made through the powerplant and was <br />closely matched to peak flows on the Yampa River. The Yampa River peaked at approximately <br />7,300 cfs (207 cms) on May 9,2004. Flows on the Green River near Jensen, Utah, an important <br /> <br />9 <br />