Lower Blue to really bump up next week
Head's up, everyone:
The snow the mountains received well into June is melting. That means run-off. And, for the first time in quite a while, we have some decent run-off in the Blue River basin.
In fact, most likely we will physically fill Green Mountain Reservoir this year. And the inflows to the reservoir will keep flowing for a little while longer. Over the last week, we have received inflows to Green Mountain as high as 1600 cfs. They have dropped off a little bit, but provided us the opportunity to store around 3000 acre feet of water in Green Mountain on Wednesday, alone.
Once our storage is full, we will pass the inflows on through the reservoir to the Lower Blue. Currently, we are releasing about 60 cfs to the Lower Blue. In order to ramp releases up to the cfs level they will need to be to pass the inflows, we will stage a series of release increases over the next two days and again at the first of the week.
When we change releases, we will do so at 9 p.m. Please remember, Friday-Sunday, the gate to the Lower Blue area closes at 7 p.m. Monday-Thursday, it closes at 4 p.m. The 9 p.m. rate change will give visitors to the area plenty of time to clear out of there before the releases bump up.
That said, here is the anticipated schedule. Please keep in mind that, depending on the weather, the schedule is subject to change.
Tonight (6/23): ramp releases up 100 cfs at 9 p.m. This will put a total of 160 cfs in the Lower Blue.
Tomorrow night (6/24): releases up 200 cfs at 9 p.m. This will put a total of 360 cfs in the Lower Blue.
Over the weekend, maintain flows at 360 cfs.
Next week, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights at 9 p.m, we anticipate raising releases another 200 cfs EACH NIGHT. That will put flows up near 1000 cfs by the middle of next week, as currently forecast, and there is a good chance they will continue to go up from there.
Remember, all of this is part of our anticipated schedule and is subject to change, depending on weather conditions.
Also, the release changes will be at 9 p.m. Please be out of the Lower Blue area on time.
Last, if you have questions for me, I'm leaving here shortly and will be out the rest of the afternoon. My apologies! I'll be in our Pueblo Office tomorrow. Try me there at (719) 561-9855. I'll be back in the office Monday. You can call me here at (970) 962-4326.
Enjoy the weather and stay safe out there!
Best,
Kara
__________________
Kara Lamb
Public Information
Eastern Colorado Office
Bureau of Reclamation
(970) 962-4326
|
Linear Mode
