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 1,800 cubic feet per second
(cfs) to 20,000 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 in the morning and 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)
       -----       -----     -----     -----     -----     -----      -----
       Mar 18      10800     447.0     14500     642.0     15200      1075.8
       Mar 19      12400     446.9     13700     642.1     15200      1075.7
       Mar 20      12400     446.8     14500     642.1     15200      1075.6
       Mar 21       6100     447.4     13700     642.2     15200      1075.6
       Mar 22      11000     447.5     13700     642.3     15200      1075.5
       Mar 23      11000     447.5     13700     642.4     15200      1075.4
       Mar 24      11000     447.5     14100     642.4     14500      1075.3
       
       Average     10700               14000               15100
       
       Mar 25 to
       Mar 31      11400     447.6     14600     642.5     15200      1074.8
       
       Apr  1 to
       Apr  7      12400     447.6     17300     642.8     18400      1073.5


Current Lake Powell storage is 7,833 thousand acre-feet (KAF) (34 percent of capacity).
Lake Mead storage is 9,686 KAF (37 percent of capacity).  Total system storage is 24,736
KAF (42 percent of capacity).  Lake Powell elevation is 3,560.65 feet.

The April-July unregulated inflow forecast for the Colorado River is 5.00 million acre-
feet or 78 percent of average.

Yesterday, the average Colorado River flows were 919 cfs near the Yuma Fourth Avenue
Bridge and 2,168 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 18-Mar-2024 are expected to be 2,247 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: 14-Mar-2024


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.