Lower Colorado River Operations Schedule

Note: You may now view this report with near real-time data at this link. The link is updated hourly with our most recent operations data and operational projections.


Releases from Davis and Parker dams will vary from about 4,300 cubic feet per second
(cfs) to 21,000 cfs during a 24-hour period.  River levels will vary during the 24-hour
periods with the higher levels coinciding with periods of peak hydroelectric power
generation.  Levels below the dams are usually highest during the afternoon and early
evening.  Average daily releases may vary in response to changing conditions.

Average daily releases and midnight lake elevations for the week, as well as
anticipated averages for the following 2 weeks, are scheduled as follows:


                   Parker              Davis               Hoover
                   Dam       Lake      Dam       Lake      Dam        Lake
                   Average   Havasu    Average   Mohave    Average    Mead
                   Release   Elev.     Release   Elev.     Release    Elev.
       Date        (cfs)     (ft)      (cfs)     (ft)      (cfs)      (ft)
       -----       -----     -----     -----     -----     -----      -----
       Oct  2       8900     448.0      9800     638.6      7500      1065.8
       Oct  3       9000     447.9      9800     638.4      7500      1065.8
       Oct  4       8400     447.9     10000     638.1      7500      1065.8
       Oct  5       5800     448.2     10400     637.9      7500      1065.8
       Oct  6       8800     448.2     10300     637.6      7500      1065.8
       Oct  7       8700     448.2      9900     637.4      7500      1065.8
       Oct  8       8800     448.2      9900     637.2      6900      1065.8
       
       Average      8300               10000                7400
       
       Oct  9 to
       Oct 15       7700     448.2      9200     635.3      6200      1066.1
       
       Oct 16 to
       Oct 22       7300     448.2      8800     635.2      9000      1065.9


Current Lake Powell storage is 8,792 thousand acre-feet (KAF) (38 percent of capacity).
Lake Mead storage is 8,893 KAF (34 percent of capacity).  Total system storage is 25,318
KAF (43 percent of capacity).  Lake Powell elevation is 3,573.60 feet.

The observed April-July unregulated inflow for the Colorado River is 10.62 million acre-feet or 166 percent of average.

Yesterday, the average Colorado River flows were 933 cfs near the Yuma Fourth Avenue
Bridge and 1,303 cfs at the Northerly International Boundary.  The average release from
Painted Rock Dam was 0 cfs and Alamo Dam was 20 cfs.  The Morelos Dam diversions for the
week of 02-Oct-2023 are expected to be 852 cfs.

ALL RIVER USERS should remember that fluctuating river flows may conceal or create
natural hazards such as moving sandbars, gravel bars, unstable riverbanks, floating or
submerged debris, or other unfamiliar obstacles.  Caution should be exercised while using
the river between Davis Dam and the Mexican Border at San Luis, Arizona.

                This Schedule can now be accessed on the Internet at:
                   www.usbr.gov/lc/region/g4000/hourly/rivops.html





Last updated: 28-Sep-2023


Please contact the Water Operations Control Center via e-mail at bcoowaterops@usbr.gov or via phone at (702) 293-8373 for additional questions or information.