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<br />
<br />WAYNE N. ASPINALL UNIT
<br />BLUE MESA, MORROW POINT, AND
<br />CRYSTAL RESERVOIRS (GUNNISON RIVER)
<br />
<br />Water Year 1986
<br />
<br />The Wayne N. Aspinall Unit, is comprised of Blue Mesa,
<br />Morrow Point, and Crystal Rcservoirs. Blue Mesa provides
<br />nearly all of the long term storage and regulation for all three
<br />power plants. Morrow Point provides peaking power, and thus
<br />has highly variable releases. The primary function of the
<br />Crystal Reservoir is to regulate the variable Morrow Point
<br />releases.
<br />
<br />81ue Mesa Reservoir began water year 1986 at elevation 7,508
<br />feel with a storage of 728,000 acre-feet. Releases from Blue
<br />Mesa for water year 1986 were projected to be 1,033,000
<br />acre-feet based on the October most probable unregulated
<br />inflow of 1,096,000 acre-feet. The reservoir was lowered
<br />gradually to elevation 7,488 feet by January 1, 1986. The
<br />January 1, 1986, forecast of April tlu:ough July runoff was
<br />965,000 acre-feet or 126 percent of average. Blue Mesa
<br />powerplant releases for January through May averaged about
<br />66 percent of maximum capacity. On June 1, 1986, the forecast
<br />had dropped slightly to 124 percent of average, and the
<br />elevation ofBlue Mesa Reservoir was 7,477 feet. Concern over
<br />the forecast, the reservoir elevation, and the runoff through
<br />this time period prompted a field inspection of snowcover on
<br />the Blue Mesa drainage basin. After an aerial review of
<br />snowcover, it was decided to decrease power releases for June
<br />in order to fill the reservoir. However, on July 1, 1986, the
<br />reservoir had reached elevation 7,516 feet, and the inl10w rate
<br />was still high; therefore, powerplant releases were increased
<br />to ahout 90 percent of maximum capacity. By July 6, the
<br />
<br />ACTUAL CRYSTAL RELEASES
<br />
<br />WY 1986
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<br />reservoir had reached elevation 7,518.8 feet with an inflow of
<br />5,350 cfs. With releases from the powerplant at maximum, the
<br />river outlet works were opened to 1,100 cfs and increased to
<br />their maximum discharge capacity of 2,020 cfs during July 7
<br />through July 16. The river outlet works were finally shut down
<br />on July 24.
<br />
<br />The actual April tlu:ough July unregulated runoff into Blue
<br />Mesa Reservoir was 1,028,000 acre-feet or 135 percent of
<br />average. The total water year 1986 inflow was 1,421,000
<br />acre-feet or 157 percent of average. Releases from Blue Mesa
<br />Dam totaled 1,392,000 acre-feet for the water year of which
<br />58,000 acre.feet bypassed the powerplant.
<br />
<br />Morrow Point Reservoir operated at or near capacity between
<br />elevations 7,150 and 7,161 feet. The April tlu:ough July side
<br />inflow into Morrow Point Reservoir was 70,000 acre-feet
<br />which was 119 percent of average. A total of 1,510,000
<br />acre.feet was released during the water year of which 36,000
<br />acre-feet bypassed the powerplant.
<br />
<br />Crystal Reservoir also was operated at or near its capacity
<br />during water year 1986. The April through July side inflow to
<br />Crystal was 105,000 acre.feet which was 119 percent of
<br />average. A total of 1,667,000 acre. feet was released during the
<br />water year of which 387,000 acre.feet bypassed the
<br />powerplant. Ouring water year 1986 the maximum combined
<br />release was 5,700 cfs on July 10, 1986.
<br />
<br />BLUE MESA RESERVOIR
<br />
<br />Reservoir
<br />
<br />Elevation, feet
<br />
<br />Acre.feet
<br />
<br />Maximum Storage
<br />Rated Head
<br />Minimum Power
<br />Surface Area, full
<br />Reservoir Length, full
<br />
<br />829,523
<br />249,395
<br />81,070
<br />
<br />7,519
<br />7,438
<br />7,393
<br />9,180 Acres
<br />24 Miles
<br />
<br />Powerplants (Blue Mesa, Morrow Point, & Crystal)
<br />
<br />Number of Units
<br />Total Capacity
<br />
<br />5
<br />208,000 KW
<br />
<br />9
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