News Release Archive

Releases From Flaming Gorge Dam To Remain High Through June 2nd

Media Contact: Doug Hendrix, 801-524-3837, dhendrix@uc.usbr.gov
Barry Wirth, 801-524-3774, bwirth@uc.usbr.gov

For Release: May 24, 2005

Salt Lake City, UT - The Bureau of Reclamation is currently releasing 4600 cubic-feet-second (cfs) from Flaming Gorge Dam which is the maximum capacity of the power plant. Reclamation will maintain high releases until June 2, 2005. These releases are part of the annual spring release made for endangered fish as called for in the 1992 Biological Opinion on the Operation of Flaming Gorge Dam (Biological Opinion). The Biological Opinion calls for a minimum spring release of powerplant capacity for one to six weeks timed with the peak flows of the Yampa River.

This year, as part of the spring release, Reclamation has agreed to modify releases to include bypass releases if necessary, to achieve specific flow targets in the Green River measured at Jensen, UT for specific research experiments that are being performed in this reach of the Green River. Currently flows of the Green River at Jensen UT are approximately 19,500 cfs, due in large part, to higher than expected flows of the Yampa River. At this time, Reclamation is not making any bypass releases in order to achieve this flow. One more target flow of 16,000 cfs for a two-day period remains. As flows of the Green River decrease, releases from Flaming Gorge may have to be increased to achieve this target. At this point, it is too early to tell if this will be necessary.

"While farmers and ranchers near Jensen, Utah are seeing river flows that they haven't seen in several years, these flow levels are what we would expect in average and wetter hydrologic years. River flows below Jensen, Utah are largely unregulated especially during spring runoff and releases from Flaming Gorge Dam have limited impact on river flows this far down stream," said Rick Clayton, a project hydrologist with Reclamation'™s Upper Colorado Regional Office. "At present, over 75% of the volume of flow in the Green River is from the Yampa River and not from Flaming Gorge Dam. We did provide bypass releases briefly last week, but reduced to powerplant capacity as Yampa flows increased."

Yampa River flows at Deerlodge, CO, are now averaging about 14,500 cfs and appear to be peaking. Yampa River flows are forecasted to decrease within the next 3 days. Green River flows at Jensen, Utah, will fluctuate between 19,000 and 20,000 cfs for the next two to three days and then begin to decrease. Based on runoff projections, it appears that this peak will be the largest to occur this season. Flows at these magnitudes have not occurred for several years as a result of the extended drought, however these flows have been fairly common historically. In 1997 and 1999, and 2003 Green River flows measured at Jensen reached 24,900, 20,600 and 19,000 cfs respectively.

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