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Gunnison River / Aspinall Unit Temperature Analysis -Phase I <br />Page 13 <br />This change in profile shape could be the result of increased inflows to the reservoir. <br />Higher inflows can cause much turbulence and reduce the thermal gradient appreciably <br />(Wetzel, 1983). This phenomena can result in having warmer temperatures at the same <br />location in the upper hypolimnion (or where the outlet is in Blue Mesa) and thus impact <br />release temperatures. For Blue Mesa, profiles indicate that releases were probably <br />warmer during July, August, and September in the wet year of 1997 than they were in the <br />dry year of 2000. <br />4.1.3 Blue Mesa Summary <br />Blue Mesa Reservoir is a very deep and large reservoir. During the summer, release <br />temperatures are significantly cooler than the inflows to the reservoir from the Gunnison <br />River (and probably all tributaries) due to the location of the reservoir outlet. Differences <br />as great as 5.9 °C appear to occur near the end of July and then probably decrease until <br />around the time of fall overturn. <br />Based on temperature profiles from 1997 and 2000, it appears that release temperatures <br />may be warmer during wet year conditions in July, August, and September.. Additional <br />data would be required to more fully investigate this topic. <br />Assuming a constant distance between the outlet centerline and the minimum water <br />surface, the reservoir outlet could be raised by 35 feet and still be able to release water at <br />the lowest historical water surface elevations. Assuming that the outlet location change <br />Hydrosphere Resource Consultants <br />Figure 10. Two Profiles from Blue Mesa Reservoir (1997 and 2000). <br />