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Wyoming Area Office <br />Bureau of Reclamation <br />North Platte River Water Supply Update <br />November 8, 2007 <br />Page I of 2 <br />Figure 1 shows current reservoir storage conditions for Reclamation reservoirs on the North <br />Platte River as of November 5, 2007, and provides a comparison of total inflow, total Guernsey <br />Reservoir outflow, and total September 30 system storage for water years 2004 through 2007, <br />including the statistical "most probable" 2008 operations compiled from the November operating <br />plan. The term "kaf' used in this report represents acre-feet times 1000. The North Platte total <br />system storage of 706.3 kaf at the end of water year 2007 represents a decrease in the system <br />storage of 99.6 kaf over water year 2006 (805.6 kaf). This system storage decrease is <br />attributable to below average runoff. Releases from Guernsey Reservoir were discontinued on <br />September 10, 2007, following the delivery of Central Nebraska Public Power & Irrigation <br />District water. A daily Guernsey release of approximately 30 cis of Glendo water, under a <br />temporary water contract with Basin Electric, continued through September 30. The North <br />Platte Project Irrigation Districts conserved approximately 286.3 kaf of carryover storage. <br />The total system probable inflow for 2008, which approximates an average inflow condition is <br />estimated to be 1310.8 kaf. The total Guernsey Reservoir probable outflow for 2008 is estimated <br />to be 1158.0 kaf and reflects an assumed full irrigation delivery for the North Platte Project <br />contractors. The projected total system probable storage on September 30, 2008, is estimated to <br />be 50% of average (704.7 kaf/1419.23 kaf) or 25% of the total conservation capacity of the <br />system. <br />Figure 2 and Figure 3 provide snow water equivalent (SWE) information expressed in inches of <br />water for the upper and lower North Platte River basins. This early SNOTEL (snow telemetry) <br />information shows the SWE is below average for the upper and lower basins. As of November <br />6, 2007, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) reported the SWE to be 69% of <br />average (Figure 4) for both the upper and lower basin. <br />Table 1 shows the actual total system inflows, Guernsey outflow, and end -of -month total system <br />storage for the month of October and the projected November through September operations <br />based on reasonable minimum, most probable, and reasonable maximum inflow conditions. <br />These statistical inflow conditions provide the range for Reclamation operating plans in the <br />North Platte River Basin. The operating plans are updated monthly to reflect changing inflow <br />conditions. This report focuses on the information associated with the November most probable <br />operating plan. <br />The actual total system inflows for the month of October were 80% of average (39.7 kaf/49.9 <br />kaf). Table 1 also includes the accompanying information for water year 2007 and the 30 -year <br />average (1978-2007) for comparison. Graph 1 through Graph 3 display this information in <br />graphical format. Based on the November most probable North Platte River Operating Plan, the <br />