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News Release Archive
Reclamation Issues Snowmelt Forecast for Bighorn River Basin
Media Contact:
Tyler Johnson, (406) 247-7609, tjohnson@usbr.gov
For Release: June 13, 2017
BILLINGS, Mont. -- The Bureau of Reclamation's June forecast of the April through July runoff for the Bighorn Basin is as follows:
• Bighorn Lake - Bighorn River April through July inflow to Bighorn Lake is forecast to be 2,499,900 acre-feet (af), which is 229 percent of the 30 year average of 1,093,400 af. Approximately 1,093,400 af of the forecasted amount flowed into Bighorn Lake during April and May, leaving approximately 1,083,500 af of inflow forecasted for June and July.
• Releases from Yellowtail Dam to the Bighorn River are currently 11,500 cfs. Based on the current operating projections and the expectation of near record runoff, Bighorn Lake will be managed to fill to an elevation of 3640.0 feet. The release from the reservoir is projected to decline during the month of June. During peak runoff, releases from Yellowtail Dam to the Bighorn River are expected to be at or below the current release.
• Buffalo Bill Reservoir – The April through July inflow to Buffalo Bill Reservoir is forecasted to be 1,100,000 acre-feet (af), which is 163 percent of the 30 year average of 677,200 af. Approximately 402,000 af of the forecasted amount occurred during April and May, leaving approximately 698,000 af of inflow remaining to occur between June 1st and July 31st.
• The release from Buffalo Bill Dam to the Shoshone River is currently 3,500 cubic feet per second (cfs), which is down from the 2017 peak release of approximately 5,500 cfs. The release from the reservoir is projected to decline during the month of June. However, as the spring run-off continues, the release from Buffalo Bill Reservoir to the Shoshone River may exceed 5,500 cfs to manage the reservoir’s rate of fill. Buffalo Bill Reservoir will be managed to fill the reservoir to an elevation of 5391.5 feet in July.
• Wind River – The April through July snowmelt runoff into the Wind River above Bull Lake Creek is forecasted to be 550,000 af, which is 138 percent of the 30-year average of 398,100 af. Approximately 178,400 af of the forecasted amount was received during April and May, leaving approximately 371,600 af of inflow remaining to occur between June 1st through July 31st.
• Bull Lake Reservoir – The April through July snowmelt runoff into Bull Lake Reservoir from Bull Lake Creek is forecasted to be 225,000 af, which is 165 percent of the 30 year average of 136,000 af. Approximately 56,500 af of the forecasted amount occurred during April and May, leaving approximately 168,500 af remaining to occur between June 1st and July 31st.
• Boysen Reservoir - The April through July inflow to Boysen Reservoir is forecasted to be approximately 1,250,000 af, which is 231 percent of the 30 year average of 540,000 af. Approximately 503,000 af of the forecasted inflow volume occurred during April and May, leaving approximately 747,000 af remaining to occur between June 1st and July 31st.
• Release from Boysen Dam to the Wind River is currently at 8,000 cfs. Based on current operating projections, Boysen Reservoir release is projected to decrease during the month of June. However, as the spring run-off continues, Boysen Reservoir releases may exceed 8,000 cfs to manage the reservoirs rate of fill. Boysen Reservoir will be managed to an elevation of 4724.5 feet in July.
For additional information on Buffalo Bill, Wind River, Boysen, and Bull Lake Reservoirs, contact Wyoming Area Manager Carlie Ronca at 307-261-5671. For additional information on Yellowtail Reservoir, contact Montana Area Manager Steve Davies at 406-247-7298.
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