Upper Colorado Region Operations

CRFS—Technical MeetingNovember 14, 2012

Green River Basin – Fontenelle and Flaming Gorge

Fontenelle Inflow and Release

2013 Spring Peak 2,300 cfs

Fontenelle Release

-50.00

0.00

50.00

100.00

150.00

200.00

250.00

300.00

350.00

400.00

Jul-12 Oct-12 Jan-13 May-13 Aug-13 Nov-13 Mar-14 Jun-14 Sep-14 Dec-14

Dat

a U

nits

(Var

ies)

Timestep Number (Months)

10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% Min Max Most

Fontenelle Reservoir Elevation

6460.00

6465.00

6470.00

6475.00

6480.00

6485.00

6490.00

6495.00

6500.00

6505.00

6510.00

Jul-12 Oct-12 Jan-13 May-13 Aug-13 Nov-13 Mar-14 Jun-14 Sep-14 Dec-14

Data

Uni

ts (V

arie

s)

Timestep Number (Months)

10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% Min Max Most

Flaming Gorge Inflow and Release

Flaming Gorge Reservoir Elevation

6010.00

6015.00

6020.00

6025.00

6030.00

6035.00

6040.00

Jul-12 Oct-12 Jan-13 May-13 Aug-13 Nov-13 Mar-14 Jun-14 Sep-14 Dec-14

Dat

a U

nits

(Var

ies)

Timestep Number (Months)

10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% Min Max Most

Flaming Gorge Release

-20.00

30.00

80.00

130.00

180.00

230.00

280.00

330.00

380.00

Jul-12 Oct-12 Jan-13 May-13 Aug-13 Nov-13 Mar-14 Jun-14 Sep-14 Dec-14

Dat

a U

nits

(Var

ies)

Timestep Number (Months)

10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% Min Max Most

Larval Trigger Study Plan

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

141-

Jan

16-J

an

31-J

an

15-F

eb

1-M

ar

16-M

ar

31-M

ar

15-A

pr

30-A

pr

15-M

ay

30-M

ay

14-J

un

29-J

un

14-J

ul

29-J

ul

Rele

ase

(Kcf

s)

Thou

sand

s

Day

FG Release and Green River FlowsCalendar Year 2012

LARVAL PRESENCE FG release (cfs) Green River near Jensen flow (cfs) Yampa River at Deerlodge flow (cfs)

Larval Trigger Study Plan 2012 Target 8,300 cfs for at least one day measured on the

Green River at Jensen, UtahObserved 5 days above 8,300 cfs

Aspinall Unit Reservoir Operations

2012

Operational Considerations• Aspinall Unit Purposes

– Water storage / Compact Development– Power Production– Flood Control

• Downstream Flow Requirements - including Senior Water Rights, timing side-inflows

• Target Elevations• Meeting the ROD flow targets at Whitewater• Others - Including Recreation and Safety

2002

2012

1990

2004

1989

1976

2010

2000

1994

1974

2005

1999

1969

2009

1987

1996

1983

1979

1980

2008

1985

1995

0

200,000

400,000

600,000

800,000

1,000,000

1,200,000

1,400,000

1,600,000

Blue Mesa Reservoir, ColoradoHistoric April-July Unregulated Inflow Volume Ranking (1969-2012)

Runoff Year

Vol

ume

(Arc

e-F

eet)

Moderately Dry 70-90%

Dry >90%

Average Dry 50-70%

Average Wet 30-50%

Moderately Wet 10-30%

Wet < 10%

2012 Final Runoff Volume(206,000 Acre-Feet, 93% exceedance)

Jan 1st Feb 1st Feb 15th Mar 1st Mar 15th Apr 1st Apr 15th May 1st May 15th Jun 1st Jun 15th Jul 1st Jul 15th Actual0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

1100

1200

1300

1400

450 450 450 450 420

330 315

230 230196 196 196 204 206

555 555 555 555515

400385

260 265225 225 228 236 241

Aspinall UnitForecasted Unregulated Inflow

Blue Mesa Inflow Crystal Inflow

Forecast Date

20

12

Ap

r-J

uly

Fo

rec

as

ted

Infl

ow

(1

00

0 a

c-f

t)

Bar labels are forecastin 1000 ac-ft

Lines indicate1981-2010 average

814 cfs May 1 Forecast230 KAF

Actual 24 Hr Peak845 cfs

200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 15000

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

16000

Peak Flow Target at Whitewater

Forecast BM Apr-Jul Inflow (thousand af)

Pe

ak

Q (

cfs

)

DRY

WETMODWET

AVGWET

AVGDRY

MODDRY

900 cfs

Drought Rules During Dry and Moderately Dry years, if Blue Mesa Reservoir

content drops below 600,000 af, the Whitewater baseflow target is reduced from 1050 cfs to 900 cfs until Blue Mesa Reservoir content exceeds 600,000 af

