NAVAJO – Based on the latest inflow forecasts, the Bureau of Reclamation has revised this year's planned Navajo Reservoir spring peak release from what had previously been reported last month. A 14-day peak release of 5,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) is now scheduled (a 3-week release had previously been anticipated). Approximately, a one-week ramp up period, beginning the week of May 18, 2009, would precede the 14-day 5,000 cfs peak release. At the end of the peak release period, the release would be ramped back down over an approximately one-week period, and would be back to 500 cfs around the middle of June.
A more detailed schedule showing daily release rates throughout the spring peak release period will be developed and provided to the public in early May. The release pattern, duration, and magnitude for the spring peak release are in accordance with the San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program (SJRIP) Flow Recommendations for Endangered Fish.
The scheduled spring peak release is subject to change based upon changing weather and hydrological conditions. To the extent possible, Reclamation will attempt to provide adequate notice on any significant changes to the proposed schedule. The release will remain at 500 cfs until the start of the ramp up.
The snowpack as of April 20th for the upper San Juan River basin is averaging 97 percent, while the Animas River basin snowpack currently stands at 94 percent of average. Precipitation during March was only 45 percent of average. Unregulated inflow into Navajo Reservoir during the month of March was 76,000 acre-feet, or 85 percent of average. Currently, the daily reservoir inflow is averaging about 1300 cfs while reservoir releases are set at 500 cfs. NIIP started diversions on March 4th, which are currently set at 400 cfs. The reservoir water surface elevation is currently 6056.32 feet, which corresponds to a storage content of about 1,302,000 acre-feet
To view the most current reservoir elevation, content, inflow and release, click on: Navajo Reservoir Data.
A public meeting on Navajo Reservoir operations will be held on Tuesday, April 28, 2009 at 1:00 p.m. in Farmington, New Mexico. Reservoir operations over last fall and winter will be reviewed, and plans for next spring and summer 2009 operations will be discussed. These are open forum discussions on the operation of Navajo Reservoir with many interested groups participating. Anyone interested in the general operation of the reservoir is encouraged to attend. Please contact Pat Page in Reclamation's Durango, Colorado Office at (970) 385-6560 for information about these meetings or the daily operation of Navajo Reservoir. To view minutes from the last Navajo Operations Meeting, click on: Meeting Notes.
Paul Davidson
Updated April 20, 2009
Email comments/inquires to: ResourceMgr@uc.usbr.gov