- Reclamation
- News & Multimedia
- News Releases
- News Release Archive
- North Platte River Water Operations - Information Meeting
News Release Archive
North Platte River Water Operations - Information Meeting
Media Contact:
John H. Lawson, (307) 261-5671, jlawson@usbr.gov
Tyler Johnson, tjohnson@usbr.gov
For Release: March 23, 2011
The Wyoming Area Office of the Bureau of Reclamation in Mills, Wyo., has scheduled a North Platte River Water Information meeting in Scottsbluff, Neb., according to John H. Lawson, Wyoming Area Manager.
The meeting will be held at 10:00 a.m., on Monday, April 4, 2011, at the Scottsbluff Panhandle Station Auditorium, Scottsbluff, Neb. The meeting is being held to apprise water users and other interested parties of the reservoir storage and current water supply conditions. Information regarding snowmelt runoff and expected reservoir operations for water year 2011 will be presented.
The Upper North Platte snowpack is at 134% of average and the Lower North Platte snowpack is at 115% of average as of March 21, 2011. Based on our March 1 forecast the total April through July runoff in the North Platte Basin above Glendo Dam is expected to be 1,475,000 acre feet (af) or 159% of the 30 year average of 925,100 af. Approximately 1,230,000 af (172% of average) of the runoff is expected to enter Seminoe Reservoir with an additional 65,000 af (110% of average) being provided to Pathfinder Reservoir from the Sweetwater River, and the balance of 180,000 af (137% of average) coming from the basin between Pathfinder Reservoir and Glendo Reservoir. An updated forecast of the April through July runoff based on April 1 snowpack conditions will be provided at the meeting.
Due to the well above average forecasted runoff and high reservoir storage of 147% of average for the system, releases from Glendo Reservoir were initiated on February 22, 2011, and releases from Guernsey Reservoir were initiated on Feb. 28, 2011. Glendo and Guernsey Reservoir releases are currently 3,800 cubic feet per second. The early release will provide space for regulation of runoff this spring.
# # #
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:
