WSP05214

• File Number: 8141.700
• Description: Fryingpan-Arkansas Project - Annual Operating Plans and Reports
• State: CO
• Basin: Arkansas
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 11/1/1989
• Author: US DoI BoR
• Title: Annual Operating Plan Fryingpan-Arkansas Project Colorado 1989 - 1990
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Annual Report

1981

Turquoise Lake storage was reduced to approximately 80,000 acre-feet by
early May to make space available for j import water during the runoff
season. By mid-August, the reservoir was fi lled and demands began to
draw on storage. The water year ended with a content of
123,900 acre-feet in storage.

Exhibits 7 and 8 show the precipitation and pan evaporation at Turquoise
Lake. Table 5 and exhibit 9 show the op.eration of Turquoise Lake during
the water year 1989. !

F. Mt. Elbert Conduit/Halfmoon Creek Diversion

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During water year 1989, 83,360 acre-feet of water was released
from Turquoi se Lake and 1D, 660 acre-feet of water di verted at
Halfmoon Creek Diversion through Mt. Elbert Conduit to Mt. Elbert Forebay
(exhibit 10). In addition, 3,930 acre-feet of water was released into
Mt. Elbert conduit from Turquoise Lake for use by the Leadville Federal
fish hatchery.

G. Twin Lakes/Mt. Elbert Forebay, and Iqt. Elbert Pumped-Storage
Powerplant

On September 30, 1988, the lake surface elevation of Twin Lakes was
9194.69 feet with a content of 126,780 acre-feet of water.
Mt. Elbert Forebay water surface elevation was at 9635.38 feet with a
content of 8,410 acre-feet. Exhibits 11 and 12 show the precipitation
and pan evaporation at Twin Lakes.

Twin Lakes was operated throughout th'e year bypassing native inflow
in excess of storage rights and drawing water out of storage for
the City of Colorado Spri ngs upon demand. Thi s space created was
refilled by transferring Project water, which would have normally been
transferred to Pueblo Reservoir, from Turquoise Lake into Twin Lakes.
Water was retained upstream because of the available space in Twin Lakes.
The higher evaporation rate in Pueblo R~servoir was also considered when
making the decision to leave the wateri in Twin Lakes. The removal of
the two dikes and the construction of a ibypass channel around the outlet
works of the old Twin Lakes dam requirep the evacuation of water stored
in Twin Lakes above the elevation of 9168.7 feet. The evacuation of
water took place between July 1 and Aygust 31. The construction work
was begun in early September and was' to be completed by the end of
October at which time water would be moved from Turquoise Lake to
Twin Lakes to provide space for the 1990 spring runoff. Table 6 and
exhibit 13 show Twin Lakes/Mt. ~lbert Forebay operation for
water year 1989. i
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Mt. Elbert Pumped-Storage Powerplant ~ad at least one unit available
throughout the water year. The powerpl'ant had 94,020 acre-feet of flow
through water avail ab 1 e a long with 384,590 acre-feet of water pumped
from Twin Lakes. The powerplant generated 176,000,000 kilowatt-hours
during water year 1989 with 474,520 acre-feet of water (table 7).

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