FLAMING GORGE –June observed unregulated inflow into Flaming Gorge reservoir was approximately 575,000 acre-feet (AF), or 122 percent of average inflow. The June end of month elevation was 6030 feet, which equates to 3.328 million acre-feet or 88 percent of live storage capacity. The June mid-month forecast for the April through July unregulated inflow volume into Flaming Gorge Reservoir increase 125,000 acre-feet to 975,000 AF (82 percent of average).
The average daily base flow for the remainder of the base flow period is 1,360 cfs per day. The flexibility outlined in the ROD allows the average daily base flow to vary ± 40% from the average daily base flow for the summer period through November 30, and ± 25% for the winter period from December 1 through the end of February. Releases out of Flaming Gorge are currently fluctuating around a 1,650 cfs daily average.
Flaming Gorge Reservoir elevations have increased nearly 10 feet from June 1, 2009. With the increase in elevation and unregulated inflow forecasts into Flaming Gorge, and in order to meet the May 1 elevation level, Flaming Gorge Dam will be increased to an average daily release of 1,800 cfs from 1,650 cfs. The increase will occur incrementally with increases of 50 cfs/day over a three-day period. The flow patterns for July 1-3, 2009 are shown below. The July 3, 2009 schedule that releases 1,800 cfs/day will remain in effect until further notice. Please note that actual flows may vary from those shown below by more than 20 cfs per hour.
July 1, 2009, 1,700 cfs |
||
Date |
Time (MDT) |
Total Release (cfs) |
7/1/2009 |
0:00 |
824 |
7/1/2009 |
1:00 |
824 |
7/1/2009 |
2:00 |
824 |
7/1/2009 |
3:00 |
824 |
7/1/2009 |
4:00 |
824 |
7/1/2009 |
5:00 |
1,617 |
7/1/2009 |
6:00 |
1,709 |
7/1/2009 |
7:00 |
1,709 |
7/1/2009 |
8:00 |
1,709 |
7/1/2009 |
9:00 |
1,709 |
7/1/2009 |
10:00 |
1,709 |
7/1/2009 |
11:00 |
1,709 |
7/1/2009 |
12:00 |
1,709 |
7/1/2009 |
13:00 |
2,289 |
7/1/2009 |
14:00 |
2,289 |
7/1/2009 |
15:00 |
2,289 |
7/1/2009 |
16:00 |
2,289 |
7/1/2009 |
17:00 |
2,289 |
7/1/2009 |
18:00 |
2,289 |
7/1/2009 |
19:00 |
2,289 |
7/1/2009 |
20:00 |
2,289 |
7/1/2009 |
21:00 |
2,289 |
7/1/2009 |
22:00 |
1,678 |
7/1/2009 |
23:00 |
824 |
July 2, 2009, 1,750 cfs |
||
Date |
Time (MDT) |
Total Release (cfs) |
7/2/2009 |
0:00 |
824 |
7/2/2009 |
1:00 |
824 |
7/2/2009 |
2:00 |
824 |
7/2/2009 |
3:00 |
824 |
7/2/2009 |
4:00 |
824 |
7/2/2009 |
5:00 |
1,617 |
7/2/2009 |
6:00 |
1,862 |
7/2/2009 |
7:00 |
1,862 |
7/2/2009 |
8:00 |
1,862 |
7/2/2009 |
9:00 |
1,862 |
7/2/2009 |
10:00 |
1,862 |
7/2/2009 |
11:00 |
1,862 |
7/2/2009 |
12:00 |
1,862 |
7/2/2009 |
13:00 |
2,289 |
7/2/2009 |
14:00 |
2,289 |
7/2/2009 |
15:00 |
2,289 |
7/2/2009 |
16:00 |
2,289 |
7/2/2009 |
17:00 |
2,289 |
7/2/2009 |
18:00 |
2,289 |
7/2/2009 |
19:00 |
2,289 |
7/2/2009 |
20:00 |
2,289 |
7/2/2009 |
21:00 |
2,289 |
7/2/2009 |
22:00 |
1,831 |
7/2/2009 |
23:00 |
824 |
July 2009, 1,800 cfs |
||
Date |
Time (MDT) |
Total Release (cfs) |
7/3/2009 |
0:00 |
885 |
7/3/2009 |
1:00 |
885 |
7/3/2009 |
2:00 |
885 |
7/3/2009 |
3:00 |
885 |
7/3/2009 |
4:00 |
885 |
7/3/2009 |
5:00 |
1,678 |
7/3/2009 |
6:00 |
2,075 |
7/3/2009 |
7:00 |
2,075 |
7/3/2009 |
8:00 |
2,075 |
7/3/2009 |
9:00 |
2,075 |
7/3/2009 |
10:00 |
2,075 |
7/3/2009 |
11:00 |
2,075 |
7/3/2009 |
12:00 |
2,075 |
7/3/2009 |
13:00 |
2,075 |
7/3/2009 |
14:00 |
2,289 |
7/3/2009 |
15:00 |
2,289 |
7/3/2009 |
16:00 |
2,289 |
7/3/2009 |
17:00 |
2,289 |
7/3/2009 |
18:00 |
2,289 |
7/3/2009 |
19:00 |
2,289 |
7/3/2009 |
20:00 |
2,289 |
7/3/2009 |
21:00 |
2,289 |
7/3/2009 |
22:00 |
1,312 |
7/3/2009 |
23:00 |
885 |
