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: February 8, 2000

From:

Water Resource Group, Salt Lake City

To:

All Colorado RiveT Annual Operating Plan (AOP) Recipien\s

Current Status

January
inflow(unreg)
(Acre-Feet)

MidnighC
February 07
Elevation

Percent
of normal

Fontenelle
Flaming Gorge
Blue Mesa
Powell
Navajo

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

103
87
100
91
40

6,478.38
6,026.55
7,488.04
3,678.82
6,069.75

I
FEf3 lit
.....l......
,,_Co."'.
""Uflsen-~~ h..11".
'.Q.'*'80 '
. lira

Reservoir
Storage
(Acre-Feet)

158,000
3,218,000
566,000
21,087,000
1,477,000

Expected Operation

FONTENELLE - Snow levels in the Upper Green River Basin have improved somewhat over the
past month. As of February 7, the snowpack levels had increased to 78% of normal. In early
January, the snowpack levels were about 65% of normal. The February forecast for this years runoff
(April through July) calls for 77% of average inflow into Fontenelle Reservoir. Last month, the
forecast called for 67% of average inflows. Despite these improvements, it still appears that the
April through July runoff in the Upper Green River Basin will be below average.

Currently, the reservoir elevation is 6478.5 feet above sea level and decreasing at about 2 inches per
day. Releases are 1200 cfs and steady. By the end of March, the reservoir elevation should be
approaching the minimum power pool elevation of 6462 feet above sea level.

FLAMING GORGE - Average daily releases from Flaming Gorge Reservoir are now 2100 cfs. In
response to lower than average snowpaek and a below normal inflow forecast, however, releases will
be reduced to 1800 cfs on February II.

Water year 2000 (which began on October I, 1999), so far has been moderately dry. Upper Green
River basin snowpack is currently only 78 percent of average. The National Weather Service in its
February final forecast is predicting inflow to Flaming Gorge this April through July to be 900,000
acre-feet (75 percent of average).

Releases from Flaming Gorge are currently scheduled to be 1800 cfs from February II through the
remainder of February. If the dry trend continues, releases will be reduced again in March
(to approximately 1500 cfs).