WSP02079

• File Number: 8282.600.40
• Description: Colorado River Annual Operations Reports
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 1/1/2001
• Author: USDOI/BOR
• Title: Colorado River Reservoir Operation Status Reports Part 1
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Data

RECEIveD
JAN 1 2 2001

Colorado Wall" ConsaIV.non Board

Date: January 9, 2001

From:

Water Resource Group, Salt Lake City

To:

All Colorado River Annual Operating Plan (AOP) Recipients

Current Status

December
Inflow(unreg)
(Acre-Feet)

Percent
of normal

Midnight
January 8
Elevation

ReservoiI
Storage
(Acre-Feet)

Fontenelle
Flaming GOIge
Blue Mesa
Powell
Navajo

27,000
27 , 000
24,000
325,000
17,000

82
68
93
76
65

6,475.70
6,020.36
7,479.50
3,669.07
6,054.88

145,000
2,992,000
502,000
19,710,000
1,284,000

Expected Operation

~
I
I

FONTENELLE . Releases continue to be steady at 900 cfs while inflows have averaged 440 cfs
over the past 7 days. The current water surface elevation is 6475.90 feet above sea level and
dropping at about 2 inches per day. The water surface elevation will continue to drop over the
next 3 months and will likely be about 6465 feet above sea level by April 1st, 200 1.

The Water Supply forecast for Fontenelle for the period from April through July is calling for an
inflow volume of 735,000 acre-feet (87% of average). Over the next three months (January,
February and March), the forecast is calling for total inflow volume of 92,000 acre-feet which
is 84 % of average for this period.

FLAMING GORGE. Releases continue to be steady at 1000 cfs while inflows have averaged
1020 cfs over the past 7 days. The current water surface elevation is 6020.34 feet above sea
level.

The first Water Supply forecast for water year 2001 was issued on January 5, 200!. The April
through July unregulated inflow into Flaming Gorge this year is forecasted to be 1.06 MAP
(million acre-feet). This is 89% of the average unregulated inflow for this period based on the
data set collected from 1961 to 1990. Over the next three months (January, February and
March), the forecast is calling for 153,000 acre-feet of unregulated inflow (82 % of normal). The
January 8th snowpack in the Upper Green River Basin is 78% of normal, which is down from the
January 2nd snowpack, wbich was 88% of nonnal.

Open forum discussions on Flaming Gorge operations have been taking place at meetings of the
"Flaming Gorge Work Group". The next Work Group meeting will be held January 10,2001 at
12:00 p.m. at the Western Park Convention Center located in Vernal, Utah. AU parties interested
in the operation of Flaming Gorge Reservoir are invited to attend. For more information about
the Work Group meeting, contact Ed Vidmar at 801.379-1182 or access the working group
website at: http://www.pro.uc.usbr.gov/fgwg