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<br />\ <br /> <br />the basin leaving much needed moisture. As of December 16, the <br />mountain snowpack is 166 percent of normal for the San Juan Basin <br />and 137 percent of normal for the Animas River Basin. <br /> <br />Currently releases from Navajo are 252 cfs. This low flow is <br />primarily due to ongoing endangered fish studies. The test flow <br />is being made to evaluate the effects of low flows on endangered <br />fish living in the San Juan River and are expected to continue <br />through February 1997. <br /> <br />The next operation meeting will be held in March 1997. Anyone <br />needing information about daily operations please contact <br />Don Fazzan or Rege Leach at the Durango Office at (970) 385-6500. <br /> <br />GLEN CANYON - Inflow to Lake Powell in November increased <br />slightly over previous months, to 86 percent of normal, the <br />result of significant fall storms. Inflow is expected to remain <br />slightly below average through the winter months. <br /> <br />With the signing of the Record of Decision by Secretary Babbitt, <br />two of the hourly operating parameters of Glen Canyon Dam have <br />been changed, the maximum hourly up ramp rate and the maximum <br />allowable release under normal power plant operations. The first <br />parameter is now 4,000 cfs/hr (up from 2,500 cfs/hr) and the <br />second limit has been raised from 20,000 cfs to 25,000 cfs. The <br />increase in upramping at the dam will mean that hydropower <br />resources can respond more quickly to changing power demands. <br />The increase in maximum release will likely affect only those <br />months in which the monthly release volume is greater than <br />900,000 acre-feet. <br /> <br />Actual implementation of these changes in operating parameters <br />will follow the preparation of final operating criteria and a <br />plan of operations as directed by the 1992 Grand Canyon <br />Protection Act and will likely occur by December 1996. <br /> <br />/ <br /> <br />Releases this fall will average about 10,000 cfs in November, <br />rising to about 13,000 cfs in December. Daily fluctuations (the <br />difference between the daily maximum and minimum) will be limited <br />to 6,000 cfs through November and 8,000 cfs for December. <br />Beginning on January 1,1997, runoff projections will be issued by <br />the National Weather Service for the 1997 spring runoff. These <br />firmer estimates will likely affect the monthly releases for <br />calendar year 1997. <br /> <br />For the next year or two, releases to equalize storage between <br />Lakes Powell and Mead are expected to control the annual release <br />