WSP06066

• File Number: 8282.600.40
• Description: Colorado River Annual Operations Reports
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Date: 1/1/2000
• Author: USDOI/BOR
• Title: Colorado River Reservoir Operation Status Reports Part 1
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Data

Date: January 10,2000

From:

Water Resource Group, Salt Lake City

To:

All Colorado River Annual Operating Plan (AOP) Recipients

Current Status

December
inflow (unreg)
(Acre-Feet)

Percent
of normal

Midnight
January 09
Elevation

Reservoir
Storage
(Acre-Feet)

Fontenelle
Flaming Gorge
Blue Mesa
Powell
Navajo

34,000
35,000
26,000
390,000
10,000

103
87
100
91
40

6,485.25
6,027.43
7,489.48
3,680.51
6,070.96

197,000
3,251,000
577,000
21,332,000
1,494,000

Expected Operation

FONTENELLE - The River Forecast Center has issued its first April through July inflow forecast
for water year 2000. The average inflow into Fontenelle reservoir during the runoff period (April
through July) is 849,000 acre-feet. The official January forecast is calling for only 525,000 acre-feet
during the runoff period this year. This equates to 62% of average. This forecast is the first
indication of how the water year will shape up. These values will change as the subsequent forecasts
become available.

The elevation of Fontenelle Reservoir is currently about 6486 feet above sea level. The water surface
elevation is projected to decrease steadily till April 1,2000 when it will reach its lowest point for the
year (-6464 feet above sea level). Power Plant releases may be decreased in the coming months to
achieve this target.

FLAMING GORGE - Average daily releases from Flaming Gorge Reservoir are now 2100 cfs.

Water year 2000 (which began on October 1, 1999), so far has been dry. Upper Green River basin
snowpack is currently only 65 percent of average, however it is still early in the snowpack
accumulation season.

Releases from Flaming Gorge are currently scheduled to remain at 2100 cfs through the winter
months. However, releases are scheduled to be reduced in February down to an average daily release
of 1800 cfs if the dry trend continues.

Some houT to hour fluctuations in releases are now occurring. The amount of fluctuation is being
constrained by the 1992 Flaming Gorge Biological Opinion (FGBO) which states that flows on the