The next Flaming Gorge Working Group meeting is scheduled for June 30, 2009, in Vernal, Utah. The meeting will be held at 7:00 p.m. at the Western Park Convention Center located at 302 East 200 South in Vernal, Utah. For directions, please call 435-789-7396. The Flaming Gorge Working Group is an open public forum for information exchange between Reclamation and the stake holders of Flaming Gorge Dam. The public is encouraged to attend and comment on the operations and plans presented by Reclamation at these meetings. For more information on this group and these meetings please contact Ed Vidmar at 801-379-1182.
There has been some concern that the current release pattern is unusual. The current hourly release pattern each day is a single peak pattern and was discussed at the Flaming Gorge Workgroup public meeting on April 15th in Vernal. While the 2008 daily release pattern did not fluctuate as much as historically, the current daily release pattern is similar to those seen in many recent years. These graphs show hourly release patterns from Flaming Gorge in June, July and January for some recent years. The graph of the Historic June Hourly Release Patterns illustrates that the current release pattern is similar to previous years (2006 & 2007) once the high spring release has ended. I anticipate that this July’s release pattern will look similar to 1994’s hourly release pattern.
The range of fluctuations have actually been greater in the past. In previous years (pre- 1992) the powerplant would often operate from 800 to capacity (originally 4,600 cfs). Under the 2006 Record of Decision Flaming Gorge hydropower releases may still fluctuate but are constrained to maximum and minimum daily releases producing no more than a 0.1 meter change in stage at the USGS steam gage near Jensen, Utah. As the Yampa River stabilizes over the next few weeks to low summer base flow levels, the fluctuating releases from Flaming Gorge Dam may be reduced.
We have also received concerns about what might be happening this winter. The included graph of the Historic January Hourly Release Pattern shows double-peak patterns for 2007 and 2009. We anticipate releases in the winter months of 2009-2010 will be similar to these years.
Additionally, these graphs show the historic unregulated inflow and Flaming Gorge releases for the same years as in the previous document. These graphs illustrate how the flows in the Green River would naturally fluctuate without the regulation that Flaming Gorge provides.
Flaming Gorge was built pursuant to the Colorado River Storage Project Act (CRSPA), enacted to facilitate the development of water and power resources of the Upper Basin states on the Colorado River. The purposes of CRSPA include: storing water for beneficial consumptive use; allowing the Upper Basin states to utilize their apportionments under the Colorado River and Upper Colorado Basin Compacts, and hydroelectric power generation. Flaming Gorge operates to store water for the Upper Basin States, to meet various demands for water use and to generate power. The power generated at Flaming Gorge provides a significant contribution to power for the West and the revenues from its sale pay for over 88% the dam and allow for its operation for its many uses. The ability of the dam to respond to our changing electricity demands through the day is key to the value of the facility.
I hope that this information provides some perspective on Flaming Gorge’s operations and answers some concerns. I will continue to update the community regarding any changes to the release pattern from Flaming Gorge Dam.
CRSPA can be found at: http://www.usbr.gov/lc/region/g1000/pdfiles/crspuc.pdf
Updated 06/30/09
Heather Patno
Email comments/inquires to: ResourceMgr@usbr.gov