Lower Colorado River Operations Schedule
Releases from Davis and Parker dams will vary from about 4,500 cubic feet per second (cfs) to 24,000 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) ---- ----- ---- ----- ---- ----- ---- May 11 12000 448.6 16400 644.0 18400 1099.5 May 12 12000 448.6 16400 644.1 18500 1099.3 May 13 11000 448.6 16400 644.2 18500 1099.2 May 14 9500 448.9 16400 644.3 18500 1099.0 May 15 11000 449.0 16400 644.4 18500 1098.8 May 16 11000 449.0 14200 644.2 11500 1098.7 May 17 11000 449.0 14200 644.0 12600 1098.7 Average 11100 15800 16600 May 18 to May 24 11300 448.7 16000 643.9 16400 1097.7 May 25 to May 31 11100 448.7 15600 644.1 16400 1096.7 Current Lake Powell storage is 13,084 thousand acre-feet (KAF) (54 percent of capacity). Lake Mead storage is 11,492 KAF (44 percent of capacity). Total system storage is 32,202 KAF (54 percent of capacity). Lake Powell elevation is 3,613.48 feet. The April-July forecast for the Colorado River is 7.3 million acre-feet or 92 percent of average. Yesterday, the average Colorado River flows were 1,230 cfs near the Yuma Fourth Avenue Bridge and 2,019 cfs at the Northerly International Boundary. The average release from Painted Rock Dam was 0 cfs and Alamo Dam was 47 cfs. The Morelos Dam diversions for the week of 11-May-2009 are expected to be 1,570 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.Webmaster: Water Control Center, BCOOwaterops@usbr.gov
Updated: May 8, 2009