HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE MONTH
DAKOTAS AREA OFFICE
End-of-month elevation at Angostura Reservoir for the month of April was the second lowest in 55 years of record.
April end-of-month elevation at Shadehill Reservoir was the fourth lowest in 55 years of record.
End-of-month storage at Lake Tschida Reservoir was the sixth lowest content on record for the month of April. Inflows to the reservoir were the sixth lowest on record for the month of April.
EASTERN COLORADO AREA OFFICE
The Lake Granby storage of 288,300 acre-feet (AF) on April 30, 2007, was 40,400 AF below average and 28,000 AF lower than 1 year ago. Colorado-Big Thompson Project storage water in Lake Granby, Carter Lake, and Horsetooth Reservoir was 493,200 AF on April 30, 2007, 71,300 AF below average and 61 percent of the total available storage capacity.
Total water storage in the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project at the end of April 2007, was 441,200 AF, and 55,700 AF higher than 1 year ago.
MONTANA AREA OFFICE
For the month of April, inflows to Clark Canyon Reservoir were the fourth lowest on record, while inflows to Lake Sherburne were the fourteenth highest on record.
End of April storage at Canyon Ferry Reservoir was the seventh highest on record and at Gibson Reservoir the end of April storage was the eleventh highest on record. End of April storage in Clark Canyon Reservoir was the thirteenth highest on record.
NEBRASKA-KANSAS AREA OFFICE
April precipitation was the greatest recorded for the month at Red Willow, Medicine Creek, and Virginia Smith dams and the second greatest at Trenton Dam. Areas of southwest Nebraska and northwest Kansas recorded 4 to 7 inches of rainfall from April 20th through the 24th that resulted in some minor localized flooding. Republican River flows reached 3,500 cfs above Harlan County Lake. Storm runoff increased the storage in Harlan County Lake by approximately 24,000 acre-feet with a peak average daily inflow of 2,300 cfs.
The end of April storage was the lowest ever recorded fro the month at Bonny Reservoir and Waconda Lake. End of April storage at Box Butte Reservoir was the second lowest on record.
WYOMING AREA OFFICE
Bighorn River Basin
Nothing significant to report.
North Platte River Basin
Seminoe Reservoir recorded the sixth lowest end of April storage in the last 30 years and Pathfinder Reservoirs had the third lowest end of April storage in the last 30 years. The Kendrick storage ownership was the second lowest April ownership in the last 30 years. The Glendo ownership was the second lowest April ownership in the last 30 years.
Glendo Reservoir Powerplant recorded the eight lowest April generation in the last 30 years. Guernsey Reservoir Powerplant tied for the ninth lowest April generation in the last 30 years.
OKLAHOMA-TEXAS AREA OFFICE
Nothing significant to report.
CORPS OF ENGINEERS - MAIN-STEM RESERVOIRS
Two months of rain over most of the eastern and southern portions of the Missouri River basin resulted in flows above full service navigation levels while releases remained near minimum levels for water supply. The low releases provided steady to rising levels in the three largest reservoirs in Montana and the Dakotas during the start of the forage fish spawn.
Runoff for April was 72 percent of normal. For 2007, the revised forecast is 20.3 MAF, 81 percent of normal. Normal runoff is 25.2 MAF. The mountain snowpack above Fort Peck is currently 77 percent of normal. In the reach between Fort Peck and Garrison, the snowpack is 81 percent of normal.
System storage at the end of April was 35.6 MAF, 0.3 MAF lower than last month.
The six main-stem powerplants generated 298 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity in April, only 42 percent of normal. This level of generation was attributed to the lower pool levels and the decrease in releases from the dams. Total energy production for 2007 is forecasted to be 5.4 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) compared to a normal of 10 billion kWh.