MILLS, Wyo. -- The Wyoming Area Office of the Bureau of Reclamation in Mills, Wyo., has prepared snowmelt runoff forecasts for the North Platte River Basin, according to Carlie Ronca, Wyoming Area Manager. The May 1 forecasts indicate the spring snowmelt runoff for the North Platte Basin will be above average.
Total April through July runoff in the North Platte Basin above Glendo Dam is expected to be 1,170,000 acre feet (AF), which is 134 percent of the 30 year average. 233,800 AF was received in April. The April through July expected runoff is comprised of approximately 850,000 AF into Seminoe Reservoir, 70,000 AF into Pathfinder Reservoir from the Sweetwater River, and 250,000 AF from the basin between Pathfinder Reservoir and Glendo Reservoir.
The total conservation storage capacity of the North Platte Reservoir System is approximately 2,815,800 AF. As of April 30, the total storage was 2,363,500 AF, which is 135 percent of the 30-year average.
"In anticipation of the high forecasted runoff, a release from Guernsey Reservoir above irrigation demand was initiated on April 28 to pass a portion of the inflow. Additional adjustments in releases throughout the system will continue as the season progresses," Ronca said.
Source: Bureau of Reclamation
