Wayne N. Aspinall Unit: Briefing on Reservoir Operations

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Hydropower The five generators at the three dams of the Unit are capable of generating up to 287.7 megawatts of electricity. Morrow Point is the real powerhouse of the Unit —its generators produce twice as much electricity as those at Blue Mesa. The Western Area Power Administration markets electricity generated by the Unit in conjunction with power from Glen Canyon and Flaming Gorge Dams of the Colorado River Storage Project as part of an integrated system that provides electricity to all states of the Colorado River Basin. Power revenues are used to repay project costs, fund endangered species recovery activities, and to operate and maintain other Colorado River Storage Project features. The upstream powerplants of the Unit (Blue Mesa and Morrow Point) are unique in that they can be operated to provide peaking power without fluctuating river levels. Crystal Reservoir then serves as a re- regulation reservoir to stabilize flows to the Gunnison River. Peaking operations are critical to help meet moment to moment demands for electricity. The flexibility offered by the three dams of the Unit is of increasing importance as operations at Glen Canyon and Flaming Gorge are also being restricted to protect downstream resources. It is becoming increasingly difficult to meet the demands of the power system as electric loads increase and power systems become stressed. Blackouts, which sometimes occur, pose serious risk to the general population in terms of human health and safety. The increased frequency of blackouts can be attributed to factors such as the condition of generators and transmission lines, loading of equipment, insufficient generation capability, and weather. Hydropower facilities with peaking capabilities, i.e., Morrow Point and Blue Mesa Powerplants, are essential to the power system because of their ability to respond immediately to system emergencies and reduce the potential for blackouts. Fish, Wildlife, and Recreation Significant recreation uses and fisheries have developed around the Aspinall Unit and its current operations. Public recreation use of Unit lands and water within Curecanti National Recreation Area is managed by the National Park Service. Blue Mesa Reservoir supports over 1,000,000 recreation visitor days per year. Fishing, boating, and camping are primary recreation uses. Water levels at Blue Mesa are important elements in maintaining a quality fishery and recreation area. When operation of Blue Mesa Dam began in 1966, minimum downstream flows of 100 cfs in the Gunnison River were called for, primarily to support a downstream fishery. With construction of Crystal Dam in 1976, this minimum was increased to 200 cfs. In 1985, and based on results of instream flow studies to protect the Gold Medal trout fishery that had developed, Reclamation, the Colorado Division of Wildlife, and the Colorado Water Conservation Board increased minimum flows to 300 cfs to protect the downstream trout fishery. Fishery flows have been enhanced in the Gunnison and Taylor Rivers upstream from the Unit through storage_ exchange agreements with the Unit.