WSP03055

• File Number: 8282.600.40
• Description: Colorado River Annual Operations Reports
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 1/1/2002
• Author: USDOI/BOR
• Title: Colorado River Reservoir Operation Status Reports
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Data

Inflows into Navajo Reservoir continue to be very low. The current reservoir inflow is
averaging about 250 cfs. Unregulated inflow for December was 13,400 acre-feet or 53 percent
of average. Unregulated reservoir inflows for November, October, and September were 33, 19,
and 11 percent of the monthly averages respectively. The current reservoir water surface
elevation is 6058.48 feet which corresponds to a reservoir content of about 1,324,000 acre-feet.
The basin snowpack on January 2. was 61 percent of nonnal for the Animas River Basin, and 42
percent of nonnal for the upper San Juan River Basin. Precipitation for December was 55
percent of nonnal.

On January 4, 2002, the National Weather Service's River Forecast Center issued an inflow
forecast for Navajo Reservoir for the April through July runoff period. The forecast is projecting
a volume runoff into the reservoir of 515,000 acre-feet. "This represents a 63 percent of average
runoff for this time period.

A public meeting on Navajo Reservoir operations is scheduled for January 22. 2002 at 1:00 pm
in Farmington. New Mexico. At this meeting, review of last Summer and Fall operations. and
plans for this Winter and Spring 2002 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. Please
contact Pat Page in Reclamation's Durango, Colorado Office at [phone] for information
about these meetings or the daily operation of Navajo Reservoir.

;,.

Glen Canvon Dtlm - Lake Powell

Releases from Glen Canyon Dam in January will average about 13,000 cis with a total of
800,000 acre.feet scheduled to be released during the month. On Mondays through Fridays
during January, daily fluctuations due to load following will likely vary between a low of about
8,700 cfs (during late evening and early morning off-peak hours) to a high of about 16,700 cfs
(during late afternoon and early evening on-peak hours). On Saturdays and Sundays. releases
will likely vary between a low of about 8.700 cfs during off-peak hours. to a high of about
13,500 cfs during on-peak hours.

Releases in February, 2002 will be lower than January with 600.000 acre-feet currently scheduled
to be released. This 600,000 acre-feet February volwne, equates to a daily average release of
about 10,800 cfs.

Hydrologic conditions in the Upper Colorado River basin in 2002 remain relatively dry. With the
exception of a three week period (between November 21 and December 10.2(01), basinwide
precipitation has been below average in water year 2002 (which began on October 1. 2(01).
Snowpack in the Upper Colorado River basin is currently 72 percent of average (as of January 7,
2(02). The final January inflow forecast issued by the National Weather Service on January 4,
2002 is calling for 5.2 million acre-feet (mat) of unregulated inflow to Lake Powell during this
year's April through July runoff. This is 67 percent of average. Scheduled water year releases
from Glen Canyon Dam. based on this inflow projection for 2002, are 8.27 maf. This is only
0.04 maf greater than the 8.23 maf minimum objective release (specified in the Long Range
Operating Criteria).

Releases from Glen Canyon Dam in water year 2002, thus far, have been consistent with an 8.23