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OOO~37 ""..... --.- ~ ....""""'1 ~v '- Platte River Evalu UPDATE Bureau of Reclamation Evaluation of the Operation of Exlstlna on the ""'-1 .l& ~ Platte River for the Potential to Affect Threatened or Endangered s~ North Platte River Projects Office, Mills, Wyoming April 1992 Hydrology Model On Schedule Development of Reclamation's North Platte River Water UtiliZation Model is proceeding as scheduled in the Plan of Study. The first draft model iuformation was provided to the Hydrology Study Team' in Fehruary 1992 and will be finalized in June 1992. The baseline model results for the North Platte and Central Platte rivers are scheduled for completion in September 1992. The South PIatte River model development is scheduled to begin in October 1992 and be completed in June 1994. Hydrology Study Team Activities The Hydrology Study Team held its fourth meeting November 18, 1991, and the fifth team meeting February 24-25, 1992, at the North Platte River Projects Office in Mills, Wyoming. November 18th Meeting The main agenda item was a presenta- tion and discussion of the Nebraska North Platte River Simulation Model (Nebraska Model). The Nebraska model was developed for a reach of the North Platte River from Seminoe Reservoir to the Wyoming-Nebraska state line. The model makes calcula- tions for reservoir operations, does storage ownership accounting, and es- timates the natural flow available for Wyoming and Nebraska diversions, A copy of the Nebraska Model pro- gram as documented by the Nebraska Natural Resources Commission was used in discussing the detailed opera- tions of the model. The model does not incorporate snowmelt runoff forecasting or calculate power genera- tion. The review of the Nebraska Model completed the study team's analysis of existing North Platte River models. February 24th Meeting The Study Team focused discussions on the development of Reclamation's North Platte River Water Utilization Model. After the February meeting, a list of questions and statements on model development prepared pre- viously was used to discuss items the Study Team had highlighted as impor- tant functions and operations that should be contained in the Water Utilization Model. Water Utilization Model inputs such as basin inflows, water use, and reser- voir operations were discussed. The Study Team reviewed the North Platte River historic monthly data bases proposed by Reclamation for use as model input and comparison informa- tion proposed for the calibration process. A schematic of the North Platte River system showing the measuring locations of these data is in- cluded in the center pages of this Up- date. A historic operations account- ing program that accounts for all the flows, diversions, and reservoir opera- tions at the points shown in the schematic has been developed. The Study Team discussed and reviewed program documentation and dictionaries developed for the model. The programming activity to extend the Water Utilization Model from the Wyoming - Nebraska state line to Lewellen, Nebraska, was discussed. The river flow at Lewellen during nor- mal or below years is largely made up of ground water return flows and sur- face water runoff between the state Jine and Lewellen, This interaction of ground water to surface water runoff in this reach of the river is being incor- porated into the North Platte Model. Much of the February meeting focused on the process and steps to verify, cali- brate, and validate the model being developed. The Study team also dis- cussed and agreed on time periods to use in model verification, calibration and validation. (See Page 4)