Hydrology

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Hydrology.jpg

Upper Colorado River Basin Hydrology

The Upper Colorado River Basin regularly experiences significant year to year hydrologic variability. During the 17-year period 2000 to 2015, however, the unregulated inflow to Lake Powell, which is a good measure of hydrologic conditions in the Colorado River Basin, was above average in only 3 out of the past 17 years. The period 2000-2016 is the lowest 17-year period since the closure of Glen Canyon Dam in 1963, with an average unregulated inflow of 8.57 maf, or 79% of the 30-year average (1981-2010). (For comparison, the 1981-2010 total water year average is 10.83 maf.) The unregulated inflow during the 2000-2016 period has ranged from a low of 2.64 maf (24% of average) in water year 2002 to a high of 15.97 maf (147% of average) in water year 2011. In water year 2016 unregulated inflow volume to Lake Powell was 9.62 maf (89% of average), which, though still below average, was significantly higher than inflows observed in 2012 and 2013 (45% and 47% of average, respectively). Under the current most probable forecast, the total water year 2017 unregulated inflow to Lake Powell is projected to be 13.5 maf (189% of average). [1]

Current Status
Current Operations Inflow Forecasts
and Model Projections

Reservoir Elevations

2016 PowellElevations.jpg
2016 MeadElevations.jpg


Inflows to Lake Powell

2016 LakePowellInflow.jpg


USBR Weekly Water Reports

  1. Reservoir inflows (forecast and observed)
  2. Reservoir releases
  3. SNOTEL
  1. Water use

USBR Monthly/Annual Reports

Snow Pack Reports

U.S. Drought Monitor


Water Flow Gages

Presentations and Papers

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

Other Stuff