WSP05982

• File Number: 8027
• Description: Section D General Correspondence - Federal Agencies - US DOI-BOR - Region 4
• State: CO
• Basin: Statewide
• Date: 8/27/1968
• Author: DOI-BOR
• Title: Report by the BOR to the CWCB - Region 4
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

000714

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low delivery for the past six years was caused primarily by the low releases of 1963 and
1964 which were necessary to permit acquisition of minimum power levels at Flaming
Gorge and Glen Canyon. Only about 5,000,000 acre-feet was released to the lower
Basin of a total inflow of about 12,700,000 acre-feet in this two-year period.

The level of Flaming Gorge Reservoir on the Green River has receded from its sea-
sonal high at elevation 6000 feet with a content of 2,354,000 acre-feet. It should con-
tinue to recede to elevation 5972 by the end of March 1969.

Fontenelle Reservoir on the upper part of the Green River in Wyoming was filled for
the first time since completion of the repair work on the dam. In future years the reser-
voir will normally fill each spring, elevation 6506, and be drawn down to elevation 6485
feet late each winter. Within this type of fluctuation, all purposes of the project will be
served and minimum amounts of water will bypass the powerplant.

Navajo Reservoir on the San Juan River is now at about elevation 6030 feet with a
content of about 1,020,000 acre-feet, and should remain near this level through September.

Along the Gunnison River in western Colorado, Morrow Point Reservoir should reach
its maximum water surface elevation at 7160 feet by the end of September. Its inflow is
largely controlled by the larger Blue Mesa Reservoir, which now has 790,000 acre-feet
of storage with a water surface elevation of 7502 feet. After labor Day, Blue Mesa
Reservoir should recede tq about elevation 7436 with a content of 35 1,000 acre-feet by the
end of March 1969.

lake Mead is at elevation 1137 feet above mean sea level or about 8 feet higher
than a year ago. It contains 15.1 million acre-feet of available storage or 58 percent of
its capacity. The reservoir level is now 84 feet below the top of the raised spillway gates
at Hoover Dam. The lake is expected to remain near this level through September and
then to rise slowly another foot by the end of December.

POWER MARKETING

Power contracts now in force with 83 customers call for the delivery of 450,000 kil-
owatts of firm power this coming winter and about 850,000 kilowatts during the summer of
1969. Thus the purchasers of Storage Project power wi II be receiving over 80 percent of
the capacity of the project by next year. Most of the contracts call for an increase in the
rate of delivery in successive years.

The progress in power marketing is reflected in the financial status of the project.
For the 12 months ended June 30, 1968, revenues were sufficient to meet all expenses of
operation, including the year's interest on the unpaid balance of the investment, and con-
tributed $52,000 to the accumulated amount to be repaid. Present repayment studies show
that all costs allocated to power will be completely repaid with interest by the 39th year
of operation.

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