Fryingpan-Arkansas Project Water Year 2005 Summary of Actual Operations

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F. Twin Lakes/Mt. Elbert Forebay and Mt. Elbert Pumped - Storage Powerplant The storage in Twin Lakes was 105,645 acre -feet (elevation 9185.66 feet) on September 30, 2004. The combined storage of Twin Lakes and the Mt. Elbert Forebay was 114,433 acre -feet. Twin Lakes Reservoir releases to Lake Creek were made throughout the winter to pass the entire flow of the Mt. Elbert Conduit, and to transfer the project water stored in the reservoir to Pueblo Reservoir. The native inflow was stored in the Twin Lakes Reservoir and Canal Company storage space from November 15 through March 15. A total of 3,800 acre -feet of project water was released to Lake Creek during this time. This water was released such that the flow in the Arkansas River at the Wellsville gage was maintained as close to the average October 15 to November 15 trout - spawning flow as possible. The combined reservoir and forebay storage reached a low point of 92,061 acre -feet on March 26, 2005, and was at its high point of 139,224 acre -feet on June 30, 2005. A total of 6,766 acre -feet of project water was released beginning -on July 19 and ending on August 9, to augment rafting flows in the Arkansas River. At least one generating /pumping unit was available at the Mt. Elbert Powerplant throughout the 2005 water year. The capacity of one unit is greater than the capacity of the Mt. Elbert Conduit. A total of 285,800 megawatt -hours of energy was generated at the.powerplant, with 844,186 acre -feet of water; 70,451 acre - feet came through the Mt. Elbert Conduit; and 844,186 acre -feet were first pumped to the Mt. Elbert Forebay from Twin Lakes during off -peak electric demand hours. Table 7 depicts the monthly powerplant operation for the 2005 water year. G. Pueblo Reservoir The storage content of Pueblo Reservoir was 102,334 acre -feet (elevation 4836.28 feet) on September 30, 2004, which is 76 percent of average. Project water released from Turquoise Lake, through the Leadville Federal Fish Hatchery, and from Twin Lakes, was stored in Pueblo Reservoir through the winter and spring. A total of 40,557 acre -feet of native inflow was stored in the reservoir under the winter water storage program from November 15, 2004, through March 14, 2005. During the water year, a total of 44,673 acre -feet of winter water and 5,822 acre -feet of winter water carryover was released, and 2,461 acre -feet evaporated. The reservoir reached a high point in storage of 145,139 acre -feet (elevation 4831.20 feet) on March 9, 2005. There were 91,008 acre -feet (elevation 4831.82 feet) in storage on September 30, 2005. This is 67 percent of average, and 165,941 acre -feet less than a full conservation pool. Table 8 and Exhibit 20 depict Pueblo Reservoir monthly operations during the 2005 water year. The 2004 -05 winter water storage is shown on Exhibit 17, and the winter water releases are shown on Exhibit 18. The pan evaporation at the reservoir is shown on Exhibit 19.