Lower Colorado River Operations Schedule

Note: You may now view this report with near real-time data at this link. The link is updated hourly with our most recent operations data and operational projections.


Releases from Davis and Parker dams will vary from about 1,500 cubic feet per second
(cfs) to 15,000 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 in the morning and 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)
       -----       -----     -----     -----     -----     -----      -----
       Dec  9       5400     447.0      7000     639.0      7300      1061.3
       Dec 10       4900     447.0      7000     639.0      7300      1061.4
       Dec 11       4100     447.1      7000     639.0      7300      1061.5
       Dec 12       1800     447.4      7000     639.0      7300      1061.5
       Dec 13       5500     447.3      6800     639.0      7300      1061.6
       Dec 14       6100     447.2      6800     639.1      7300      1061.7
       Dec 15       6000     447.0      6800     639.1      7300      1061.8
       
       Average      4800                6900                7300
       
       Dec 16 to
       Dec 22       4000     447.0      6200     639.3      6900      1062.4
       
       Dec 23 to
       Dec 29       3400     446.9      5200     639.7      6200      1063.1


Current Lake Powell storage is 8,885 thousand acre-feet (KAF) (38 percent of capacity).
Lake Mead storage is 8,494 KAF (33 percent of capacity).  Total system storage is 24,583
KAF (42 percent of capacity).  Lake Powell elevation is 3,574.80 feet.

The April-July unregulated inflow forecast for the Colorado River is 5.91 million acre-
feet or 92 percent of average.

Yesterday, the average Colorado River flows were 1,090 cfs near the Yuma Fourth Avenue
Bridge and 1,278 cfs at the Northerly International Boundary.  The average release from
Painted Rock Dam was 0 cfs and Alamo Dam was 31 cfs.  The Morelos Dam diversions for the
week of 09-Dec-2024 are expected to be 1,206 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.

                This Schedule can now be accessed on the Internet at:
                   www.usbr.gov/lc/region/g4000/hourly/rivops.html


Last updated: 5-December-2024


Please contact the Water Operations Control Center via e-mail at bcoowaterops@usbr.gov or via phone at (702) 293-8373 for additional questions or information.