Whitewater Baseflow Targets

2012 Spring Operational Goals

• Black Canyon Water Right• One Day Peak Target 814 cfs

• ROD Peak Flow at Whitewater• 900 cfs (1 days)

• <14,000 cfs at Delta, CO• Safe Ramping Rates• Fill Blue Mesa

5/1/

2012

0:0

0

5/4/

2012

0:0

0

5/7/

2012

0:0

0

5/10

/201

2 0:

00

5/13

/201

2 0:

00

5/16

/201

2 0:

00

5/19

/201

2 0:

00

5/22

/201

2 0:

00

5/25

/201

2 0:

00

5/28

/201

2 0:

00

5/31

/201

2 0:

00

6/3/

2012

0:0

0

6/6/

2012

0:0

0

6/9/

2012

0:0

0

6/12

/201

2 0:

00

6/15

/201

2 0:

00

6/18

/201

2 0:

00

6/21

/201

2 0:

00

6/24

/201

2 0:

00

6/27

/201

2 0:

00

6/30

/201

2 0:

00

7/3/

2012

0:0

0

7/6/

2012

0:0

0

7/9/

2012

0:0

0

7/12

/201

2 0:

00

7/15

/201

2 0:

00

7/18

/201

2 0:

00

7/21

/201

2 0:

00

7/24

/201

2 0:

00

7/27

/201

2 0:

00

7/30

/201

2 0:

00

8/2/

2012

0:0

0

8/5/

2012

0:0

00

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2000

Gunnison River Flows

Crystal Dam Gunnison R - Black CanyonNorth Fork @ Confluence Gunnison @ Whitewater

Black Canyon Wa-ter Right was meet on June 30 th

Oct-0

1

Fe

b-0

2

Jun

-02

Oct-0

2

Fe

b-0

3

Jun

-03

Oct-0

3

Fe

b-0

4

Jun

-04

Oct-0

4

Fe

b-0

5

Jun

-05

Oct-0

5

Fe

b-0

6

Jun

-06

Oct-0

6

Fe

b-0

7

Jun

-07

Oct-0

7

Fe

b-0

8

Jun

-08

Oct-0

8

Fe

b-0

9

Jun

-09

Oct-0

9

Fe

b-1

0

Jun

-10

Oct-1

0

Fe

b-1

1

Jun

-11

Oct-1

1

Fe

b-1

2

Jun

-12

Oct-1

2

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

600,000

700,000

800,000

900,000

Blue Mesa Reservoir

Time

Re

se

rvo

ir C

on

ten

t (A

F)

Top of Active Conservation Pool

Water year 2002 is the record for low-est inflow

Water 2012, 3rd lowest in-flow yearAfter the 2002 drought

year, it took 4 years to recover normal storage

Jan

-20

12

Fe

b-2

01

2

Ma

r-2

01

2

Ap

r-2

01

2

Ma

y-2

01

2

Jun

-20

12

Jul-

20

12

Au

g-2

01

2

Se

p-2

01

2

Oct

-20

12

No

v-2

01

2

De

c-2

01

2

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

4,000

4,500

5,000

5,500

6,000

6,500

7,000

7,500

8,000

8,500

9,000

9,500

10,000

7440.00

7444.00

7448.00

7452.00

7456.00

7460.00

7464.00

7468.00

7472.00

7476.00

7480.00

7484.00

7488.00

7492.00

7496.00

7500.00

7504.00

7508.00

7512.00

7516.00

7520.00

Blue Mesa Reservoir

Forecasted Inflow

Actual Inflow

Comparative Year Inflow

Ave Unreg Inflow

Projected Elevation

Actual Elevation

Average Elevation

Date

Infl

ow

(c

fs)

Ele

va

tio

n (

Fe

et)

Projections based on 206000 Acre-Feet of April-July runoff, using analog year 2002

July 16, 2011, Blue Mesa elevation 7519.22 feet, 0.18 feet from top of

gate

Blue Mesa reservoir elevation 7452.42 feet, or 39.3% full.

~ 67 feet

30

31

Upper Colorado River – Lake Powell

Unit Number

Oct 2012

Nov 2012

Dec 2012

Jan 2013

Feb 2013

Mar 2013

Apr 2013

May 2013

Jun 2013

Jul 2013

Aug 2013

Sep 2013

1

2

3

4

5

6 (3/4 Unit)

7

8

Units Available 5 7 7 5 7 7 7 7 7 5

Capacity (cfs)

19,500 21,700 21,700 15,000 21,700 21,700 21,700 21,700 21,700 14,800

Capacity (kaf/month)

1310 1380 1330 1330 920 1230 1290 1330 1290 1330 1330 940

Max (kaf) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Most (kaf) 494 724 800 800 600 600 550 600 800 808 850 600

Min (kaf) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Glen Canyon Power Plant Planned Unit Outage Schedule for Water Year 2013(updated 11-13-2012)

8

7

25,200

21,700

35

6

7

18,100

21,700

36

37

38