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<br />
<br />WAYNE N. ASPINALL UNIT
<br />BLUE MESA, MORROW POINT, AND
<br />CRYSTAL RESERVOIRS (GUNNISON RIVER)
<br />
<br />Water Year 1987
<br />
<br />The Wayne N. Aspinall Unit is comprised of Blue Mesa,
<br />Morrow Point, and Crystal Reservoirs, Blue Mesa provides
<br />nearly all ofthe long term storage and regulation for all three
<br />powerplants. Morrow Point provides peaking power, and thus
<br />has highly variable releases. The primary function of the
<br />Crystal Reservoir is to regulate the variable Morrow Point
<br />releases.
<br />
<br />Blue Mesa Reservoir began water year 1987 at elevation
<br />7,509.4 feet with a storage of 740,000 acre-feet. Releases from
<br />Blue Mesa for water year 1987 were projected to be 1.20 MAF
<br />based on the most probable unregulated annual inflow of 1.17
<br />MAF which had been forecasted in October 1986,
<br />
<br />On January 1, 1987, Blue Mesa Reservoir had been gradually
<br />lowered to elevation 7,489 feet. The January 1, 1987 forecast
<br />of April thrnugh July runoff was 765,000 acre-feet or 100
<br />percent of average, The April through July runoff forecast for
<br />Blue Mesa continued to decline for each month's forecast
<br />through the entire runoff season. On May 1, the forecast had
<br />decreased to 675,000 acre-feet or 88 percent of average.,
<br />Releases from Blue Mesa Powerplant for January through
<br />March averaged about 2,000 cfs and releases for April ihrough
<br />June averaged about 1,000 cfs, or 80 and 40 percent of
<br />maximum powerplant capacity, respectively, The decrease in
<br />power rel,eases for April through June were prompted over
<br />concern of not being able to fill the reservoir, By July 2,1987,
<br />
<br />ACTUAL CRYSTAL RELEASES
<br />
<br />WY 1987
<br />
<br />.... en
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<br />Blue Mesa Reservoir reached a maximum elevation of 7,516,2
<br />feet with a storage of 800,700 acre-feet. The maximum inflow
<br />to the reservoir was 8,240 cfs which occurred on June 13, 1987,
<br />
<br />The actual April through July unregulated runoff into Blue
<br />Mesa Reservoir was 797,000 acre-feet or 104 percent of
<br />average, The total water year 1987 inflow was 1,119,000
<br />acre-feet or 103 percent of average, Releases from Blue Mesa
<br />Dam totaled 1,157,000 acre-feet for the water year, all of which
<br />passed through the powerplant.
<br />
<br />Morrow Point Reservoir operated at or near capacity between
<br />elevations 7,150 and 7,160 feel. The April through July side
<br />inflow into Morrow Point Reservoir was 81,000 acre-feet
<br />which was 140 percent of average, A total of 1,272,000
<br />acre-feet was released during the water year, all of which
<br />passed through the powerplant.
<br />
<br />Crystal Reservoir was also operated at or near its capacity
<br />during water year 1987, fluctuating between elevations 6,748
<br />and 6,754 feet. The April through July side inflow to Crystal
<br />was 98,000 acre-feet which was 111 percent of average, A total
<br />of 1,222,000 acre-feet was released during the water year of
<br />which 214,000 acre-feet bypassed the powerplant. During
<br />water year 1987 the maximum total release from Crystal was
<br />2,380 cfs from July 2, through July 23, 1987,
<br />
<br />BLUE MESA RESERVOIR
<br />
<br />Reservoir
<br />
<br />Acre-feet
<br />
<br />Elevation, feet
<br />,
<br />
<br />Maximum Storage
<br />Rated Head
<br />Minimum Power
<br />Surface Area, full
<br />Reservoir Length, full
<br />
<br />829,523
<br />249,395
<br />81,070
<br />
<br />7,519
<br />7,438
<br />7,393
<br />9,180 Acres
<br />24 Miles
<br />
<br />Power plants (Blue Mesa, Morrow Point, & Crystal)
<br />
<br />Number of Units
<br />Total Capacity
<br />
<br />5
<br />208,000 KW
<br />
<br />9
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