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<br />OPERA TIONS <br /> <br />RESERVOIRS <br /> <br />DUring the water year which ended September <br />30. 1977, lhe Upper Colorado River BaSin <br />yielded 3.220,000 acre-feet, or 27 percent 01 <br />the long-time average <br />This was the lowest recorded runoff on the <br />Colorado RIVer at Glen Canyon Dam in the <br />last 70 years. The diSpoSition of this runoff was <br />as follows: <br /> <br />Acre-feet <br /> <br />Nel reservoIr storage decrease...... .5.510,000 <br />Evaporation loss. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 590,000 <br />Bank storage decrease. . _ . . . . . . . . . . 90.000 <br />Release 10 lower basin. . . . . . . . . . . . . .8.230.000 <br /> <br />TOlar Yield... .... '......... ....3.220.000 <br /> <br />Water storage at Glen Canyon decreased by <br />3,490,000 acre-leel Irom OctOber 1976 to <br />September 1977_ Flaming Gorge decreased <br />1,390,000 acre-feel and NavajO and Blue Mesa <br />decreased 240.000 and 380,000 acre-feel. <br />respectively FonteneJle tn Wyoming did not fill <br />dUring water year 1977 and decreased 20,000 <br />acre-feet Morrow Pomt In Colorado was again <br />filled to capacity. Crystal had stored about <br />14,000 acre-feet by the end of September 1977 <br />The initial filling of Crystal Dam was started on <br />March 14. 1977. Its primary function IS to <br />reregulate releases from Morrow Pomt to a <br />morc even flow In the Gunnison River <br />downstream <br /> <br />B <br /> <br />RIVERS <br /> <br />low releases from Glen Canyon Dam dUring <br />April, May, and June allowed Reclamation to <br />Integrate purchased power Into the Colorado <br />Alver Storage Prolect System when It was <br />more readily available. Above-average power <br />releases during the summer months from <br />Flaming Gorge Dam provided excellent <br />boating and other recreatIonal uses along the <br />Green River, Flows below Fontenelle Dam <br />were regulated to meet Irrigation, fish and <br />wildlife requirements. and power demands <br /> <br />ANI,;I ~1f'W lookong up5rr~'am ,;llh" fonlenr1l'lIe Darn <br />and ''''se'~OI' on 1111' Gr(,>en A'H" rn Wyo'nonq. <br />Sf'l"ctHadN' Prolect, Wyomlnq <br /> <br />DROUGHT <br />EMERGENCY ACTIVITIES <br /> <br />The serious drought of 1976-1977 caused the <br />Congress to appropriate funds for drought <br />relief for Reclamation projects in 1977 The <br />Upper Colorado Region made nearly $6 million <br />available to wate. user groups In the states <br />of Colorado and Utah !o alleVIate the drought. <br />Funds were used by water users 10 purchase <br />wilter. line ditches. purchase power for <br />pumping and tranSpurtatlon, and to enlarge <br />ditches, bUild pipelines, and Increase delivery <br />effiCienCies The two states used fundS to <br />allevlafe Impacts 01 The drought on fish and <br />Wildlife and to Implement weaTher modlfica. <br />tlon prOjects The funds advanced to water <br />user groups are reimbursable <br />In addition, several Reclamation projects were <br />allowed to defer the annual payments due In <br />1977 under their prOject repayment contracts <br />With the United STaTes <br /> <br />. <br /> <br /> <br />I <br />