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Bighorn Lake/Yellowtail Dam Operations November 5, 2015
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BIGHORN BASIN WATER SUPPLY & RESERVOIR OPERATIONS MEETING
Billings, Montana November 5, 2015
Introduction and Purpose of Meeting Tom Sawatzke, Acting Area Manager, Montana Area Office Water Supply Outlook & Reservoir Operations WYAO - Boysen & Buffalo Bill Operations MTAO - Yellowtail Operations Agency Reports Bighorn River System Issues Group Meeting Sediment Control Project Crow Tribe Water Rights Settlement Yellowstone River Conservation District Council Operating Criteria
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Basin above Buffalo Bill Reservoir Snow Water Equivalent
Water Year
April-July Inflow
(acre-feet)
2013 576,500
2014 1,062,400
2015 696,400 (103% of avg)
2016 ???
Average = 677,800
![Page 5: Bighorn Lake/Yellowtail Dam Operations...2015/11/05 · 2016 Buffalo Bill Reservoir Operations 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 5300.00 5320.00 5340.00 5360.00 5380.00 5400.00 Oct](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022041020/5ecf8b3a07628275d208e185/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
2015 Monthly Precipitation above Buffalo Bill Reservoir
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep
Prec
ipita
tion
(inc
hes)
Shoshone River Basin Precipitation
2015 30 year avg
![Page 6: Bighorn Lake/Yellowtail Dam Operations...2015/11/05 · 2016 Buffalo Bill Reservoir Operations 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 5300.00 5320.00 5340.00 5360.00 5380.00 5400.00 Oct](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022041020/5ecf8b3a07628275d208e185/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Buffalo Bill Reservoir 2015 Operations
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2016 Buffalo Bill Reservoir Operations
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
5300.00
5320.00
5340.00
5360.00
5380.00
5400.00
Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep
Flow
in c
fs
Elev
atio
n in
Fee
t
.
Tick marks represent end of month
BUFFALO BILL RESERVOIR OPERATIONS Water Year 2016 Projection (October actuals)
Inflow Outflow Elevation
Top of Conservation = 5393.5 ft
Approximate Powerplant Capacity = 1,500 cfs
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Basin above Boysen Reservoir Snow Water Equivalent
Water Year
April-July Inflow
(acre-feet)
2013 216,300
2014 694,500
2015 749,700 (140% of avg)
2016 ???
Average = 533,800
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2015 Monthly Precipitation above Boysen Reservoir
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep
Prec
ipita
tion
(inc
hes)
Wind River Basin Precipitation
2015 30 year avg
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Boysen Reservoir 2015 Operation
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2016 Boysen Reservoir Reservoir Operations
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
4500
5000
4705.00
4710.00
4715.00
4720.00
4725.00
4730.00
Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep
Flow
in c
fs
Elev
atio
n in
Fee
t
.
Tick marks represent end of month
BOYSEN RESERVOIR OPERATIONS Water Year 2016 Projection
Inflow Outflow Elevation
Top of Joint Use Pool = 4725 ft
Approximate Powerplant Capacity = 2,300 cfs
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Water Year 2015 Review for
Yellowtail Dam/Bighorn Lake
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0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep
Snow
Wat
er E
quiv
alen
t (in
ches
) Mountain Snowpack
Average 2015 2014
April-July Runoff 2015: 1,543 KAF 2014: 1,725 KAF Avg: 1,082 KAF
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0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep
Snow
Wat
er E
quiv
alen
t (in
ches
) Mountain Snowpack
Average 2015 2004
April-July Runoff 2015: 1,543 KAF 2004: 392 KAF Avg: 1,082 KAF
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0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep
Prec
ipita
tion
(inch
es)
Bighorn River Basin Precipitation
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3600
3605
3610
3615
3620
3625
3630
3635
3640
3645
3650
Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct
Lake
Ele
vatio
n (fe
et)
Bighorn Lake Operations 2015
2015
Top of Joint Use
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
16,000
18,000
20,000
Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct
Flow
(cfs
)
Inflow
Releases
Powerplant Capacity
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3600
3605
3610
3615
3620
3625
3630
3635
3640
3645
3650
Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct
Lake
Ele
vatio
n (fe
et)
Bighorn Lake Operations 2015
2015
Top of Joint Use
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
16,000
