WSP04851

• File Number: 8282.600.10
• Description: Colorado River Operating Annual Reports
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 1/1/1988
• Author: USDOI/BOR
• Title: Operation of the Colorado River Basin 1988 Projected Operations 1989
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

FLAMING GORGE RESERVOIR
(GREEN RIVER)

WalerYear 1988

Flaming Gorge Reservoir started water year 1988 at elevation
6,033.5 feet with an active storage of 3,483,000 acre-feet
Releases from Flaming Gorge Dam for water year 1988 were
projected to be 1.50 MAF for the most probable operating
plan based on the October forecast of an unregulated inflow
of 1.66 MAE .

Flaming Gorge Reservoir was gradually drawn down to
elevation 6,026.45 feet by January I, 1988. Tbe forecast of
April through July runoff made on January 1, 1988, was 1.10
MAF or 91 percent of the long.term average. Powerplant
releases for January and February averaged 2,200 cis. On
March I, 1988, the April through July forecast had decreased
to 900,000 .cre-feet, or 75 percent of average; subsequently
powerplant releases were decreased to an average release of
1,300 crs for the months of March and April. The May I,
forecast was for 850,000 acre-feet and with continued dry
weather the releases were decreased slightly to an average of
1,200 crs. Inflows started to increase during mid April as tbe
lower elevation snowpack melted. The main spring runoff
occurred during the last of May and early June with
powerplant releases increased to average about 1,500 cis for

ACTUAL RELEASES

WY 1988

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June and July. As a result of decreasing inflows during the end
of June, Flaming Gorge, reached a maximum elevation of
6,027.5 on July 6, with a storage of approximately 3.25 MAF,

Releases from Flaming Gorge Dam were constrained to a
maximum of 2,600 cis during the months of August and
September to provide interim protection to the endangered
Colorado Squawfish. This species is currently being studied
as part of the Recovery Implementation Program in the
V pper Colorado River Basin and the restricted summer flows
are thought to enhance tbe downstream habitat of the fish.

The actual April through July unregulated runoff into Flaming
Gorge Reservoir was 546,000 acre~feet or 45 percent of
average. The peak inflow during the runoff was 5,900 cfs on
May 31, and the peak total discharge waS 2,800 cfs on Iune 7,
1988. The total inflow for water year 1988 was 885,000
acre-feet, or 54 percent of average. Total releases for the
water year was 1,190,000 acre-feet, all of which was passed
through the powerpJant The spillway was not used during the
water year.

FLAMING GORGE RESERVOIR

Reservoir

Acre-feet

Elevation, feet

Maximum Storage
Rated Head
Minimum Power
Surface Area, full
Reservoir Length, full

3,749,000
1,062,000
233,000

6,040
5,946
5,871
42,020 Acres
91 Miles

Powerplant

Number of Vnits
Total Capacity

3
108,000 KW

7