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<br />
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<br />
<br />Date: June 12, 2001
<br />
<br />ReCEIVED
<br />JUN 1 8 2001
<br />
<br />From:
<br />
<br />Water Resource Group, Salt Lake City
<br />
<br />CoIOIlldo Waler eonseTVallOn B" ,
<br />"C1,t;
<br />
<br />To: All Colorado River Annual Operating Plan (AOP) Recipients
<br />
<br />Current Status
<br />
<br />May
<br />inflow (unreg)
<br />(Acre' Feet)
<br />
<br />Percent
<br />of normal
<br />
<br />Midnight
<br />June 11
<br />Elevation
<br />
<br />Reservoir
<br />Storage
<br />(Acre'Feetl
<br />
<br />Fontenelle
<br />Flaming Gorge
<br />Blue Mesa
<br />Powell
<br />Navajo
<br />
<br />107,000
<br />179,000
<br />225,000
<br />1,873,000
<br />399,000
<br />
<br />58
<br />62
<br />105
<br />84
<br />143
<br />
<br />6,481.23
<br />6,021,43
<br />7,498,35
<br />3,672,09
<br />6,073,12
<br />
<br />174,000
<br />3,030,000
<br />648,000
<br />20,129,000
<br />L 524,000
<br />
<br />Expected Operation
<br />
<br />FONTENELLE - Releases from Fontenelle Reservoir were 850 cfs from May 14th to June 6th,
<br />The water surface elevation has increase from its low point of the year, at 6463.5 feet above sea
<br />level, to 6480 on June 5th. The Water Supply forecast (April through July total inflow volume),
<br />for June was 335,000 acre-feet (39% of average), This is 115,000 acre-feet less than the May
<br />Water Supply Forecast of 450,000 acre-feet (53% of average). On June 6th and June 7th,
<br />releases were decreased to 700 cfs as a result of the drop in the forecasted volume, With this
<br />decrease in releases, it is anticipated that the peak water surface elevation this year will reach
<br />about 6493,5 feet (about 12,5 feet from full) by the fIrst week of August. Historically, if this
<br />Water Supply forecast turns out to be true, this year could be the 3rd driest on record for
<br />Fontenelle Reservoir (record extends from 1967 to 2001), Only 1977 and 1992 had Spring
<br />inflow volumes below 335,000 acre-feet.
<br />
<br />FLAMING GORGE - From May 16th through May 22nd, releases from Flaming Gorge were
<br />increased to power plant capacity, This Spring peak release was timed with the peak of the
<br />Yampa River to achieve targeted peak flows on the Green River measured at Jensen, Utah,
<br />These target flows are recommended in the 1992 Biological Opinion on the Operation of Flaming
<br />Gorge Dam (Biological Opinion), The Biological Opinion recommends that flows at Jensen,
<br />Utah. should reach a peak of 13,000 to 18,000 cfs and be sustained from I to 6 weeks during the
<br />Spring, This year, the peak flow at Jensen reached 14,500 cfs on May 19th, Flows sustained
<br />about 13,000 cfs for approximately 5 days beginning May 17th and ending May 22nd, The
<br />Yampa River peaked on May 18th at about 10,500 cfs, From all accounts, it looks as if the this
<br />years Spring release was timed correctly at achieve the maximum benefit for endangered species
<br />habitat in the Green River below the Yampa River confluence,
<br />
<br />A Spring peak release from Flaming Gorge is made each year to achieve target flows in various
<br />reaches of the Green River. The target flows were established in the Reasonable and Prudent
<br />Alternative of the Biological Opinion issued by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service
<br />
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