Aspinall UnitSeasonal Operation Goals
• Fill Blue Mesa Reservoir before end of runoff.• Operate to the 2012 Aspinall ROD at the Whitewater Gage.• Meet the NPS Black Canyon water right peak flow.• Meet all state water right needs on the river downstream.• Maximize hydro power production.• Meet Blue Mesa Reservoir End of December ice target of 7490.0 ft• Meet flood control needs of storing water in Blue Mesa Reservoir
and to avoid flooding down river in the town of Delta.• Adjust river flows for diversion needs through the Gunnison
Diversion Tunnel.• Adjust flows for trout spawning needs in the fall and spring months.
200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 15000
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
14000
16000
Peak Flow Target at Whitewater
Forecast BM Apr-Jul Inflow (thousand af)
Pe
ak
Q (
cfs
)
DRY
WETMODWET
AVGWET
AVGDRY
MODDRY
Apr-July Forecast Half bank Duration Peak Flow Duration (1000 AF) (days @ 8,070 cfs) (days @ up to 14,350 cfs) <381 0 0 381-516 0 0 516-709 10 0 709-831 20 2 831-1123 40 10 >1123 60 15
14,350 cfs
3/21
/201
43/
25/2
014
3/29
/201
44/
2/20
144/
6/20
144/
10/2
014
4/14
/201
44/
18/2
014
4/22
/201
44/
26/2
014
4/30
/201
45/
4/20
145/
8/20
145/
12/2
014
5/16
/201
45/
20/2
014
5/24
/201
45/
28/2
014
6/1/
2014
6/5/
2014
6/9/
2014
6/13
/201
46/
17/2
014
6/21
/201
46/
25/2
014
6/29
/201
47/
3/20
147/
7/20
147/
11/2
014
7/15
/201
47/
19/2
014
7/23
/201
47/
27/2
014
7/31
/201
48/
4/20
148/
8/20
148/
12/2
014
8/16
/201
48/
20/2
014
8/24
/201
48/
28/2
014
9/1/
2014
9/5/
2014
9/9/
2014
9/13
/201
49/
17/2
014
9/21
/201
49/
25/2
014
9/29
/201
410
/3/2
014
10/7
/201
410
/11/
2014
10/1
5/20
1410
/19/
2014
10/2
3/20
1410
/27/
2014
10/3
1/20
1411
/4/2
014
11/8
/201
411
/12/
2014
11/1
6/20
1411
/20/
2014
11/2
4/20
1411
/28/
2014
12/2
/201
412
/6/2
014
12/1
0/20
1412
/14/
2014
12/1
8/20
1412
/22/
2014
12/2
6/20
1412
/30/
2014
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
8,000
9,000
10,000
11,000
12,000
7440.00
7445.00
7450.00
7455.00
7460.00
7465.00
7470.00
7475.00
7480.00
7485.00
7490.00
7495.00
7500.00
7505.00
7510.00
7515.00
7520.00
Aspinall 2014 Projected Operations 850,000 AF Forecast(1996 Pattern Year)
Inflow
Crystal Release
Tunnel Diversion
River Flow Below
Blue Mesa Elevation
Date
Flo
w R
ate
(cfs
)
Ele
vati
on
(fe
et)
Reservoir fills in late June.
Reserved BC Water Right 24-Hr Peak of
6400 cfs
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