|
<br />.
<br />
<br />.
<br />
<br />which is charged with administering the Endangered Species Act (ESA), The Biological Opinion
<br />stated that operations of Flaming Gorge Dam, as occurred during the 1960's, 1970's and 1980s,
<br />jeopardized the continued existence of four species of endangered fish living in the Green River,
<br />The Reasonable and Prudent Alternative established several criteria that, if achieved, would
<br />reduce jeopardy to these endangered fishes. Since 1992, operational decisions at Flaming Gorge
<br />have been made in order to achieve these criteria while minimizing impacts to the other resources
<br />(i,e, water storage, recreation, etc,) for which Flaming Gorge was authorized by Congress,
<br />
<br />Since 1992, research has been done to improve the criteria established in the Reasonable and
<br />Prudent Alternative of the Biological Opinion, In 2000, a report entitled "Flow and Temperature
<br />Recommendations for Endangered Fishes in the Green River Downstream of Flaming Gorge
<br />Dam"(Flow Recommendations) was published, The information and recommendations found in
<br />the Flow Recommendations are considered to be an improvement over the information and
<br />recommendations found in the Biological Opinion, Currently, Reclamation is conducting a
<br />National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process to adopt the criteria established in the Flow
<br />Recommendations for making operational decisions at Flaming Gorge Dam,
<br />
<br />In June, releases from Flaming Gorge will have a daily average flow of about 1000 cfs, Hour to
<br />hour fluctuations will likely be occurring during June. The fluctuating pattern will likely have a
<br />maximum and minimum release each day of approximately 1250 cfs and 820 cfs respectively
<br />with a single daily peak, Sunday releases will be steady at about 820 cfs. In July, releases will
<br />likely be reduced to 800 cfs with no hour to hour fluctuations,
<br />
<br />Open forum discussions on Flaming Gorge operations have been taking place at meetings of the
<br />"Flaming Gorge Working Group", For more information about the Working Group Meeting,
<br />contact Ed Vidmar at 801-379-1182 or access the working group web page at:
<br />http://www,pro.uc.usbr.gov/fgwg
<br />
<br />ASPINALL - May unregulated inflow into Blue Mesa Reservoir was 225,000 acre-feet or 105
<br />percent of average, Precipitation in the Gunnison basin for May was 115 percent of average,
<br />There is practically no snowpack left in the basin at this time, a result of another early year
<br />runoff, Even at the higher elevations above 11,000 feet there appears to be no real snowpack
<br />left, Most of the tributary streams and the main Gunnison River flows peaked about mid May,
<br />Blue Mesa Reservoir had a peak inflow of about 4,800 cfs recorded on May 16,2001. Since that
<br />time the runoff has slowly receded and we expect the spring runoff to reach nonnal summer base
<br />flows within the next several weeks, The current inflow rate into Blue Mesa Reservoir is about
<br />3,200 cfs and reservoir releases are averaging about 1,200 cfs. Blue Mesa's present elevation is
<br />7497,92 feet, which corresponds to a storage content of about 644,000 acre-feet. The June
<br />inflow forecast issued by the National Weather Service on June 6, 2001, forecasted April through
<br />July unregulated inflow into Blue Mesa Reservoir to be about 500,000 acre-feet, or 69 percent of
<br />average, This is a reduction of 30,000 acre-feet from last month's forecasted inflow.
<br />
<br />Releases from Crystal Dam are currently set at 1600 cfs, The Gunnison Diversion Tunnel has
<br />been flowing at 950 cfs over the last few weeks. Flows below the diversion tunnel remain steady
<br />at about 650 cfs, With respect to this year's lower than normal runoff, and the projected fill of
<br />Blue Mesa Reservoir will only be around the 7500 foot level, almost 19,0 feet from full, the
<br />flows down the Black Canyon of the Gunnison will likely remain at 600 cfs for this summer
<br />season.
<br />
|