Laserfiche WebLink
<br />f~ ('1 <br />.- " ,'" <br />'1 "..'" <br />.. <br />snowpack of only 77 percent of average by April 1. A very wet April (320 percent of <br />average) brought the water year precipitation total to near average. However, the wet <br />April did little to improve the snow conditions, with the snowpack only being 80 percent <br />of average by May 1. Warm and dry conditions prevailed In May, reducing the snowpack <br />to 33 percent of average by June 1. Below aye rage precipitation continued through June <br />and July, with precipitation being between 85 and 90 percent of average. However, heavy <br />rains in August brought the water year precipitation total back to average by the end of <br />the year. <br /> <br />Despite the near normal precipitation total for the water year, Ruedi Reservoir inflows <br />were well below average during the year. Cumulative reservoir inflow for the October <br />through March period was approximately 871 percent of average. Inflow during April was <br />just above average at 103 percent. Reservoi'r inflow was much below average during the <br />spring and early summer runoff months of May, June and July, with the total runoff for <br />that period being just 57 percent of average. Heavy rains in August resulted in a reservoir <br />inflow for the month of 107 percent of average. Dry conditions returned to the basin in <br />September, with inflows for the month dropping to 79 percent of average. The total <br />inflow to Ruedi Reservoir for water year 2001 was just 67 percent of average. <br /> <br />IV. REPORT ON OPERATIONS DURING WATER YEAR 2001 <br /> <br />A. Ruedi Reservoir <br /> <br />On October I, 2000, Ruedi Reservoir's content was 80,300 acre-feet, or approximately <br />85-percent of average for that date. With the below-average starting reservoir content <br />and below-average inflow and precipitation: for the October through March period, the <br />reservoir releases were maintained at a relatively low release rate of approximately 70 cfs <br />through the winter. This resulted in the reservoir only being drafted to 67,400 acre-feet <br />by March 31, 2001, or 109-percent of average for that date. By April 17, the reservoir <br />had reached its minimum storage for the water year of 66,800 acre-feet (water surface <br />elevation 7725.32 feet). <br /> <br />The snowpack in the Fryingpan River basin was well below average, at less than 80- <br />percent, through March. Even with the below average snowpack, the April 1 runoff . <br />forecast indicated that some storage would have to be evacuated to avoid spilling the <br />reservoir. For this reason, reservoir releases were increased from 70 cfs to 120 cfs in <br />mid-April. During the last half of May, the runoff increased at a rate higher than <br />forecasted, prompting concern that the r~servoir might spill. For this reason, the <br />reservoir releases were increased to 250 cfs at the end of May. By mid-June it was <br />apparent that the peak runoff was over and that inflow would be less than forecasted, <br />prompting reservoir releases to be reduced tp approximately 100 cfs. Storage continued <br />to increase in Ruedi Reservoir until July 23~ when the maximum storage content for the <br />water year of 96,200 acre-feet (water surface elevation 7759.69 feet) was reached. <br /> <br />4 <br />