Newsroom Channel

Reclamation Releases Reservoir Information

Controlled water releases from Dickinson Reservoir (Patterson Lake) began today, the Bureau of Reclamation announced. The water will be released through a 24-inch diameter outlet pipe.

"The water releases will provide some melting of river ice prior to peak snowmelt and service spillway releases from Patterson Lake," said Jeff Nettleton, Chief of Facility Operation and Maintenance and Engineering Services at Reclamation's Dakotas Area Office. "Significant snowmelt and increased water inflows into the reservoir are expected later this week when temperatures warm to the upper 40's and 50's."

Water releases from the reservoir will increase as snowmelt occurs and water inflows into the reservoir increase. Landowners along the river below the dam should expect river levels to rise several feet which could cause lowland flooding.

Boysen Reservoir Water Information Meeting

The Wyoming Area Office of the Bureau of Reclamation in Mills, Wyoming, has scheduled a Boysen Reservoir Water Information Meeting in Worland, Wyoming, according to John H. Lawson, Wyoming Area Manager.

The meeting will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 25, 2010, at the Elks Lodge at 604 Coburn Avenue in Worland, Wyoming. Topics of discussion will be current water supply conditions, the 2010 snowmelt runoff forecast, and 2010 projected reservoir operations.

Buffalo Bill Reservoir Water Information Meeting

The Wyoming Area Office of the Bureau of Reclamation in Mills, Wyoming, has scheduled a Buffalo Bill Reservoir Water Information Meeting in Powell, Wyoming, according to John H. Lawson, Wyoming Area Manager.

The meeting will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, March 26, 2010, at the Eagles Lodge at 131 N. Clark in Powell, Wyoming. Topics of discussion will be current water supply conditions, the 2010 snowmelt runoff forecast, and 2010 projected reservoir operations.

Fluctuation of Bighorn River Flow Downstream of Boysen Dam

The Bureau of Reclamation, at the request of, and in collaboration with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGF), has scheduled a flushing flow in the Big Horn River downstream of Boysen Dam. Flows were reduced from 800 cubic feet per second (cfs) to 700 cfs in February to conserve water to provide a flushing flow in late March, according to Wyoming Area Manager, John H. Lawson.

The purpose of the flushing flow is to improve trout reproduction by flushing fine sediments from spawning gravels in the river. The flushing flow also improves insect production in the stream by opening up interstitial spaces between gravels and cobbles. The flushing flow is generally welcomed by anglers because it provides easier wading conditions. Following the flushing flow there is a reduction in floating algae.

Flows in the river below Boysen Dam will fluctuate from 700 cfs to 5000 cfs during the flushing flow. On March 30 at 2:00 a.m., the release of water from Boysen Dam will be increased to 3000 cfs and further increased to 5000 cfs at approximately 7:15 a.m. for 10 hours before being reduced gradually back to 700 cfs by approximately noon on March 31, 2010.

The public is urged to use extreme caution during this period of rapid fluctuation of flows below Boysen Dam.

Alcova Reservoir Water Level to Rise

The annual filling of Alcova Reservoir will begin on Friday, April 2, according to Wyoming Area Manager, John H. Lawson.

During April, the reservoir will rise approximately 10 feet to the summer irrigation operating level. The rate of rise will average approximately five inches per day. Upon reaching the summer irrigation operating level, the reservoir will remain at elevation 5,498 feet plus or minus one foot until Oct. 1. This increase in reservoir level will be completed by May 1 to allow deliveries to the Casper-Alcova Irrigation District Canal.

Recreationists and reservoir users are advised to take proper precautions associated with the rising reservoir level.

Fluctuation of North Platte River Flow Downstream of Gray Reef Dam

The Bureau of Reclamation, at the request of, and in collaboration with, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGF), has scheduled a series of fluctuating flows in the North Platte River downstream of Gray Reef Dam. The purpose of the fluctuations is to improve trout reproduction in the river, according to John H. Lawson, Wyoming Area Manager.

On Mar. 22, 2010, flows in the river below Gray Reef Dam will fluctuate from 500 cubic feet per second (cfs) to 4000 cfs according to the following schedule:

HOURS	GRAY REEF OUTFLOWS (cfs)
00:01 to 01:00 a.m.	500
01:00 to 03:00 a.m.	2000
03:00 to 07:00 a.m.	4000
07:00 to 08:00 a.m.	3000
08:00 to 09:00 a.m	2000
09:00 to 10:00 a.m.	1000
10:00 to midnight	500

This schedule will be repeated again on Mar. 23, Mar. 24, Mar. 25, and Mar. 26, 2010. After completing the flushing flow on Mar. 26, 2010, the flows below Gray Reef Dam will return to a winter flow of 500 cfs.

The flushing flows are expected to clean the spawning gravels of fine sediment which has accumulated over the winter. The fluctuations in the river flow will be achieved without loss of power generation and the water released from Alcova Reservoir will be restored downstream in Glendo Reservoir.

