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<br />'I ,I (j 20,S .J <br /> <br />Crystal Dam releases water to the Gunnison River through its poweIplant and river outlets. <br />The outlets can release up to 2,030 and 2,100 cubic feet per second (cfs), respectively. <br />When releasing water to meet any pUIpose, the BOR historically minimized use of the non- <br />power generating river outlet (and the spillway). The only diversion of the releases before <br />the Black Canyon and the Gunnison Gorge is through the Gunnison Tunnel of the <br />Uncompahgre Valley Reclamation Project (Uncompahgre Project) and is physically capable <br />of diverting up to 1,135 cfs, <br /> <br />When operation of Blue Mesa Dam began in 1965, minimum flows of 100 cfs through the <br />Black Canyon were provided, With construction of Crystal Dam and Reservoir in 1976, the <br />BOR increased these minimum flows to 200 cfs, On the basis of instream flow studies for <br />the Gold Medal Trout fishery, the BOR increased minimum releases in 1985, Since that <br />time, the BOR's goal has been to maintain at least 300 cfs through the Black Canyon, except <br />during extreme drought or emergencies. A combination of the natural flow conditions, water <br />passed to downstream senioT water rights, and water stored in Blue Mesa Reservoir and <br />released for hydropower generation pUIposes has historically maintained the minimum flow. <br /> <br />In 1975, an exchange agreement was reached among the BOR and three non-Federal panies, <br />the Uncompahgre Valley Water Users Association, Colorado River Water Conservation <br />District, and Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District, which provided for the <br />exchange of water between Taylor Park Reservoir (a storage feature of the Uncompahgre <br />Valley Reclamation Project constructed on a tributary of the Gunnison River upstream of the <br />Aspinall Unit) and Blue Mesa Reservoir, This unique 1975 Agreement provides for water <br />released from the upstream Taylor Park Reservoir to enhance fish and recreational flows to <br />then be credited and stored in Blue Mesa Reservoir, When needed for irrigation of lands in <br />the Uncompahgre Valley, the water is then released by the Aspinall Unit dams, and diverted <br />through the Gunnison Tunnel. <br /> <br />U sing concepts developed during 1991, BOR began holding meetings with concerned panies <br />each January, April, and August to coordinate and detennine the operation of the Aspinall <br />Unit for the period between each meeting. Operating decisions made at these meetings <br />consider water supply forecasts and implications to the 24-month studies for all the Colorado <br />River Storage Project reservoirs, Input from affected agencies has resulted in BOR meeting <br />requests for irrigation, power generation, and instream flows as well as requests for special <br />flows needed for various endangered fish, trout, and sedimentation studies, <br /> <br />3 <br />