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<br />t.i.:, ." <br />:f. <br /> <br /><'~"1 <br />, <br />-' <br /> <br />':.':"'J <br />..... " <br />", :oj <br />'"'~~/ <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />-~. <br />~ <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />~ <br />iiJ <br /> <br />November 22,1994. <br />Page'Two <br /> <br />The Board is of the opinion that operations at Aspinall, to date, have provided adequate <br />releases to offset the depletions and satisfy commitments associated with the biological <br />opiIiions for the Dallas and Dolores proj eets. . <br /> <br />2) <br />3) <br /> <br />Blue Mesa should be filled by the end of July each year. <br /> <br />Storage in Blue Mesa should be reduced to 581,000 AF of live Storage by December 31 each <br />year to help alleviate the potential for ice jam flooding between December 1 and April 30 _ <br />above Blue Mesa Reservoir. Furthermore, this drawdownand subsequent additional. <br />drawdoWIl'which may.occur based on runoff forecasts provides the reservoir space required <br />to . regulate spring runoff' and minimize downstream flooding. Winter carry over storage <br />should not be increased simply to provide a spring peale. <br /> <br />The bypass or spill of water should be avoided to the extent possible at all rm:ee reservoirs. <br />llis is required by the Colorado River Storage Project Act which authorized the construction <br />of the Aspinall Unit High flows should not be forced to bypass the powerplants or cause <br />flooding in the Delta area if such is avoidable. To the extent forecast and runoff conditions . <br />allow, peak spring releases from the Aspinall Unit should be timed to coincid,e 'with peak <br />flows on the North Fork and Uncompahgre, but the peak. at Whitewater should be no more <br />than 20,000 cis in order to m;,,;m;7e the potential for downStream flooding and flood damage. <br /> <br />4) <br /> <br />5) Release rates should not be such that reservoir levels drop below minimum power b,ead except <br />during extreme drought. . <br /> <br />6) Power generation shoUld be the next consideration. Ramping rates should be as large as <br />possible and seasonally adjusted after taking into consideration the needs of the gold medal <br />trout fishery; endangered fish and other relevant recreation and project'safety concerns. We <br />generally concur with the recommended ramping rates suggested by the Colorado Division of <br />Wildlife which are to ramp up at 500 cfs/day, ramp down at 250 cfs/day and try to limit daily <br />fluctuations to around 200 cfs, particularly during fish spawning lind hatch times. <br /> <br />7) To the extent possible; Reclamation should work with Western to reduce fluctuation <br />reStrictions on Morrow Point and Crystal. . We are of the opinion that there must be some way <br />. to adjust tour. boat operations an Morrow Point to provide Western with some additional <br />operational flexibility. Release restrictions on power operationS in 1994 resultedin' lost <br />revenues for Western of S3.5 million at Glen Canyon, S1.5 million at the Gorge and $1.5 <br />million at Aspinall, for a touiJ. of S6.5 million in lost revenues during 1994. <br /> <br />Ifj:lOssible, after satisfying the above, the .Black Canyon flows $hoUld be kept at 800.-1200 cfs <br />to satisfy rafters between ~prilI5~~~ 09t~"crr. ~_Q,. . <br /> <br />8) <br />