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Wyoming Area Office <br />Bureau of Reclamation <br />Page 2 of 3 <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 above average for the upper basin and below average for the <br />lower basin. As of November 4, 2010, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (MRCS) <br />reported the SWE to be 117% and 69% of average (Figure 4) for the upper and lower North <br />Platte River basins, respectively. Since the end of October, the snowpack has been declining. <br />Figure 2 and Figure 3 also show that the April through July runoff for water year 2010 was <br />above average with an inflow above Seminoe Reservoir of 174% of average (1241.9/714.0 kaf) <br />and an Alcova to Glendo reach gain of 231% of average (303.8/131.4 kaf). <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 89% of average (44.7 kaf /50.4 <br />kaf). Table 1 also includes the accompanying information for water year 2010 and the 30 -year <br />average (1981 -2010) 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 />North Platte Pathfinder ownership (refer to NPRAOP page 3) is estimated to fill by the end of <br />May. <br />Assuming the Pathfinder Modification Project was in operation and the North Platte Pathfinder <br />ownership fills in May 2011, the Pathfinder Environmental Account of 33,493 acre -feet and <br />Wyoming Account of 20,000 acre -feet would also be assumed to fill. The Pathfinder Spillway <br />modification is currently under construction and is scheduled for completion in April 2012. <br />The Glendo and Kendrick ownerships are also estimated to fill given most probable inflow <br />conditions. Releases from Guernsey Reservoir are estimated to be approximately 257.8 kaf <br />above demand in the probable operating plan. Should the total system inflows reach the <br />reasonable maximum inflow of 2302.0 kaf, a release of about 1025.7 kaf above the downstream <br />demand is anticipated from Guernsey Reservoir. <br />Reclamation will continue to update the North Platte River operating plans on a monthly basis in <br />response to changing inflow conditions. Reclamation will prepare forecasts of the April through <br />July snowmelt runoff beginning February 1 and continuing through May 1. <br />