Blue River Streamflows Below Green Mountain Dam to Fluctuate Widely Through May

Recreationalists urged to maintain awareness of quickly changing river conditions

The Bureau of Reclamation advises the public that releases from Green Mountain Reservoir to the Blue River below will fluctuate significantly from May 20 through May 30. Reclamation estimates that releases will range from 500 cubic feet per second to as high as 1200 cubic feet per second during business hours and throughout Memorial Day weekend. Blue River streamflows will remain stable at approximately 500 cubic feet per second from 5 p.m. until 7 a.m. the next morning.

Maintenance and testing procedures on the dam and powerplant will cause flows to fluctuate without warning over time frames of less than an hour. Anglers and boaters should maintain awareness of changes in river flows when spending time in and near the Blue River.

Green Mountain Reservoir, a feature of the Colorado-Big Thompson Project, provides stored water for beneficial use within the Colorado River basin upstream of the Gunnison River confluence in Grand Junction, Colorado. Green Mountain Reservoir stores more than 150,000 acre-feet for use by West Slope project beneficiaries. Additionally, Green Mountain Powerplant generates approximately 52,000 megawatt hours of clean hydroelectric power annually.

The Bureau of Reclamation is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior and is the nation’s largest wholesale water supplier and second largest producer of hydroelectric power. Our facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation opportunities, and environmental benefits. Visit our website at https://www.usbr.gov and follow us on Twitter @USBR; Facebook @bureau.of.reclamation; LinkedIn @Bureau of Reclamation; Instagram @bureau_of_reclamation; and YouTube @reclamation.