News Release Archive

Rain in Lower Colorado River Basin Again Forces Cutback in Davis Dam Releases

Media Contact: Robert Walsh, 702-293-8421, rwalsh@lc.usbr.gov

For Release: February 14, 2005

For the third time this year rain storms in southern California and Arizona have caused reductions in the amount of water the Bureau of Reclamation will release from Davis Dam on the lower Colorado River.

Effective Tuesday, Feb. 15, releases from Davis Dam will be reduced to approximately 2,300 cubic feet per second (cfs). This release pattern could remain in effect for the remainder of this month and possibly could extend into the month of March. These reductions are in response to the high inflow into Lake Havasu from the Bill Williams River, which enters the Colorado River just south of Lake Havasu City, Arizona. Also, the Central Arizona Project which diverts water from Lake Havasu have cut back on diversions as of Monday February 14 to a minimum. The high inflow from the Bill Williams River is primarily due to flood control releases from the Corps of Engineers' Alamo Dam. The downstream water orders below Parker Dam will be approximately equal to Alamo Dam releases, therefore Davis Dam releases will be kept at a minimum. The Corps will continue to release from Alamo for approximately a month time period.

This inflow is expected to increase the level of Lake Havasu to near full conditions by this weekend. Consequently, less water is needed from Davis Dam to maintain the water level at Lake Havasu.

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.

Additionally, all river users should exercise extra caution during this period of fluctuating river flows.

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