U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation

English

University of New Mexico

University of New Mexico 
UNM Digital Repository 
Law of the Rio Chama The Utton Transboundary Resources Center 
4-2015 
2015 Annual Operating Plan 
U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation 
Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/uc_rio_chama 
Recommended Citation 
U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation. "2015 Annual Operating Plan." (2015). 
https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/uc_rio_chama/58 
This Other is brought to you for free and open access by the The Utton Transboundary Resources Center at UNM 
Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Law of the Rio Chama by an authorized administrator of 
UNM Digital Repository. For more information, please contact amywinter@unm.edu, lsloane@salud.unm.edu, 
sarahrk@unm.edu. 
2015 Annual Operating Plan
April 1 Runoff Forecast
Albuquerque District
Water Operations Contacts
Reclamation
- Carolyn Donnelly, Water 
Operations Supervisor 
cdonnelly@usbr.gov
- Ed Kandl, Hydrologist, 
ekandl@usbr.gov
- Raymond Abeyta, 
Hydrologic Technician, 
rabeyta@usbr.gov
USACE
- Ryan Gronewold, Reservoir Control 
Branch Chief, 
ryan.p.gronewold@usace.army.mil
- Marc Sidlow, URGWOM modeler, 
Marc.S.Sidlow@usace.army.mil
- Jason Woodruff, Acting Rio Grande 
Basin Coordinator, 
Jason.R.Woodruff@usace.army.mil
Reclamation’s Water Operations 
Web Page
http://www.usbr.gov/uc/albuq/
water/index.html
Definitions
Native/Natural Rio Grande water:  Water that comes directly 
from the Rio Grande Basin
San Juan-Chama water:  Water that is imported into the Rio 
Grande Basin from the San Juan Basin through the San 
Juan-Chama Project
Rio Grande Compact:  Agreement between the states of 
Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas that apportions Rio 
Grande water between the three states.
Article 7:  Section of the Rio Grande Compact that dictates 
storage in reservoirs.  If Rio Grande Project storage is less 
than 400,000 ac-ft at Elephant Butte and Caballo, no storage 
of Rio Grande water can take place at El Vado except to 
satisfy Native American needs or as part of the Emergency 
Drought Water Agreement.
Definitions (cont.)
cfs- cubic feet per second (roughly 7.5 gallons/second)
Acre foot = approximately 326,000 gallons or 43,560 cubic feet
Hydrograph – graph of flow rate per unit time
The District – Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District (MRGCD)
The City – City of Albuquerque now Albuquerque Bernalillo County 
Water Utility Authority (ABCWUA)
NRCS – Natural Resources Conservation Service
Supplemental water – Water leased by Reclamation to meet flow 
targets specified in the 2003 Biological Opinion
P&P – Prior & Paramount 
What Drives the Process
Volume Forecast from the NRCS
Based on snowpack, soil moisture, climate forecast
Choose similar year based on similar volume
Actual hydrograph vs. average hydrograph
Can tweak timing of hydrograph to best match forecasted 
conditions (warm Spring vs. cool Spring)
Inflows/Outflows based on nature and policies
Article VII restrictions
Flood control and channel capacity
Timing of water deliveries
Demand curves from water users
Requirements of the 2003 Biological Opinion
Similar Year Hydrographs
Operated By:
Dams:
Reclamation Corps Water 
Supply Recreation
Flood 
Control
Sediment 
Control
HERON
EL VADO
ABIQUIU
NAMBE 
FALLS
GALISTEO
COCHITI
JEMEZ 
CANYON
ELEPHANT 
BUTTE
2014: The Year in Review
Heron Reservoir
El Vado Reservoir
Abiquiu Reservoir
Cochiti Reservoir
Elephant Butte Reservoir
Current Snow Conditions
Rio Chama Snow Data
Rio Chama Snow Data
Rio Chama Snow Comparison
Similar Snowpack Years
Rio Grande Snow Data
Rio Grande Snow Data
Sangre de Cristo Snow Data
Sangre de Cristo Snow Data

Monsoon Season Temperature Outlook
Monsoon Season Precipitation Outlook
2015 Water Operations Modeling
March 2003 BiOp Flow Requirements – Dry Year
Cochiti
Central
Isleta
San Acacia
San Marcial
Nov 16 – June 15 June 16 – Nov 15
100 cfs
Major Assumptions
• April 1 50% most probable forecast
• Dry year target flow requirements
• Same monsoon conditions as forecast 
hydrograph year
• Storage occurs under the Emergency 
Drought Water Agreement for USBR
• Storage of water for Prior & Paramount 
lands
• Out of Article VII restrictions for several 
weeks
April Forecast Data
Most 
Probable 
Percent of 
Average
April 1 50% 
Probability 
Volume, ac-ft 
2014 2015 2015
Rio Grande nr Del Norte 80% 58% 300,000 
El Vado Reservoir Inflow 28% 53% 119,000
Rio Grande at Otowi 32% 55% 395,000
Nambe Reservoir Inflow 40% 65% 4,200
Jemez blw Jemez Dam 16% 50% 17,100
Rio Blanco @ Diversion 67% 56% 30,000
Navajo River @ Diversion 65% 55% 36,000


Heron Reservoir
Proposed 2015 Heron Operations
Storage Capacity=401,000 ac-ft
Reservoir will drop 14 feet from beginning of year to end
El Vado Reservoir
Proposed 2015 El Vado Operations
El Vado Reservoir:
Lake Level:  77’ of fluctuation between May and Dec
ABIQUIU LAKE
Proposed 2015 Abiquiu Operations
Estimated Hydrograph at Embudo
COCHITI LAKE
Proposed 2015 Cochiti Operations
Estimated Hydrograph at Central Ave.
Estimated Flow at San Acacia
Proposed Elephant Butte Operations
Maximum Elevation = 4333.90’.  Minimum Elevation= 4271.47’


2015 Annual Operating Plan

https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1070&amp;context=uc_rio_chama

2015 Annual Operating Plan

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

University of New Mexico