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

updated for February, is calling for 875,000 acre-feet (73% of average). The snowpack in the
Upper Green River Basin is currently 65% of nonnal for this time of year.

Open forum discussions on Flaming Gorge operations have been taking place at meetings of the
"Flaming Gorge Working Group". The next Working Group meeting will be held April 17,2001
at 11:00 a.m. at the Western Park Convention Center located in Vernal, Utah. All parties
interested in the operation of Flaming Gorge Reservoir are invited to attend. For more
infonnation about the Work Group meeting, contact Ed Vidmar at 801-379-1182 or access the
working group website at: http://www.pro.uc.usbr.govjfgwg

ASPINALL - January unregulated inflow into Blue Mesa Reservoir was 21,000 acre-feet or 85
percent of average. Precipitation in the Gunnison basin was 75 percent of nonnal for the month.
This seasons snowpack continues to lag behind as it has done since late November. On February
7, the snowpack was averaging about 74 percent of nonnal. The current inflow rate into Blue
Mesa Reservoir is about 325 cfs and reservoir releases are averaging about 550 cfs. Blue Mesa's
present elevation is 7478.07 feet, which corresponds to a storage content of about 492,000 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 this
winter season continues to hold, then Crystal's releases will be lowered.

On February 5, 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 550,000 acre. feet. This represents 79 percent average runoff for this time period.

The last meeting of the "Aspinall Unit Working Group" was held on 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 were 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].

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 225 cfs. The reservoir water surface elevation is 6053.44 feet
which corresponds to a content of about 1,267,000 acre-feet.

January unregulated inflow into Navajo Reservoir was about 16,000 acre-feet or approximately 70
percent of nonnal. Precipitation for the month was 125 percent of nonnal. The snowpack as of
February 7, was about 95 percent of nonnal for the Animas River Basin, and 93 percent of
normal for the upper San Juan River Basin.

A public meeting on Navajo Reservoir operations was held on January 23, 2001 at 1:00 pm in
Farmington, New Mexico. At this meeting, review of last fall operations and plans for this
winter and spring 200 I operations were discussed. These are open forum discussions on the
operation of Navajo Reservoir with many interested groups participating. Anyone interested in