Fryingpan-Arkansas Project Water Year 2005 Summary of Actual Operations

• Description: Fryingpan-Arkansas Project Water Year 2005 Summary of Actual Operations
• State: CO
• Title: Fryingpan-Arkansas Project Water Year 2005 Summary of Actual Operations
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Biological Opinion

C. Twin Lakes Reservoir and Canal Company /Fryingpan- Arkansas Project
Exchange
The Bureau of Reclamation is obligated to maintain minimum streamflows in the
Roaring Fork River by the authorizing legislation of the project. This is
accomplished through an exchange of water with the Twin Lakes Reservoir and
Canal Company. On October 1, 2004, the company began bypassing water into
the Roaring Fork River on the west slope in exchange for project water stored in
Twin Lakes on the east slope. The total amount of the exchange at Twin Lakes
Reservoir was 3,000 acre -feet. The operating criteria and the monthly summary of
the exchange are shown in Appendix C.
D. Turquoise Lake
On September 30, 2004, there were 79,710 acre -feet (elevation 9839.74 feet) of
water stored in Turquoise Lake, which is 90 percent of average. Releases -to Twin
Lakes through the Mt. Elbert Conduit drafted Turquoise Lake to 64,738 acre -feet
(elevation 9829.65 feet), the lowest storage of the water year, by May 19, 2005.
There were 117,272 acre -feet (elevation 9862.52 feet) of water in storage at the
end of the water year, which is 122 percent of average.
Homestake Tunnel imports totaled 23,407 acre -feet during the water year, 95
percent of average. Busk - Ivanhoe imports totaled 4,886 acre -feet, 94 percent of
average, and were divided between the Pueblo Board of Water Works and the city
of Aurora. Project water imports through the Boustead Tunnel totaled 54,564
acre -feet, which is 112 percent of average.
Exhibits 8 and 9 show the precipitation and pan evaporation at Turquoise Lake.
Exhibits 5, 6, and 7 show the monthly imports through the Boustead, Homestake,
and Busk - Ivanhoe Tunnels, respectively. Table 5 and Exhibit 10 depict the
monthly operation of Turquoise Lake during the 2005 water year.
E. Mt. Elbert Conduit/Halfmoon Creek Diversion
During water year 2005, 70,451 acre -feet of water released from Turquoise Lake
and 12,000 acre -feet of water diverted from Halfmoon Creek were conveyed
through the Mt. Elbert Conduit to the Mt. Elbert Forebay, and subsequently to Twin
Lakes through the Mt. Elbert Powerplant. An additional 3,591 acre -feet of water
were released into the conduit from Turquoise Lake for use by the Leadville
Federal Fish Hatchery. The water delivered to the hatchery was returned to the
Arkansas River and stored in Pueblo Reservoir.