<br />" r, 1~~'
<br />1. '" J..
<br />
<br />Table 5 presents a summary of scheduled
<br />orders of water from the Colorado River be-
<br />low Parker Dam, the quantity not taken, and
<br />what happened to the rejected water by agen-
<br />cies. The California agencies ordered but did
<br />not take 1.0 percent of their total orders, and
<br />the Arizona agencies did not take 4.8 percent
<br />of their total orders.
<br />
<br />Coordinated Operation of
<br />Colorado River Reservoirs
<br />
<br />The Bureau of Reclamation released its
<br />second annual report on the operation of Col-
<br />orado River reservoirs pursuant to Section
<br />602 (b) of P.L. 90-537, The report described
<br />the actual operation of the reservoirs for wa-
<br />ter year 1972 and the projected operation
<br />during wate~ year 1973. This report repeats
<br />the finding of the first annual report, that
<br />"the accumulation of '602 (a) storage' is not
<br />the criterion governing the release of water
<br />during the current year." Based on that find-
<br />ing, no determination was made of a numeri-
<br />cal value for 602 (a) storage, and 1973 water
<br />
<br />year releases from Lake Powell were set at
<br />8,23 million acre-feet, the minimum release
<br />rate specified in the Colorado River Basin
<br />Project Act operating criteria,
<br />
<br />Power
<br />
<br />The production of hydroelectric power in
<br />Colorado River Basin power plants consti-
<br />tutes a vital resource to the Basin states, both
<br />for the energy generated and for the power
<br />revenues received, Tables 6, 7, and 8 and
<br />Plates 5 and 7 show key aspects of hydroelec-
<br />tric power generation in 1972.
<br />As Plate 5 shows, all but Fontenelle Reser-
<br />voir stayed above rated head elevation
<br />throughout the water year, Fontenelle was
<br />lowered below rated head to increase its
<br />capacity to capture the spring runoff, there-
<br />by improving the downstream habitat for
<br />geese. For Lower Basin interests, operating
<br />year water releases from Hoover Dam and
<br />electric generation statistics are shown in Ta-
<br />ble 7. There was very little change from the
<br />previous operating year.
<br />
<br />Table 6
<br />MAJOR COlORADO RIVER BASIN POWER PLANTS,
<br />OPERATING CHARACTERISTICS, AND RESERVOIR LEVELS
<br />WATER YEAR 1971-72
<br />
<br /> Designated Storage Designated Storage
<br /> Net Change A-fin. Power Above Min. Rated Ab<we
<br /> Ele~'ation Elcl'arion During O~r8tjng Oper. uvel Head Rated Head
<br /> 9//0/71 9/JO/71 Year Level 9/JO/71 Elevation 9/JO/71
<br /> (Fen Abol-'c Sea Level) (Feet) (Feet) (1000 AF) (Feet) (1000 AFJ
<br />Lake Mead . 1,153.6 1,158,5 +4,9 1.083 7,427 1,123 3,818
<br />Lake Powell . 3,614,3 3.603,4 -10.9 3.490 8,362 3,570 3.060
<br />Flaming Gorge.. 6,018.7 6.0ll.0 +14,3 5,871 3,232 5.946 2.4()3
<br />Blue Mesa .. . 7,483.6 7,480.7 -2.9 7,393 430 7,438 262
<br />Fontenelle .. 6,503.7 6,505.7 +2.0 6,475 201 6,491 108
<br />Morrow Point: 7,159.5 7,158.9 -0.6 7,100 59 7,108 51
<br />
<br />16
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