Lower Colorado River Operations Schedule
Releases from Davis and Parker dams will vary from about 4,400 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 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)
---- ----- ---- ----- ---- ----- ----
Sep 17 9000 448.5 10600 642.4 9600 1115.4
Sep 18 9000 448.2 12400 642.2 9600 1115.4
Sep 19 8000 448.3 12400 642.0 9600 1115.4
Sep 20 7000 448.6 12400 641.7 9600 1115.4
Sep 21 8500 448.7 12400 641.5 9600 1115.3
Sep 22 9000 448.7 12400 641.0 6000 1115.4
Sep 23 9000 448.8 12400 640.5 6000 1115.4
Average 8500 12100 8600
Sep 24 to
Sep 30 9400 448.6 11100 639.1 8600 1115.3
Oct 1 to
Oct 7 8000 447.0 7700 638.2 6200 1115.5
Current Lake Powell storage is 14,055 thousand acre-feet (KAF) (58 percent of
capacity). Lake Mead storage is 13,175 KAF (50 percent of capacity). Total
system storage is 34,408 KAF (58 percent of capacity). Lake Powell elevation
is 3,622.73 feet.
The observed April-July inflow for the Colorado River is 2.063 million acre-feet or 29 percent of average.
Yesterday, the average Colorado River flows were 1,490 cfs near the Yuma Fourth
Avenue Bridge and 1,702 cfs at the Northerly International Boundary. The
average release from Painted Rock Dam was 0 cfs and Alamo Dam was 17 cfs. The
Morelos Dam diversions for the week of 17-Sep-2012 are expected to be 1,314 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 Operations Control Center, BCOOwaterops@usbr.govUpdated: September 14, 2012