Department of Justice has initiated quantification of this right with a filing in January 2001.
<br />Aspinall Unit Facility Statistics
<br />' Capacities vary with reservoir elevations.
<br />Hydrology
<br />The Gunnison River originates where the East and Taylor Rivers join in Gunnison County. From
<br />that point, the river flows 25 miles to Blue Mesa Reservoir and on through Morrow Point and
<br />Crystal Reservoirs. From Crystal Reservoir, it flows approximately 2 miles to the Gunnison
<br />Tunnel. From the Gunnison Tunnel, the river flows 29 miles to the North Fork confluence. It
<br />then travels 75 miles to its confluence with the Colorado River at Grand Junction, Colorado.
<br />About 40 percent of the annual flow of the Colorado River at the Colorado -Utah state line comes
<br />from the Gunnison River.
<br />The area of the watershed that flows into the Aspinall Unit is approximately 4,000 square miles.
<br />At the U. S. Geological Survey gage (tunnel gage) in the National Park, historical average annual
<br />flows have been 1,320 cfs for the entire period of record; daily flow extremes ranged from a few
<br />days of no flows to 19,000 cfs, both before the Unit was constructed. These ranges have been
<br />moderated under Unit operations. Another important measurement point on the river is the
<br />Whitewater gage, 8 miles upstream from the Colorado River confluence. At this point the
<br />drainage area is roughly 8,000 square miles; average annual flows are approximately 2,600 cfs,
<br />3
<br />Blue Mesa
<br />Morrow Point
<br />Crystal
<br />Capacities (af)
<br />Dead
<br />111,200
<br />165
<br />7,700
<br />Inactive
<br />81,070
<br />74,905
<br />4,650
<br />Active
<br />748,430
<br />42,120
<br />12,890
<br />Live
<br />829,500
<br />117,025
<br />17,540
<br />Total
<br />940,700
<br />117,190
<br />25
<br />Elevation range (ft)
<br />Dead
<br />7186 -7358
<br />6747 -6808
<br />6547 -6670
<br />Inactive
<br />7358 -7393
<br />6808 -7100
<br />6670 -6700
<br />Active
<br />7393 - 7519.4
<br />7100 -7160
<br />6700 -6755
<br />Total
<br />7186- 7519.4
<br />6747 -7160
<br />6547 -6755
<br />Outlet capacity (cfs)'
<br />Powerplants (max.)
<br />2,600 -3,400
<br />4,800
<br />2,000
<br />Bypass
<br />4,000 -5,100
<br />1,500 -1,600
<br />1,900 -2,100
<br />Spillway
<br />1 34,000
<br />41,000
<br />41,350
<br />' Capacities vary with reservoir elevations.
<br />Hydrology
<br />The Gunnison River originates where the East and Taylor Rivers join in Gunnison County. From
<br />that point, the river flows 25 miles to Blue Mesa Reservoir and on through Morrow Point and
<br />Crystal Reservoirs. From Crystal Reservoir, it flows approximately 2 miles to the Gunnison
<br />Tunnel. From the Gunnison Tunnel, the river flows 29 miles to the North Fork confluence. It
<br />then travels 75 miles to its confluence with the Colorado River at Grand Junction, Colorado.
<br />About 40 percent of the annual flow of the Colorado River at the Colorado -Utah state line comes
<br />from the Gunnison River.
<br />The area of the watershed that flows into the Aspinall Unit is approximately 4,000 square miles.
<br />At the U. S. Geological Survey gage (tunnel gage) in the National Park, historical average annual
<br />flows have been 1,320 cfs for the entire period of record; daily flow extremes ranged from a few
<br />days of no flows to 19,000 cfs, both before the Unit was constructed. These ranges have been
<br />moderated under Unit operations. Another important measurement point on the river is the
<br />Whitewater gage, 8 miles upstream from the Colorado River confluence. At this point the
<br />drainage area is roughly 8,000 square miles; average annual flows are approximately 2,600 cfs,
<br />3
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