News Release Archive

Rain in Lower Colorado River Basin Forces Cutback in Releases from Davis, Parker Dams

Media Contact: Steve Leon , 702.293.8456, sleon@lc.usbr.gov
River Operations Center , 702.293.8373

For Release: December 06, 2007

Recent rain storms in southern California and Arizona have caused Reclamation to reduce the amount of water being released from Davis and Parker Dams on the lower Colorado River.

At Parker Dam, north of Parker, Arizona, releases have been reduced to approximately 2,000 cubic feet per second (cfs). This level of release is expected to continue into the weekend.

Releases at Davis Dam, north of Laughlin, Nevada, will be reduced to approximately 2,200 cfs beginning at midnight tonight (Mountain Standard Time) and continuing until 6 a.m on Friday morning (Dec 7th). Releases are expected to return to 4,400 cfs from 6 a.m. until midnight when they will again be reduced to 2,200 cfs. These lower flows will continue until 6 a.m. Saturday morning (Dec. 8th), when flows are expected to return to normal levels. Depending on weather patterns, this schedule may continue throughout the weekend.

These actions are in response to reduced orders for Colorado River water from communities and agricultural districts downstream of Parker Dam. Consequently, less water is needed from Davis Dam to maintain the water level at Lake Havasu. There is a possibility that additional reductions will be required based on changing rainfall projections from Pacific storms forecasted for this weekend.

The temporary reduction in releases at Davis Dam will help reduce the potential for water releases in excess of downstream water orders, and help conserve as much water in the river's storage system as possible.

Daily and hourly information on releases from Reclamation's Colorado River dams is available on Reclamation's web site, at: http://www.usbr.gov/lc/riverops.html.

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