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Reclamation Reservoir Information
Media Contact:
Jeff Nettleton , 605.394.9757 , jnettleton@gp.usbr.gov
Curt Anderson , 605.394.9757 , canderson@gp.usbr.gov
For Release: June 06, 2008
Recent heavy rainfall has filled the Belle Fourche Reservoir according to Jeff Nettleton, Manager of the Bureau of Reclamations Rapid City Field Office. As of June 5, 2008, the reservoir was 4 inches above the full elevation of 2975 feet.
The Belle Fourche Irrigation District is releasing water from the reservoir to the two major canals to slow the reservoir rise. Once flows into the reservoir peak and the releases from the canals exceed the inflows, the reservoir will be drawn back down to elevation 2975 feet.
Nettleton explained that the Belle Fourche Reservoir filled on Memorial Day and the District was maintaining a full elevation until the rains that occurred the last two days. Inflows to the reservoir increased from around 100 cubic feet per second to near 2000 cubic feet per second by noon Friday.
Since May 1, 2008, inflows to the Belle Fourche Reservoir have totaled over 65,000 acre-feet. This total has occurred with the supply canal to the reservoir shut off since May 30th. Average inflows for this period are around 15,000 acre-feet.
We have certainly been blessed with good moisture and inflows to all the reservoirs operated out of Reclamations Rapid City Field Office and have benefited with needed storage, said Nettleton.
Following is the status of the reservoirs:
Pactola Reservoir
As of June 5th the reservoir was at elevation 4554.40 which is 25.8 feet from full. Since May 1st Pactola has received 8,400 acre-feet. Average for this period is approximately 7,000 acre-feet. Since January 1, 2008, Pactola has risen about 15 feet and its level as of May 31, 2008 is 1 foot higher than last year at the same time. Pactola is currently 66 percent full and inflows are averaging about 140 cfs which is slightly above average.
Deerfield Reservoir
The current release at Deerfield is 7 cubic feet per second (cfs) and the reservoir level has risen over 2 feet since the first of May. Inflows for the month of May at Deerfield were about 90 percent of average. Deerfield is currently 84 percent full.
Keyhole Reservoir
Inflows to Keyhole since October 1, 2007 are 148 percent of average and for the month of May they were 430 percent of average. Since May 1st, Keyhole has risen nearly 5 feet with an increase in storage of over 21,000 acre-feet. Current inflows to Keyhole are averaging over 200 cfs. Keyhole is currently 45 percent full.
Shadehill Reservoir
Shadehill Reservoir on the Grand River near Lemmon, South Dakota, is about 11 feet from full. Shadehill Reservoir drainage has not received as much rain as the other reservoirs. Since May 1st, Shadehill has risen over 3 feet in elevation and inflows during the month of May were 111 percent of average. For water year 2008 Shadehill inflows are 21 percent of average. Shadehill is currently 62 percent full. Angostura Reservoir
Water Year 2008 inflows at Angostura Reservoir are 71 percent of average. Since May 1, 2008, Angostura Reservoir has risen 8 feet and the storage has increased by 25,000 acre-feet. Angostura is 9.3 feet below the full pool level at its present elevation of 3177.9. Current inflows are averaging over 500 cfs. Angostura is currently 69 percent full.
For more information, please contact Jeff Nettleton or Curt Anderson at 605.394.9757
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