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<br />is primarily due to ongoing endangered fish studies. The test flow <br />is being made to evaluate the effects of low flows on endangered <br />fish living in the San Juan River and are expected to continue <br />through February 1997. <br /> <br />The next operation meeting will be held in March 1997. Anyone <br />needing information about daily operations please contact Don <br />Fazzan or Rege Leach at the Durango Office at (970) 385-6500. <br /> <br />GLEN CANYON - Inflow to Lake Powell in December remained near <br />average, 106 percent of normal for the month. Inflow is expected <br />to be slightly above average through the remaining winter months. <br />The forecasted spring runoff is estimated to be 155 percent of <br />normal, a large increase from the near normal outlook made last <br />month. The current basinwide snowpack is about 165 percent of <br />normal. <br /> <br />With the signing of the Record of Decision by Secretary Babbitt, <br />two of the hourly operating parameters of Glen Canyon Dam have been <br />changed, the maximum hourly upramp rate and the maximum allowable <br />release under normal powerplant operations. The first parameter is <br />now 4,000 cfs/hr (up from 2,500 cfs/hrl and the second limit has <br />been raised from 20,000 cfs to 25.000 cfs. The increase in <br />upramping at the dam will mean that hydropower resources can <br />respond more quickly to changing power demands. The increase in <br />maximum release will likely affect only those months in which the <br />monthly. release volume is greater than 900,000 acre-feet. Actual <br />implementation of these changes in operating parameters will follow <br />approval by the Secretary of the Interior of final operating <br />criteria and a plan of operations as directed by the 1992 Grand <br />Canyon Protection Act. <br /> <br />Releases will average about 18,000 cfs in January and daily <br />fluctuations (the difference between the daily maximum and minimum) <br />will be limited to 8,000 cfs, although fluctuations are likely to <br />be less than this amount. For the next year or two, releases to <br />safely control the spring runoff and to equalize storage between <br />Lakes Powell and Mead are expected to control the annual release <br />volume from Lake Powell. With the current forecast, Lake Powell <br />will fill this spring, ensuring releases greater than the annual <br />minimum objective release of 8.23 MAF (a release of 13.0 MAF is <br />currently expected under forecasted inflow assumptions for water <br />year 1997) . <br /> <br />The Colorado River Management Work Group meetings to discuss the <br />1998 Annual Operating Plan for the entire Colorado River will <br />commence at 9:30 am on January 31, 1997, at McCarren Airport in <br />