9397

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 9397
• Author: Hydrosphere Resource Consultants.
• Title: Gunnison River / Aspinall Unit Temperature Study - Phase I.
• USFW Year: 2002.
• USFW - Doc Type: 107,
• Copyright Material: NO

Gunnison River / Aspinall Unit Temperature Analysis -Phase I
Page 8
and Sapinero (Figure 4). The reservoir-sits in a broad valley setting. Its. morphometry is
summarized in Table 1.
F
so ~~f' ~ ~
9,0 v ~ ~~.
F
yc~ G J~~`SO~~
'~ i Blrye Mesa Reservoir
c .~ %~-
s
.~,-. ~ syr ~ ~~;
" Ly.t
GUNNISON R ~` O
~~
U 00
2~ 41 ~C 1
4 G C'i~
Z
N
O
Y 1
s _ )/ 9m
nw« J4 x
Figure 4. Blue Mesa Reservoir with Temperature Profile Collection Sites.
The hydrology of Blue Mesa Reservoir is also summarized in Table 1. Major tributaries
into the reservoir include Cebolla Creek, Lake Fork of the Gunnison, Soap Creek, and
West Elk Creek. The Gunnison River provides more than 50% of the inflow into Blue
Mesa (National Park Service, 1996). A portion of this inflow is regulated by Taylor Park
Reservoir, located on the Taylor River and another reservoir located on the Lake Fork of
the Gunnison.
Inflows and releases from Blue Mesa Reservoir for the period 1995 through 2000 are
displayed in Figure 5. Inflows peak around late-May /early June. Releases may peak
anytime from June through the following winter, depending on flood control operations,
summer demand and the following spring runoff forecast. The residence time of Blue
Mesa is between 7 and 9 months, indicating that inflow /outflow dynamics should have a
strong influence on reservoir hydrodynamics.
Hydrosphere Resource Consultants