a perspective on today’s colorado river issues
DESCRIPTION
A Perspective on Today’s Colorado River Issues. Upper Colorado Region River Basins. Green, Colorado and San Juan Rivers. Colorado River Basin Hydrology 16.5 million acre-feet (maf) allocated annually 13 to 14.5 maf of consumptive use annually 60 maf of storage - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
A Perspective on Today’s Colorado River Issues
Upper Colorado Region River
Basins
Green, Colorado and San Juan Rivers
Colorado River Basin Hydrology • 16.5 million acre-feet (maf)
allocated annually• 13 to 14.5 maf of consumptive use
annually• 60 maf of storage • 15.1 maf average annual “natural”
inflow into Lake Powell over past 100 years
• Inflows are highly variable year-to-year
Natural FlowColorado River at Lees Ferry Gaging Station, Arizona
Water Year 1906 to 2009
Colorado River Basin Storage (as of July 20, 2010)
Current Storage Percent Full MAF Elevation
(Feet)
Lake Powell 65% 15.73 3,638
Lake Mead 40% 10.46 1,088
Total System Storage 58% 34.42 NA
State of the System (1999-2010)WY
Unregulated inflow into Powell
% of Average
Powell and MeadStorage
maf
Powell and Mead
% Capacity1999 109 47.59 952000 62 43.38 862001 59 39.01 782002 25 31.56 632003 52 27.73 552004 49 23.11 462005 104 27.16 542006 71 25.80 512007 70 24.43 492008 102 26.52 532009 88 26.40 532010* 66 24.78 49
• Inflow based on latest CBRFC forecast; storage and percent capacity based on April 2010 24-Month Study
3,400
3,450
3,500
3,550
3,600
3,650
3,700
Elev
atio
n (ft
)
Jan 1964 - Apr 2010
Lake Powell End of Month Elevation
April 201057% of Capacity
Sep 199995% of Capacity
Prior to 1999, Lake Powell was last at level 3,620.50 feet in April 1993.
1,000
1,025
1,050
1,075
1,100
1,125
1,150
1,175
1,200
1,225
Elev
atio
n (ft
)
Jan 1937 - Apr 2010
Lake Mead End of Month Elevation
Spillway Crest 1221 ft
Apr 201044% of Capacity
Sep 199995% of Capacity
Prior to 1999, Lake Mead was at level 1,098.00 feet in May 1965 during the filling of Lake Powell.
Mead reached a low of 1,088.31 feet in March 1965 during the filling of Lake Powell.
Prior to 1960, Lake Mead was at level 1,098.00 feet in May 1957 during the 1950s drought.
Mead hit its lowest level since it first filled of 1,083.49 feet in March 1956.
Colorado River Water Supply & Use
Shortage Criteria & Coordinated Operating Criteria for L. Powell & L. Mead
ROD signed in Dec. 2007
Multiple entities involved in EIS process
Tremendous assistance from stakeholders
Criteria in place till 2026
Glen Canyon Adaptive Management Program
State-of-the-art process
Diverse stakeholder groups
Independent review panels
Recommendations to the Secretary
Glen Canyon High Flow Test
We’ve begun a
process to create
High Flow Protocols
Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program
Salinity damage totals nearly $330 million per year in U.S.
Projects prevent more than 550,000 tons of salt from entering Colorado River each year
Colorado RiverEndangered Fish Species
Bonytail (Gila elegans) Colorado Pikeminnow (Ptycheilus lucius)
Humpback Chub (Gila cypha) Razorback Sucker (Xyrauchen texanus)
Endangered Fish Recovery Programs
Programs in the Upper Colorado River and San Juan River
Enables water development to proceed in compliance with ESA
Questions/Discussion