WSP04480

• File Number: 8282.600.40
• Description: Colorado River Annual Operating Reports
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 7/1/1997
• Author: USDOI/BOR
• Title: Colorado River Reservoir Operation Status Reports Part 2
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Data

Releases will remain at 2900 cfs during October but will likely
be increased to 3400 cfs during November and December.

Open forum discussions on Flaming Gorge operations have been
taking place at meetings of the "Flaming Gorge Working Group".
The next Working Group meeting is scheduled for January 15 at
11 am in Vernal, Ut. For more information on the Working Group,
contact Ed Vidmar at 801-379-1000.

ASPINALL - September unregulated inflow into Blue Mesa was 67,000
acre-feet or about 177 percent of average. Precipitation during
~
the month was recorded at 150 percent of normal. Currently the
inflow rate into Blue Mesa Reser~~s about 1,400 cfs and
reservoir releases are averaging~ cfs. Blue Mesa's present
elevation is 7511.3 feet with a storage content of 757,000 ~ ~
feet. 1~~ S<.k. I .

Releases from Crystal Dam are currently at fs. The
Gunnison Diversion Tunnel is presently taki out 500 cfs from
the river which leaves approximately 1,400 cfs in the Black
Canyon of the Gunnison. Reservoir releases from Crystal have
increased sightly over last month's. This is primarily due to
the above normal water storage upstream in Blue Mesa Reservoir
and the need to draw the reservoir system down for the winter
season.

The large El Nino event that is currently being observed in the
Pacific equatorial regions is predicted to result in above
average precipitation for the southwest this fall season.
Therefore, reservoir release changes will probably be required
more frequently in the coming months to accommodate increases in
reservoir storage.

The next meeting of the "Aspinall Unit Working Group" is
scheduled for January 27, 1998 in Grand Junction, Colorado. At
this meeting, review of the summer and fall operations, and plans
for the winter and spring operations will be discussed. These
meetings are open forum discussions on the Aspinall Unit
operations with many interested groups participating. Anyone
needing further information about these meetings should contact
Ed Warner in the Grand Junction Area Office at [phone].

NAVAJO - September unregulated inflow into Navajo Reservoir was
about 107,000 acre-feet or approximately 281 percent of average.