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<br />,.
<br />.'
<br />
<br />RECEIVED
<br />JUL 1 7 2001
<br />
<br />Date: July 10, 2001
<br />
<br />CllIorado Waf.r Cons,"'aUon BoanJ
<br />
<br />From:
<br />
<br />Water Resource Group, Salt Lake City
<br />
<br />To:
<br />
<br />All Colorado River Annual Operating Plan (AOP) Recipients
<br />
<br />Current Status
<br />
<br />June
<br />inflow (unreg)
<br />(Acre'Feet)
<br />
<br />Percent
<br />of normal
<br />
<br />Midnight
<br />July 9
<br />Elevation
<br />
<br />Reservoir
<br />Storage
<br />(Acre' Feet)
<br />
<br />Fontenelle
<br />Flaming Gorge
<br />Blue Mesa
<br />Powell
<br />Navajo
<br />
<br />'73,000
<br />99,000
<br />155,000
<br />1, 359,000
<br />221,000
<br />
<br />21
<br />21
<br />55
<br />46
<br />89
<br />
<br />6,484,02
<br />6,021.02
<br />7,501.66
<br />3,672.14
<br />6,069,62
<br />
<br />190,000
<br />3,016,000
<br />675,000
<br />20,136,000
<br />1,475,000
<br />
<br />Expected Operation
<br />
<br />FONTENELLE - Releases have been 700 cfs since June 7th 2001. Inflows have declined to
<br />about 700 cfs and the elevation of FontenelIe is steady at 6483.5 feet above sea level. The
<br />elevation' has most likely reached its peak for the year and will likely begin to decline during the
<br />July, The water supply forecast (Total volume of inflow for April through July) for Fontenelle
<br />decreased from 335,000 acre-feet (39% of normal) in June, to 273,000 acre-feet (32 % of normal)
<br />in July, This year the Spring runoff for Fontenelle will most likely be the 3rd driest since the
<br />closure of the dam, Releases will remain at 700 cfs during July and could likely be reduced to
<br />600 cfs in August to conserve storage,
<br />
<br />FLAMING GORGE - Beginning July 2nd, 2001, releases were decreased to 800 cfs. Under an
<br />unofficial agreement with the Department of Natural Resources for the State of Utah, the Bureau
<br />of Reclamation has agreed to releases a minimum of 800 cfs except in rare cases when storage is
<br />not available, This release also meets the recommended flows for the 1992 Biological Opinion
<br />on the Operation of Flaming Gorge Dam (Biological Opinion) during dry years. Releases will
<br />likely remain at 800 cfs during summer, fall and winter to conserve storage and maintain the
<br />water surface elevation of the reservoir.
<br />
<br />From the July Water Supply Forecast (April through July unregulated inflow volume), it appears
<br />that this years Spring runoff into Flaming Gorge will be the 3rd driest on record, Only 1977 and
<br />1992 had Spring runoff volumes that were less than what is anticipated for this year, The July
<br />forecast is calling for 419,000 acre-feet (35% of normal) of unregulated inflow during the April
<br />through July period, This is down from 500,000 acre-feet (42% of nonnal) that was issued last
<br />month, Based on the latest forecast, the elevation of Flaming Gorge will likely remain between
<br />6020 and 6021 for the summer and autumn months,
<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 web page: http://www,pro,uc,usbr.gov/fgwg
<br />
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