News Release Archive

Wyoming Area Reservoir Conditions - North Platte River Basin

Media Contact: John H. Lawson, (307) 261-5671, jlawson@usbr.gov
Tyler Johnson, tjohnson@usbr.gov

For Release: May 25, 2010

The Wyoming Area Office of the Bureau of Reclamation in Mills, Wyo., is advising that due to increase in snowpack and recent rainfall events, all North Platte Reservoirs are expected to fill to near capacity this year according to John H. Lawson, Wyoming Area Manager. Glendo Reservoir has encroached into the exclusive flood control pool and is expected to continue to rise, reaching an elevation of 4643 feet (630,000 acre-feet) by late June before starting to decline. The reservoir is anticipated to remain in the flood control pool until mid July. Releases from Glendo Reservoir will be as directed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in collaboration with the Bureau of Reclamation while in the flood control pool.

Releases from Kortes Reservoir into the Miracle Mile have been increased to 4,900 cubic feet per second (cfs). Releases from Gray Reef Dam have been increased to 3,400 cfs. Due to lack of downstream irrigation demand, all but 700 cfs of the 3,500 cfs currently being released from Guernsey Reservoir is passing downstream to the state line. Flows are expected to exceed 3,000 cfs at the Wyoming - Nebraska state line. These releases will be adjusted as necessary in response to changing inflow conditions.

The Bureau of Reclamation is advising the public to use caution with regard to rising reservoir levels, changing reservoir releases, and river flow conditions at this time.

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The Bureau of Reclamation is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior and is the nation's largest wholesale water supplier and second largest producer of hydroelectric power. Our facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation opportunities, and environmental benefits. Visit our website at https://www.usbr.gov and follow us on Twitter @USBR; Facebook @bureau.of.reclamation; LinkedIn @Bureau of Reclamation; Instagram @bureau_of_reclamation; and YouTube @reclamation.

Relevant Link:

Wyoming Area Office Home Page