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<br />meters per second (16,700 cfs) on June 13. These high inflows prompted higher than expected <br />releases during the month of June. Releases of311 cubic meters per second (11,000 cfs) were <br />made during much of June. However, there was no significant flooding in the city of Green <br />River, Wyoming, located 60 river miles below the dam. The flood stage is exceeded when <br />flows at Green River exceed 354 cubic meters per second (12,500 cfs). <br /> <br />Because the mean annual inflow of 1,480 MCM (1.229 MAF) far exceeds Fontenelle's storage <br />capacity of 426 MCM (.345 MAF), significant power plant bypasses are expected under the <br />most probable and maximum probable inflow scenarios. Additionally, there is little chance that <br />the reservoir will not fill during water year 1998. In order to minimize spring high releases, and <br />to maximize downstream resources and power production, the reservoir will probably be drawn <br />down to minimum pool elevation, 1970.0 meters (6463 feet) which corresponds to a volume of <br />115 MCM (0.093 MAF) oflive storage. <br /> <br />Flaming Gorge Reservoir <br /> <br />Like Fontenelle Reservoir, inflows into Flaming Gorge were much above normal during water <br />year 1997. April through July unregulated inflow was 2,044 MCM (1.657 MAF) or 139 percent <br />of normal. <br /> <br />In May of 1997, an April though July inflow forecast of2,220 MCM (1.800 MAF) was issued <br />by the National Weather Service for Flaming Gorge. This high inflow forecast prompted a <br />decision to use the bypass tubes to release water in excess of power plant capacity from Flaming <br />Gorge. Bypass releases began on May 28, with 57 cubic meters per second (2000 cfs) being <br />released through the two bypass tubes in addition to power plant capacity of 130 cubic meters <br />per second (4600 cfs) for a total release of 187 cubic meters per second (6600 cfs). However, <br />the day after the bypass releases began, heavy precipitation occurred in the Yampa River Basin. <br />Following these heavy rains, unusually warm temperatures became manifest in the Yampa River <br />headwaters as well. The combination of these two circumstances caused flows on the Yampa <br />River to increase significantly. Because of concern over flooding on the Green River near <br />Jensen, Ut. (below the confluence of the Yampa River), bypass releases were suspended on May <br />30. The Yampa River reached a peak flow of 575 cubic meters per second (20,300 cfs) on June <br />4, 1997. A day later flows on the Green River at Jensen reached 708 cubic meters per second <br />(25,000 cfs). These flows were the highest peak flows recorded since 1984. <br /> <br />Bypass releases were reestablished on June 16. The Yampa River had dropped substantially by <br />this time, but inflow forecasts to Flaming Gorge showed that the additional release of water was <br />needed. The bypass release that began on June 16, however, differed from the earlier bypass <br />operation in that the full capacity of the bypass tubes was utilized~ the total release was 243 <br />cubic meters per second (8,600 cfs). This bypass operation was scheduled t04ast from June 16 <br />to June 23. <br /> <br />On June 21, however, in the late afternoon, a failure occurred in one of the bypass tubes. This <br />caused flooding to occur within the power plant, which then triggered a complete shut-down of <br />the power plant itself For about six hours crews worked to contain the damage and return stable <br /> <br />September 3, 1997 <br /> <br />8 <br />