WSP00270 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Status of Interim Operating Criteria By: Dal't? Wegner, Manager. GeES Colorado River Studies Office The 1993 ~ummer electrical sea~on wa", relatively impact free due (0 cool summer temperatures. 3vailahilily of capacity and energy on the eleclTie marhl. and minimal transmission problems. I>e,"iations During the 1"93 ~rring and summer, several deviation!> occurred when the Glen Canyon conlro] network Wa<, integrated \\ith the Loveland and Lower Missouri Control network. After ",evcral ramping rale dc\iations. Glen Canyon Dam was removed from the conlrnJ nc(work. rc_ sulti~g in a significant decrease in dc\'i:l.(loo.,_ Glen Canvon was returned to regulalion in OClllhcr. however minimal d~'\iations have occurred. . En,'ironmental Impacts Ecotogil';t1ly. operational impacts were minimal due largely to sediment input into the Canyon hy the Paria and little Colorado Rivers during the January/February nood~. Impacts that did occur were a function of sediment deposits eroding hack to pre-Fchruary elevations and Mages and changing marsh, hackwater. and return channel habitats. Fall and "'inter Operations Fall ami ""inler operations art: anticipated 10 he at normal volumes. lake Powell is expected 10 be <.II its lowest seasonal le\'el b.., nc'(l. April. ~tonthly operational patterns for the. dam will follow the 1994 ~nnual Operating Plan. Monthly release volumes ""111 be comislent .,.,ith past years, ""ith slightly higher month!y \-olumes anticipated in "pring and summer for reservoir equalizatilln. Lake Powell ended the 1993 water year at 7~ percent of c<tpacity. ~Iudifi(..ations to the Intt'rim Opl'ratin~ eritt'ria The cooperaling agencies have recommended increasing upramp rates (from ~500 to 4.000 ds per hour) and increasing maximum releases (from 20,000 to 25.000 cfs). These modific(ltilln_~ were re\iewed by the GeES Interim Row Resean.h Group. Thl' rcquei-l was fon\-'arded to the Intl'rior Department's Assistant Scrn:tary for \\'ater and Science in Octllht:f. Full impact e\'aluatiOIl will continue under the (iCES Interim Flow ~tllnitoring Program. A -Categorical E,dusil1n" wa;. prepared to salisfy ;\'EPA requirement!>. Electric Power Marketing EIS Update bv: Erick Ifnghf. Puhlic Infonllution Specialist Ill-stem Area POYl't'r Administration The \\'e;.tern Area Power Administration (\VeMern) i~ completing a draft EO\irnnmentallmpact Statemenl (EIS) for its Salt L1ke City, Area (SLCA) Integrated Project;. Elel.tric Power :-'farketing Program. ~Imt of the pOWer rc!>oun;es marKeted by Western in the SLCA are generated by the Colorado River Storage Project, of which (jlen Canyon Darn is its primary resource, The internal draft was re\ised to incorporate comments recci\cJ b\ the CC1oper.1ting agencie:.--ReclJ.malilln, Fish and Wildlife Senice. and ;';a~ional Park Service. .~ .~dM''IiU~w~tm'~~n~I~',Q!WdI)U.U~lfbJ;rin- 'f Utah. Arizona, \\'yoming, Coloradll. and :-':ew \lexica. The drafl EIS has been re\nillen to incorporate Com_ mcnt!) from ~lal~und Fedcral agencie~, Once the 10 drah EIS is appw\-ed ~y the Departmcnt of Energy. it will he distributed to agencies, po.....tr cuslllmers. interested partie.... and the puhlic for Cllmment. The release of \\'e.'olt:rn\ draft EIS ""01" delayed for approximately .\ mClnlhi- due Il) the delay in the release. of the draft Glen CaO\'on Dam EIS and thc cooperating agencic!" request f~r additional time 10 revie.,., the prclimin;lry draft. \\'estern expects to release its draft document III the public in lat('mhUllt~~~~ P~hlil' hearings willl;1c held durin!,! the fMm,]1 commcnt pcrh1d. presenll~ sl'heduled for April 1Q94. The final EIS is expected to be released in late lQ94_