Laserfiche WebLink
<br />o <br />o <br />N <br /> <br />Adams Tunnel <br /> <br />,".::) <br /> <br />Flows through the Adams Twmel remained near or above average during most of the Water Year. <br />although maintenance schedules required temporary shutdo~s. The low runoff and dry conditions <br />along the East Slope contributed to the high flows through the twmel. Adams Twmel diversions <br />were near maximum capacity during the months of May and June. The total volume diverted <br />through Adams Twmel during Water Year 2002 was 267.900 acre-feet, 118 % of the 3D-year <br />average. <br /> <br />( .:) <br />~ <br /> <br />Lake Estes <br /> <br />Completed in 1949, Lake Estes on the Big Thompson River provides regulating capacity for power <br />purposes. The lake has a total capacity of 3,100 acre-feet and controls the discharge of Estes <br />PowerPlant, river inflow, river outflow, and releases of water to the Foothills Power System via <br />Olympus Tunnel (550 fe Is capacity). The Estes PowerPlant has three hydroelectric units with a total <br />installed capacity of 45 megawatts. The combined flow capacity for the three units is 1,300 ft3 Is. <br />The spillway, located on the right abutment, has five radial gates with a total discharge capacity of <br />21,200 ft3 Is. The center gate has been automated. and is operated remotely from the Loveland <br />Control Center. <br /> <br />During the winter months, C-BT water is diverted through Adams and Olympus Twmels and routed <br />through the Foothills Power System on its journey to terminal storage at Carter Lake and Horsetooth <br />Reservoir. <br /> <br />Similar to the dry weather conditions on the West Slope, the October-January precipitation for the <br />Big Thompson River Basin above Lake Estes was low at only 61 % of the 3D-year average, with <br />precipitation for January at 83 %. The spring months precipitation totals continued well below <br />average. <br /> <br />The February I snowpack water content measurement was only 58 % of the 3D-year average, which <br />resulted in an April-July most-probable-runoff forecast volume of 59. 000 acre-feet, 12.000 acre-feet <br />below the historical average. The April! snowpack water content was reported at 62 % of the 30- <br />year average, as the April-July most probable runoff forecast volume dropped to 56.000 acre-feet. <br />The actual inflow for the period April-July was only half of what was predicted; a total of28,000 <br />acre-feet, or 39 % of the 3D-year average. <br /> <br />Total precipitation for the Water Year at the Lake Estes automated tipping bucket rain gage was <br />11.83 inches, 64 % of the 3D-year average (not an offtcial National Weather Service rainfall station). <br />The natural inflow into Lake Estes for Water Year 2002 was 42,800 acre-feet, the lowest since 1954 <br />and only 45 % of the 3D-year average. <br /> <br />Natural inflow into Lake Estes began to increase by the middle of May. The peak inflow of 399 fi'/s <br />occurred on May 3 I. Releases to the river below Olympus Dam peaked at 362 ft3/s on June 2, 2002. <br />Precipitation during the summer continued to be well below average. <br /> <br />II <br />