WSP01196

• File Number: 8282.600.40
• Description: Colorado River Annual Operations Reports
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 1/1/1997
• Author: USDOI/BOR
• Title: Colorado River Reservoir Operation Status Reports Part 1
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Data

Navajo Reservoir is proj ected to be 1,250,000 acre- feet or 161
percent of average.

The special winter low flow releases of 252 cfs from Navajo
Reservoir have just ended. Reservoir releases started to increase
on March 3, and are currently at 500 cfs and holding. This flow
will continue until March 17 when the flow will increase to 1000
cfs. On March 18 the release flow will increase again up to 1700
cfs and remain at this level through mid April.

The next operation meeting will be held during the first week in
April 1997. Anyone needing information about this meeting or daily
operations please contact Don Fazzan or Rege Leach at the Durango
Office at [phone].

Glen Canyon - Inflow to Lake Powell in February dropped to 102
percent of normal for the month. The final March forecast for the
April - July unregulated runoff is now estimated to be 12.5 MAF,
162 percent of normal, a drop of 0.7 MAF from the February
forecast. The current basinwide snowpack is about 144 percent of
normal.

Releases for the remainder of the month of March will be dropped on
Tuesday, March 11, 1997 to an average flow of 24,000 cfs. At this
point in time we anticipate. flows greater than 20,000 cfs to
continue through July 1997 to safely control the spring runoff.
Our current release schedule is for 24,000 cfs during April and
21,000 cfs from May through July. Updates to this writeup will be
made frequently to provide the most accurate information to
interested parties.

For the next year or two, releases to safely control the spring
runoff and to equalize storage between Lakes Powell and Mead are
expected to control the annual release volume from Lake Powell.
With the current forecast, Lake Powell will fill this spring, and
releases will be much greater than the annual minimum objective
release of 8.23 MAP.

The Colorado River Management Work Group meetings to discuss the
1998 Annual Operating Plan for the entire Colorado River have
commenced--our next meeting is scheduled for 9:30 am, April 11,
1997, at McCarren Airport in Las Vegas, NV. Key issues are
expected to be the development of surplus and shortage criteria for
lower basin consumptive use and the management of the 1997 runoff.
For further information contact Randall Peterson at (B01}524-3715
or Jayne Harkins at [phone].