The public is urged to use caution during this period of rapid fluctuation of flows below Gray Reef Dam.

Wyoming Area Snowmelt Runoff Forecast - Bighorn Basin

The Wyoming Area Office of the Bureau of Reclamation in Mills, Wyo., has prepared snowmelt runoff forecasts for the Shoshone and Wind Rivers of the Bighorn River Basin, according to John H. Lawson, Wyoming Area Manager. The March 1 forecast of the spring snowmelt runoff indicates below average April through July snowmelt runoff can be expected at all forecast locations within the Bighorn Basin in Wyoming.

The Shoshone River portion of the Bighorn River Basin forecasted inflow to Buffalo Bill Reservoir during the April through July period is 450,000 acre feet (AF) (68 percent of average), compared to a 30 year average of 660,000 AF.

In the Wind River portion of the Bighorn River Basin, the April through July snowmelt runoff into Bull Lake Reservoir from Bull Lake Creek is expected to be 110,000 AF (78 percent of average), and the snowmelt runoff into the Wind River above Bull Lake Creek is expected to be 230,000 AF (57 percent of average). The forecasted inflow to Boysen Reservoir for the April through July period is 350,000 AF (63 percent of average), compared to a 30 year average of 553,000 AF.

The Wyoming Area Office uses the most recent 30 year period (1980-2009) to determine average.

Wyoming Area Snowmelt Runoff Forecast - North Platte River Basin

The Wyoming Area Office of the Bureau of Reclamation in Mills, Wyo., has prepared snowmelt runoff forecasts for the North Platte River Basin, according to John H. Lawson, Wyoming Area Manager. The March 1 forecast of the spring snowmelt runoff for the North Platte Basin is below average.

Total April through July runoff in the North Platte Basin above Glendo Dam is expected to be 710,000 acre feet (AF) or 80 percent of the 30 year average of 891,100 AF. Approximately 590,000 AF (84 percent of average) of the runoff is expected to enter Seminoe Reservoir with an additional 30,000 AF (49 percent of average) being provided to Pathfinder Reservoir from the Sweetwater River, and the balance of 90,000 AF (72 percent of average) coming from the basin between Pathfinder Reservoir and Glendo Reservoir.

The water in storage for delivery to North Platte Project contractors is 753,551 AF or 130 percent of average. Since the March 1 forecast is below average, Reclamation continues to encourage water conservation in planning for the upcoming season.

Reclamation will update the inflow forecasts again in April, and May.

Reclamation Announces Dust Abatement Repair at the Dikes

The Bureau of Reclamation, Canyon Ferry Field Office, is conducting repair work to the dust abatement dikes in the Canyon Ferry Wildlife Management Area near Townsend, MT. The project began March 3, and is scheduled to be completed on March 18. During the project, residents can expect increased traffic along the Lower Ray Creek Road.

Residents that have questions or concerns may contact Al Seiller of the Canyon Ferry Field Office, at 406-475-3926 or 406-475-3110.

Reclamation Adjusts Releases from Yellowtail Dam

The Bureau of Reclamation today announced adjustments to releases from Yellowtail Dam in south-central Montana.

According to Dan Jewell, Montana Area Manager, the adjustments are necessary as mountain snow water content in the Bighorn River Basin above Yellowtail Dam approaches record low levels.

"We're following the most prudent course of action considering the dismal hydrologic conditions we have to work with," Jewell said. "Making the adjustments now should help limit negative impacts to both upstream and downstream interests, and position us to better meet the multi-purpose objectives of the Yellowtail Unit throughout the remainder of the year."

In response to near-record low inflows forecasted for Yellowtail Dam, Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks recently requested that Reclamation consider reducing releases from Yellowtail Dam to the Bighorn River from 2,500 cubic-feet-per-second (cfs) to 2,000 cfs in an effort to lower the potential for more severe reductions later in the spring.

"I applaud the willingness of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks to consider and offer this type of input for our consideration," Jewell said. "We have been actively promoting a collaborative approach with our stakeholders and customers to ensure we're making the most prudent, best informed decisions possible regarding operations at Yellowtail," he said. "Beginning Wednesday, Feb. 24, and continuing over the next few days, we will begin stepping down releases from Yellowtail Dam until we reach 2000 cfs. This equates to a drop in river level of between four and five inches."

Reclamation"s Yellowtail Unit is a multi-purpose project which, in addition to providing flood control benefits and hydropower generation, supports a blue-ribbon fishery on the Bighorn River below Yellowtail Dam and flat-water recreation on Yellowtail Reservoir (Bighorn Lake) within the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area.

Reclamation and the Corps of Engineers Announce Availability of Draft Environmental Document

The U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have prepared a draft environmental assessment (EA) which identifies alternatives to address fish passage and fish entrainment issues associated with Reclamation's Lower Yellowstone Project. The draft EA analyzes and discloses effects associated with proposed modifications to the Intake Diversion Dam and main canal headworks that are intended to benefit the endangered pallid sturgeon and other native fish.

