Current Status
Last Updated: October 24, 2023
Aspinall Unit Reservoirs – As of October 21, 2023, releases from Crystal Dam are approximately 1,100 cfs. Flows of the Gunnison River in the Black Canyon are being maintained at about 330 cfs while the Gunnison Tunnel is diverting 820 cfs. Flows in the Whitewater Reach of the Gunnison River are about 1,010 cfs.
The unregulated inflow volume in September to Blue Mesa was 26,100 af (86 percent of average). Unregulated Inflow volumes forecasted for Blue Mesa for the next three months (October, November and December) are projected to be: 29,000 af (78 percent of average), 28,000 af (93 percent of average) and 26,000 af (104 percent of average), respectively. The October 24-Month Study will be reflective of these new forecasted inflows.
The forecasted 2024 water year unregulated inflow volume to Blue Mesa is projected to be 845,000 af (93 percent of average). The water supply period (April-July) for 2024 is forecasted currently for an unregulated inflow volume of to be 595,000 af of unregulated inflow (94 percent of average).
Blue Mesa elevation has increased dramatically between April and the end of June in water year 2023. On April 9, 2023 the elevation of Blue Mesa was 7444.46 feet above sea level and Blue Mesa was 36.3% full. On June 25, 2023, the elevation of Blue Mesa reached its peak for the year at 7512.47 feet above sea level and Blue Mesa storage reached 92 4% of full. Blue Mesa ended water year 2023 (September 30, 2023) at an elevation of 7496.50 feet with about 629,478 acre-feet of storage which was 76 percent of capacity.
The Aspinall Unit Operations Group is an open public forum for information exchange between Reclamation and the stakeholders of the Aspinall Unit. The public is encouraged to attend and comments on the operations and plans presented by Reclamation at these meetings. Meeting notes from past working Group meetings are posted on the Operations Group webpage. For more information on this group and these meetings please contact Erik Knight in the Grand Junction Area Office at (970) 248-0629.
The next Operations Group meeting will be held January 18, 2024 at 1:00 p.m., in person in Montrose Colorado. This will be an in-person meeting with an option for remote participation. Contact Erik Knight in the Grand Junction Area Office at (970) 248-0629 to get more information regarding this Operation Group meeting.
Update 10/21/2023 - Rick Clayton
To view the most current reservoir elevation, content, inflow and release, click on: Blue Mesa Reservoir Data or Crystal Reservoir Data.