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Local News bDiSc~~sion Board Guest Book Contests Yuma's Best Dating Contest I Community Education Election Results Events Calendar Community Info Photo Gallery About Us Our Publications Subscriptions Contact Us dvertise Job Opportunities e decrease was the result of a request by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to conserve more water to ensure there are not overdeliveries to Mexico by the Colorado River. "That's the plan for now until the water order changes on the Colorado," Luo said. The reservoir, which is normally empty, currently holds about 136,000 acre feet of water in storage. Gary Langford, manager of operations for Wellton-Mohawk Irrigation and Drainage District, expected that to empty out in about a month and a half. 'We're probably looking at the middle of June," he said. Luo said the inflows to the reservoir were close to nothing because water is not being released from the Salt River Project upstream. Bureau of Reclamation spokesman Jack Simes said there was nothing out of the ordinary on the river system. He said inflows to the dam Tuesday were less than 200 cfs. He believed the reservoir could drain in as soon as 37 or 38 days. Simes said the confluence of the Gila and the Colorado rivers was moving from 1,000 cfs to 1,100 cfs. The flow at the Yuma desalting plant was 2,2269 cfs, he said. Langford said there had been no problems with the increased water on the river. "It was an inconvenience for us without the river crossings," he said. "But I don't think we have any lasting problems." The Yuma County Public Works Department closed many of the roads that cross the river that do not have bridges, and Kevin Tunell, Yuma County director of legislative and public affairs, said there have been no changes on the river. He said the roads that were closed remain closed. Sheritrs Capt. Eben Bratcher said there have been few problems. 'We've had minimal impact from when it was flowing at 2,000 cfs," he said. Bratcher said a few drivers attempted to cross and became stuck. He said even with water levels dropping, people should not try to cross roads that are closed. e . Page 2 of3 ~ B.ECIRIC caw_ CALL US! .-.. lheU-l.lIIl.... II,......." Calldlan '* ClIIdItIMler ..... pum" ~ ....,,.., -liur. fIIII/OII. DIE ClIIRlRT $matS a better place n, Langford expected that the crossings might reopen in a couple of weeks after the last of the water drained out. Simes said there were no real problems as a result of the powerful April 23 rainstorm. "It wasn't all that long," he said. "I didn't see anything significant. Nothing was reported." Simes said that any water that entered the tributaries above the Imperial Dam as a result of those rains was captured by Senator Wash. Simes said Tuesday that Senator Wash was at 234 feet and its maximum is only 240 feet. Luo did not think recent storms would have much of an effect in Arizona. "We're getting a little rain here in southern California, but it's not enough to affect things too bad at this point," she said. Jeffrey Gautreaux can be reached at 539-6858 or jgautreax@yumasun.com http://sun.yumasun.comlartman/publish/articles/story _16338.php 5/2/2005