Reservoir release to be increased today

MONTROSE — The latest runoff forecast for Blue Mesa Reservoir remains the same as April 1, which had the forecasted volume of 1,060,000 acre-feet, or 147 percent of normal inflow, for the period from April through July.

The basin snowpack is currently at 137 percent of normal as of Wednesday. The reservoir is still relatively high in relation to the forecasted inflow volumes for this spring, so to properly manage this volume Reclamation needs to step up reservoir releases now.

Today, releases from Crystal Reservoir will be increased 500 cubic feet per second (cfs) to 3,100 cfs. The Gunnison Diversion Tunnel is currently taking about 350 cfs which should leave about 2,750 cfs in the river below the tunnel.

The April Aspinall Operations Meeting will be held on Thursday April, 24 at 1 p.m. in Reclamation’s Grand Junction Office, 2764 Compass Drive.

Aside from past and future Aspinall Operations and runoff forecasts, information will be shared about other activities and the status of other reservoirs in the basin.

The public is invited.