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Coordinated Reservoir Operations <br />From 1997-2000, representatives from various federal agencies and reservoir operators in <br />the upper Colorado River basin participated in discussions to coordinate and modify reservoir <br />operations to enhance spring peak flows in the 15-Mile Reach. The specific objectives of the <br />coordinated reservoir operations program (CROS) are as follows: <br />The objective of CROS is to coordinate bypasses of inflows from various reservoirs <br />resulting in enhancement of habitat in the 15-Mile Reach of the Colorado River without <br />exceeding the National Weather Service flood level of 26,600 cfs at Cameo. These <br />bypasses may have passed through the participating reservoirs during the runoff period. <br />Coordinated reservoir operations moves those bypasses to the peak of the runoff <br />hydrograph to enhance spring peak flows, which are important to spawning and <br />improvement of aquatic food sources. Coordination and modification of operations are <br />voluntary and occur within current authorizations and guidelines and without affecting <br />project yields to either federal or non-federal reservoirs (source: Annual Summary of <br />Coordinated Reservoir Operations for 1998 to Benefit the Endangered Fishes of the <br />Upper Colorado River Basin, Colorado Water. Conservation Board). <br />Timetables and procedures for coordinating reservoir operations were developed annually <br />from 1997-2000 through a coordination committee composed of representatives from each of the <br />participating agencies and reservoir operators. Prior to the start of spring snowmelt, hydrologic <br />conditions within the upper Colorado River basin were assessed and the decision whether to <br />modify reservoir operations was discussed. Measurements of the snowpack in 1997, 1998 and <br />1999 indicated that the snow-water equivalent and runoff in most parts of the basin would be <br />near average, thus operations were adjusted in those years to bypass inputs to reservoirs. Plans <br />were in place to bypass flows in 2000, however, unusually warm weather in early May caused a <br />rapid reduction in snow-water equivalent throughout the basin and coordinated reservoir <br />operations were called off that year. <br />11