CHEYENNE – Each year, the Bureau of Reclamation reviews available information for soil moisture, snow pack, projected weather patterns and precipitation, current reservoir level, predicted runoff, and other information.
They also consider hydroelectric power generation, downstream water users including domestic and industrial water use, agricultural use, and fish and wildlife management.
Fontenelle Reservoir is located in the Upper Colorado River Watershed and is managed as part of a system of reservoirs along the Colorado River System. All of this is then considered and used to plan operations for the coming year. It is a big job to consider all of the factors and at the same time realize that more or less runoff than predicted could require adjustments to be made to the operation side of the equation.
The attached graph visually shows the actual inflow and release recorded to date and the projected infow and release for the next year.
Current releases are steady at 1,700 cubic feet per second (CFS), where they will likely remain for the next several weeks. Planned releases will be stepped up in early June and are expected to peak in July.
While an average July release of 2,200 CFS is anticipated, daily releases may vary. Releases will then be stepped down to just above 1,000 CFS by mid to late August and remain there through the fall and winter. All of this is obviously subject to change if projected inflows were to change.
This gives you the projected operations of Fontenelle Dam based on the available information as of 04/15/2015. Thank you to the Bureau of Reclamation for use of their slide and updates provided. A link to Bureau of Reclamation information specific to Fontenelle Reservior can be found here http://www.usbr.gov/uc/
