News Release Archive

Flaming Gorge Dam to Increase Water Releases Monday

Media Contact: Rick Clayton, 801-524-3774, rclayton@usbr.gov
Heather Patno, 801-524-3883, hpatno@usbr.gov

For Release: May 08, 2015

SALT LAKE CITY - The recent record warm and dry winter and spring has consistently eroded previously forecast water inflows into the Colorado River. As a result, spring runoff began one month earlier than expected and spawning and emergence of endangered razorback sucker fish populations have arrived in the river early this year. Larval emergence was observed on May 7, 2015. The last time the observed larval emergence happened this early in the year was on May 15, 2007. Therefore, Flaming Gorge Dam will increase water releases from the dam beginning Monday, May 11, 2015, increasing from a release rate of 1,000 cubic feet per second to a total peak release rate of 8,600 cubic feet per second by Thursday, May 14, 2015. Operations, during the peak release will require powerplant capacity releases of approximately 4,600 cubic feet of water per second concurrently with bypass tube releases of approximately 4,000 cubic feet per second.

Current Yampa River forecasts indicate decreasing flows May 11 and 12. Based on the current daily forecast, flows at the Green River at Jensen, Utah, are anticipated to increase from 14,000 cubic feet per second to 16,500 cubic feet per second by May 16.

Scientists monitor critical habitat to detect the first emergence of razorback sucker larvae as a “trigger” for an experiment being implemented by Reclamation in cooperation with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program. A major purpose of the experiment is to transport as many larval fish as possible into critical nursery habitats located in the floodplains along the Green River, downstream of the confluence of the Green and Yampa rivers. During dry years, this nursery habitat connects to the river at flow rates at or above 8,300 cubic feet per second. The increased releases from the dam, combined with the Yampa River flows, will provide the maximum possible flow of water to transport the larval fish.

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources has been consulted concerning the impacts of the releases to the rainbow trout fishery below the dam. While releases during this period will make fishing the river more difficult, no adverse impacts to the fishery are expected.

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