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

ASPINAll - December unregulated inflow into Blue Mesa Reservoir was 24,000 acre. feet or 93
percent of average. Precipitation in the Gunnison basin was below average at 75 percent for the
month. This seasons early snowpack is slowly losing ground to the region's high pressure system
which has blocked many stonns from entering the western states. On January 9, the snowpack
was averaging about 75 percent of nonna!. The current inflow rate into Blue Mesa Reservoir is
about 350 cfs and reservoir releases are aveTaging about 550 cfs. Blue Mesa's present elevation
is 7479.50 feet, which corresponds to a storage content of about 502,000 acre-feet.

Releases from Crystal Dam are currently 600 cfs and should remain at this level through the next
few months. If the persistent dry weather pattern that has developed over the West during
December and into January continues to hold, then Crystal's releases will be lowered.

On January 4, the National Weather Service issued an inflow forecast for Blue Mesa Reservoir
for the April through July runoff period. This forecast is projecting a volume runoff into the
reservoir of 630,000 acre-feet. This represents 90 percent average runoff for this time period.

The next meeting of the "Aspinall Unit Working Group" is scheduled for January 18,2001 in
Montrose, Colorado. At this meeting, review of last summer and fall operations, and plans for
this winter and spring 200 I operations will be discussed. These meetings are open forum
discussions on the Aspinall Unit reservoir operations with many interested groups participating.
Anyone needing further infonnation about these meetings should contact Dan Crabtree in the
Grand Junction Area Office at [phone].

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NA VAJO - Average daily releases from Navajo Reservoir are currently 500 cfs. This release rate
should remain at this level through the rest of the winter and into the Spring months. Inflow to
the reservoir is averaging about 200 cfs. The reservoir water surface elevation is 6054.88 feet
which corresponds to a content of about 1,284,000 acre-feet.

December unregulated inflow into Navajo Reservoir was about 17,000 acre-feet or approximately
65 percent of nonna!. Precipitation for the month was 50 percent of nonna!. The snowpack as of
January 9, was about 91 percent of nonnal for the Animas River Basin, and 78 percent of nonnal
for the upper San Juan River Basin.

A public meeting on Navajo Reservoir operations is scheduled for January 23, 2001 at 1:00 pm
in Fannington, New Mexico. At this meeting, review of last fall operations and plans for this
winter and spring 2001 operations will be discussed. These are open forum discussions on the
operation of Navajo Reservoir with many interested groups participating. Anyone interested in
the general operation of the reservoir is encouraged to attend. For funher infonnation about
these meetings or the daily operations of Navajo Reservoir please contact Ed Warner in
Reclamation's Grand Junction Office at [phone].

Glen Canvon Dam - Releases from Glen Canyon Dam in December have averaged 13,400 cfs,
with a total of 825,000 acre-feet scheduled to be released during the month. Releases in January
will be slightly higher than December, with releases averaging about 13,800 cfs for the month.
On weekdays during January, daily fluctuations due to load following will vary between a low
of about 9,750 cfs (during late evening and early morning "off-peak" hours) to a high of about
17,750 cfs (during late afternoon and early evening "on-peak" hours). On weekends, releases will