18,000
20,000
Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct
Flow
(cfs
)
Inflow
Releases
Powerplant Capacity
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3600
3605
3610
3615
3620
3625
3630
3635
3640
3645
3650
Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct
Lake
Ele
vatio
n (fe
et)
Bighorn Lake Operations 2015
2015
Top of Joint Use
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
16,000
18,000
20,000
Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct
Flow
(cfs
)
Inflow
Releases
Powerplant Capacity
![Page 19: Bighorn Lake/Yellowtail Dam Operations...2015/11/05 · 2016 Buffalo Bill Reservoir Operations 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 5300.00 5320.00 5340.00 5360.00 5380.00 5400.00 Oct](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022041020/5ecf8b3a07628275d208e185/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
3600
3605
3610
3615
3620
3625
3630
3635
3640
3645
3650
Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct
Lake
Ele
vatio
n (fe
et)
Bighorn Lake Operations 2015
2015
Top of Joint Use
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
16,000
18,000
20,000
Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct
Flow
(cfs
)
Inflow
Releases
Powerplant Capacity
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Water Year 2016 Fall and Winter Outlook
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0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep
Snow
Wat
er E
quiv
alen
t (in
ches
) Mountain Snowpack
Average 2016 2015
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Conditions on November 1, 2015
Elevation 3634.0 - 6.0 feet below full pool 3.5 feet lower than last year Storage 951,353 acre-feet: 107% of average 93% full Inflows 1,840 cfs Outflow 2,500 cfs
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November through March Gains and Release
April-October Gain = 239,300 acre-feet Calculated November-March Gain = 258,200 acre-feet Upstream Reservoir Fall & Winter Releases = Boysen = 850 cfs Buffalo Bill = 205 cfs End-of-October Storage = 952,900 acre-feet Projected End-of-March Target Elevation = 3617 (807,900
acre-feet) Calculated Fall & Winter Release for Yellowtail: River = 2,450 cfs
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November Monthly Operating Plans
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3595
3600
3605
3610
3615
3620
3625
3630
3635
3640
3645
Nov-15 Dec-15 Jan-16 Feb-16 Mar-16 Apr-16 May-16 Jun-16 Jul-16 Aug-16 Sep-16 Oct-16 Nov-16
Elev
atio
n (fe
et)
Most Probable Inflow Operations
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
Nov-15 Dec-15 Jan-16 Feb-16 Mar-16 Apr-16 May-16 Jun-16 Jul-16 Aug-16 Sep-16 Oct-16
Rive
r Flo
w (c
fs)
![Page 26: Bighorn Lake/Yellowtail Dam Operations...2015/11/05 · 2016 Buffalo Bill Reservoir Operations 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 5300.00 5320.00 5340.00 5360.00 5380.00 5400.00 Oct](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022041020/5ecf8b3a07628275d208e185/html5/thumbnails/26.jpg)
3595
3600
3605
3610
3615
3620
3625
3630
3635
3640
3645
Nov-15 Dec-15 Jan-16 Feb-16 Mar-16 Apr-16 May-16 Jun-16 Jul-16 Aug-16 Sep-16 Oct-16 Nov-16
Elev
atio
n (fe
et)
Most and Minimum Probable Inflow Operations
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
Nov-15 Dec-15 Jan-16 Feb-16 Mar-16 Apr-16 May-16 Jun-16 Jul-16 Aug-16 Sep-16 Oct-16
Rive
r Flo
w (c
fs)
![Page 27: Bighorn Lake/Yellowtail Dam Operations...2015/11/05 · 2016 Buffalo Bill Reservoir Operations 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 5300.00 5320.00 5340.00 5360.00 5380.00 5400.00 Oct](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022041020/5ecf8b3a07628275d208e185/html5/thumbnails/27.jpg)
3595
3600
3605
3610
3615
3620
3625
3630
3635
3640
3645
Nov-15 Dec-15 Jan-16 Feb-16 Mar-16 Apr-16 May-16 Jun-16 Jul-16 Aug-16 Sep-16 Oct-16 Nov-16
Elev
atio
n (fe
et)
Most and Maximum Probable Inflow Operations
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
Nov-15 Dec-15 Jan-16 Feb-16 Mar-16 Apr-16 May-16 Jun-16 Jul-16 Aug-16 Sep-16 Oct-16
Rive
r Flo
w (c
fs)
![Page 28: Bighorn Lake/Yellowtail Dam Operations...2015/11/05 · 2016 Buffalo Bill Reservoir Operations 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 5300.00 5320.00 5340.00 5360.00 5380.00 5400.00 Oct](https://reader030.vdocument.in/reader030/viewer/2022041020/5ecf8b3a07628275d208e185/html5/thumbnails/28.jpg)
Questions and Comments
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Reclamation’s Internet Website www.usbr.gov/gp/lakes_reservoirs/wareprts/main_menu.html
• near real-time data available through the HYDROMET
data system • summaries and plots of historical data • annual reservoir operating plan publication • monthly water supply reports • project data • snow plots • links to related internet sites