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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 <br />