MILLS, Wyo. - The Wyoming Area Office of the Bureau of Reclamation has prepared the May snowmelt runoff forecasts and operating plans for the North Platte River Basin.
The May forecasts indicate the spring snowmelt runoff will be below average. Total April through July runoff in the North Platte River Basin above Glendo Dam is expected to be 650,000 acre-feet (af), which is 70% of the 30-year average. Approximately 113.800 af of the forecast volume was accumulated during April, which is 72% of the April average.
The total conservation storage capacity of the North Platte Reservoir System is approximately 2,815,800 af. As of April 30, 2021, the combined storage content in the North Platte Reservoirs was 1,902,500 af, which is 106% of the 30-year average.
Current releases are 2600 cubic feet per second (cfs) from Seminoe Reservoir through the Miracle Mile. Releases out of Gray Reef Reservoir are 450 cfs. Releases out of Guernsey Reservoir are 2,400 cfs. Based on current projections for the months of May, June, and July, the releases out of Seminoe Reservoir are expected to peak at around 2,600 cfs, while flows out of Gray Reef are expected to peak in the range of approximately 1,500 to 2,600 cfs. Releases from Guernsey will peak in the 2,700 to 5,100 cfs range. Pathfinder Reservoir is not expected to spill this spring.
Source: Bureau of Reclamation
