Colorado River Basin

							Colorado River Basin
Water Supply Outlook




            Lake Powell


Lake Mead
 La Nina Years ? ! ?
   Good ? Bad ?




Good - Water Year 2011
Bad – Water Year 2012
                       Upper Colorado
                         River Basin




                    Lake Powell
Lake Mead



            Lower Colorado
              River Basin
                         Upper Colorado
                           River Basin




                  Lake Powell
Lake Mead



            Lower Colorado
              River Basin
Colorado River Basin
Water Supply Outlook
2012 Final Forecast
State of the System (1999-2012)




                     1
               Colorado River Basin
               Water Supply Outlook

● April to June 2012 Inflow Into Lake Powell – 2.36 MAF (33% of Normal –
  3rd lowest on record [1909 to 2011]).
  (April to June Observed 2011 Inflow Into Lake Powell – 12.89 MAF (162%
   of Normal).

● Water Year 2012 Inflow Into Lake Powell – y6 MAF (51% of Normal)
  (Water Year 2011 Inflow into Lake Powell – 15.97 MAF [139% of Normal]).


● Water Year 2012 Release from Lake Powell – 9.46 MAF Release to the
  Lower Basin (1.23 MAF “Equalization” Carryover from Water Year 2011
  plus 8.23 MAF minimum objective release per 2007 Interim Guidelines).

● Lake Powell and Lake Mead Storage will generally decline through 2013.
Colorado River Basin
Water Supply Outlook
Colorado River Basin
Water Supply Outlook




      First Shortage Elevation
                   Colorado River Basin
                   Water Supply Outlook
                              Total Reservoir System Contents:
                              37.1 MAF or 62%
                              (As of May 7, 2012)

                              Total Reservoir System Contents
            Lake Powell       Last Year:

Lake Mead                     31.6 MAF or 53%
    Colorado River Basin
    Water Supply Outlook
                LAKE POWELL
              Capacity – 24.5 MAF
              05/07/2012 - 64% full
               Contents 15.5 MAF
               Elevation – 3,636’

Glen Canyon
    Dam




              Page
            Colorado River Basin
            Water Supply Outlook
                  LAKE MEAD
                 Capacity - 26 MAF
                05/07/2012 - 53% full
                Contents – 13.9 MAF
                  Elevation – 1,123’
Las Vegas


                 Hoover Dam
  Lower Colorado River Basin
Chance of a Shortage or Surplus




      Source: Bureau of Reclamation
                   Lake Mead
Key Operational Elevations – Interim Period
                                                                    1220’ (95% full)
         FLOOD CONTROL OR
         QUANTIFIED SURPLUS (“70R”)
                                                                    1200’ (84% full)

         DOMESTIC SURPLUS
                                                                    1145’ (56% full)

         NORMAL OPERATIONS
                                                                    1075’ (34% full)
         400 KAF SHORTAGE (333 KAF to U.S.)
         (320 KAF to Arizona)    Minimum Power Pool and
                                      Bottom of First SNWA Intake   1050’ (27% full)
         500 KAF SHORTAGE (417 KAF to U.S.)
         (400 KAF to Arizona)                              1025’ (21% full)
         600 KAF SHORTAGE (500 KAF to U.S.)
         (480 KAF to Arizona) Bottom of Second SNWA Intake 1000’ (16% full)
                                            Minimum Mead Intake
         RECONSULTATION                               Elevation     915’ (2% full)
         (For Additional Shortages)
                                             Top of Dead Storage    895’ (0% full)
      What About Next Year?
La Nina Year ? ! ? El Nino Year ? ! ?




                           El Nino




                                     La Nina
      What About Next Year?
La Nina Year ? ! ? El Nino Year ? ! ?




            El Nino


           La Nina




            El Nino


            La Nina
      What About Next Year?
La Nina Year ? ! ? El Nino Year ? ! ?
           The Earth’s Water As A Sphere




                                Diameter of the Water Sphere
                                           860 Miles
                               321 million cubic miles of water




Source: USGS Water Science for Schools: http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/eatrhhowmuch.html