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<br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />In water year 2003. Flaming Gorge Dam will continue to be operated in accordance with the BOFG. <br />The BOFG calls for high spring releases to occur each year. timed with the peak of the Yarnpa Riwr. <br />so as 10 more closely mimic historic Green River flows. Releases from Flaming Gorge Dam. under <br />the most probable scenario. in the winter and early spring months of 1003 will be relatively low <br />(approximately 800 cfs) in order to conserve reservoir storage. <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />Blue .\tesa. -'lorrow Point. and Crystal Resen"oirs (Aspinalll"nit) <br /> <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />Severe drought conditions prevailed in the Gunnison River Basin in water year 1002. The April <br />through July unregulated runoff into Blue f\1esa Reservoir in 1001 was only 0.157 maf( 193 mem), <br />or 11 percent of average. Water year 2002 unregulated inno\'." was 0.324 maf (400 mcm). or 32 <br />percent of average. This inflow was the 100\'est ever recorded since closure of Blue (-.tesa Dam in <br />1969. The low innow caused Blue Mesa Reservoir to decrease in storage in water year 2002 by <br />0.322 maf(397 mcm). Storage in Blue Mesa Reservoir on September 30.2002. was 0.275 maf(339 <br />mcm). or 33 percent of capacity. Water year 2002 powerplant bypasses were approximately 0.027 <br />maf(33 mcm) at Crystal. all of which were the result of annual system maintenance. <br /> <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />On August 16. 1995. Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) No. 95-07-40-RI760 was signed by the <br />Bureau of Reclamation. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Ser..ice (Service). and Colorado Water Conservation <br />Board. The purpose of the MOA was to provide waler to the Redlands Fish ladder and assure at <br />least 300 cfs (8.5 ems) ofllow in the 2-mile reach of the Gunnison River between the Redlands Fish <br />Ladder and the conlluence of the Gunnison and Colorado Rivers (2-mile reach). This MOA was <br />extended for an additional five years on June 30. 2000. A key provision oflhe MOA requires that <br />the parties adopt a plan to share water shortages in dry years. when total storage at Blue Mesa <br />Reservoir is projected to drop below 0,4 maf (493 mcm) by the end of the calendar year. <br />Accordingly. a plan to share or allocate physical water shortages due to the extremely dry <br />hydrological conditions occurring in the Gunnison River Basin was developed for \',:ater year 2002 <br />and implemented among the MOA parties. along with the Colorado River Water Conservation <br />District (CRWCD) and Redlands Water and Power Company (Redlands). <br /> <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />Specifically. the shared shortage plan for water year 2002 recognized that Redlands would not likely <br />have water available to satisfy its senior rights and that the Service would have insufficient water <br />available to meet fish passage needs in the 2-mile reach of the Gunnison River downstream of the <br />Redlands Fish ladder. In nomlal years. Redlands can place its senior call for 750 cfs (21.2 ems) and <br />the Service relies upon releases from the Aspinall Unit to pro\.ide fish passage flows in the 1-mile <br />reach of at least 300 cfs during summer season. For water year 2002. it was agreed that Redlands <br />would voluntarily reduce its senior river call and the Service would reduce the 2-mile reach flow <br />requests for the period June through October. In exchange. Aspinall operations were modified to <br />provide at least 600 cfs (17.0 cms) to Redlands and the 2-milc reach flows were maintained at <br />reduced rates as follows: <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />June 2002 <br />July 1002 <br />August 2002 <br /> <br />:!OO cfs (5.7 ems) <br />150cfs(7.1 ems) <br />150cfs(7.l ems) <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />December 13. 2001 <br /> <br />11 <br /> <br />I <br />