Fryingpan-Arkansas Project Water Year 2005 Summary of Actual Operations

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releases were set at approximately 72 cfs in early November. ' That flow was increased to 78 cfs by December and continued at that rate throughout the winter months. By the end of March, the reservoir content had dropped to 64,686 acre - feet. By April 7, Ruedi Reservoir had reached its lowest water surface level for the water year, with an elevation of 7722.05 feet and a storage content of 64,353 acre - feet. That elevation represented 105 percent of average for the period of record 1970 to 1999. Precipitation over the Fryingpan River basin was high during the winter and early spring. However, by April 1, the snow -water content in the Fryingpan River basin was estimated at 12.0 inches, which represents 82 percent of average, slightly lower than the previous year. Reservoir releases continued at a rate of approximately 80 cfs until the end of April. The reservoir began a steady rise early that month as the inflow began to rise. Precipitation continued to be above average into the early spring. By early May, releases were increased to 110 cfs, the minimum release required. The reservoir level continued to rise steadily. The highest computed inflow for the water year was 907 cfs, recorded on May 24. Releases were increased in the middle of June to slow down the reservoir rate of rise. Precipitation continued to be above average into June and July. By late June, it was obvious that the reservoir level was going to reach the spillway crest. Releases were increased systematically during the week of June 20, slowing down the reservoir rate of rise. Ruedi Reservoir reached the crest of the spillway (elevation 7766.00 feet, content 102,373 acre -feet) during the early morning hours of Sunday, June 26. The water surface level at the reservoir remained near the spillway crest elevation for almost two months. Releases higher than the required minimum flows prevented the water from flowing over the spillway. By the middle of August, inflow into the reservoir began to drop considerably, and the releases were adjusted accordingly to conserve water. The reservoir level dropped 20 feet between the middle of August and the end of September. The reservoir storage observed during the summer was deemed adequate to make the 4- out -of -5 -year, 5,000 acre -foot pool available to the endangered fish in 2005. Therefore, the amount of water available from Ruedi to support the target flows at the 15 -Mile Reach in Grand Junction was 20,825 acre -feet, which includes 5,000 acre -feet from the firm fish pool, 10,825 acre -feet of mitigation water, and 5,000 acre -feet from the 4- out -of -5 -year fish pool. Flows down the Colorado River were sufficient during most of the summer to keep the 15 -Mile Reach well above the required level at the Palisade stream gage. Flow augmentation releases for the endangered fish began August 15 and continued through October 5. By the end of October, the total volume of fish water released from Ruedi was 17,132 acre -feet. The 5,000 acre -feet of water in the firm fish pool were exhausted by August 31, and the 10,825 acre -feet of mitigation were exhausted by September 28. Only 1,307 acre -feet of the 5,000 acre -feet of water in the 4- out -of -5 -year fish pool were released during the water year. That follows the order of release from