The Intake Diversion Dam spans the Yellowstone River about 16 miles northeast of Glendive, Mont. The wood and stone structure was constructed by Reclamation in 1905 to enable irrigation of approximately 52,000 acres of land along the west bank of the Yellowstone River.

The Draft EA is available for a 30-day comment period ending March 16, 2010. Public meetings will be held in Glendive and Sidney, Mont., from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. with visual displays and staff on hand to answer questions. A formal presentation will begin at 7 p.m.

The Glendive meeting will be held on Feb. 24, at the Yellowstone River Inn located at 1903 North Merrill Ave.

The Sidney meeting will be held on Feb. 25, at the Community Services Building located at 1201 West Holly St.

Comments can be submitted by various methods:

In person:	At the public meetings.

E-mail to:	IBR6MTADLWRYELL@usbr.gov

Regular mail to:	Paula Holwegner Bureau of Reclamation Montana Area Office P.O. Box 30137 Billings, MT 59107

Facsimile to:	406-247-7338 Attention: Paula Holwegner

For information on the project, previous studies, and public meetings, please visit the project Website at www.usbr.gov/gp/mtao/.

Bureau of Reclamation Announces the Preparation of an Environmental Assessment for the Pathfinder Modification Project

The Bureau of Reclamation is preparing an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Pathfinder Modification Project.

Reclamation will prepare an EA to evaluate environmental effects of making spillway modifications at Pathfinder Reservoir to recapture storage space lost to sediment accumulation in the reservoir.

Inquiries for additional information may be submitted to Reclamation's Wyoming Area Office at the following address: Wyoming Area Office, P.O. Box 1630, Mills, WY 82644-1630.

Reclamation schedules Public Information Meeting on Safety of Dams Issues at Red Willow Dam

The Bureau of Reclamation today announced that a public meeting will be held in McCook, Neb. to inform the public of current and future activities related to Red Willow Dam. The meeting is scheduled for Feb. 18, at the Community Building on the Red Willow County Fairgrounds.

The meeting is scheduled from 6:30-8 p.m. The meeting is to update the public on the current status of the dam as well as the future activities and timelines to address the issues with the dam. There will be a number of Reclamation officials in attendance to provide information and to address questions that the public may have.

Reclamation has established a Web page at www.usbr.gov/gp/nkao/redwillow/ to provide the public with the most up-to-date information available. Users can register at Reclamation's site to receive email or text updates as new information becomes available.

Red Willow Dam, located on Red Willow Creek about 11 miles north of McCook, is an earthfill embankment with a structural height of 126 feet that forms a reservoir of 85,070 acre-feet. An ungated concrete spillway is located in the right abutment. An outlet works through the base of the dam provides for river and irrigation releases for downstream diversions. The reservoir behind this dam is Hugh Butler Lake.

Canyon Ferry Group Use Shelter Reservation Process

To more equitably accommodate the heavy public demand for group use shelters at Canyon Ferry Reservoir, the Bureau of Reclamation is conducting a random drawing for group use shelter reservation requests. To be eligible for the drawing, group use shelter reservation request forms must be received at the Canyon Ferry Office by close of business on February 17. The results of the drawing will be made available no later than 1:00 p.m. on February 18. Reservations will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis for locations and dates still available after the February 18 drawing.

Reservation request forms and additional information can be obtained from Reclamation's Canyon Ferry Office at 7700 Canyon Ferry Road, Helena, MT 59602 or by calling 406-475-3921. Reservation forms and additional group use information can also be found at the following website: http://www.usbr.gov/gp/mtao/canyonferry/index.cfm.

Wyoming Area Snowmelt Runoff Forecast – Bighorn Basin

The Wyoming Area Office of the Bureau of Reclamation in Mills, Wyo., has prepared snowmelt runoff forecasts for the Shoshone and Wind Rivers of the Bighorn River Basin, according to John H. Lawson, Wyoming Area Manager. The Feb. 1 forecast of the spring snowmelt runoff indicates below average April through July snowmelt runoff can be expected at all forecast locations within the Bighorn Basin in Wyoming.

The Shoshone River portion of the Bighorn River Basin forecasted inflow to Buffalo Bill Reservoir during the April through July period is 475,000 acre-feet (af) (72 percent of average), compared to a 30-year average of 660,000 af.

In the Wind River portion of the Bighorn River Basin, the April through July snowmelt runoff into Bull Lake Reservoir from Bull Lake Creek is expected to be 115,000 af (82 percent of average), and the snowmelt runoff into the Wind River above Bull Lake Creek is expected to be 260,000 af (64 percent of average). The forecasted inflow to Boysen Reservoir for the April through July period is 400,000 af (72 percent of average), compared to a 30-year average of 553,000 af.

The Wyoming Area Office uses the most recent 30-year period (1980-2009) to determine average.