Water Management Data & Forecast

30-Day Water Flow/Storage Data for Morrow Point and Blue Mesa Reservoirs

Morrow Point Reservoir Data

The past 30-day plot of historic water management data for Morrow Point Reservoir. Data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.

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Blue Mesa Reservoir Data

The past 30-day plot of historic water management data for Blue Mesa Reservoir. Data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.

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Latest Status Report

Last Updated: July 8, 2020

Aspinall Unit Reservoirs – As of July 6, 2020 releases from Crystal Dam are approximately 1,650 cfs. Gunnison Tunnel diversions for irrigation season are increasing each week and as of today UVWUA is diverting 1,050 cfs through the Gunnison Tunnel.  The capacity of the Gunnison Tunnel is approximately 1,150 cfs.  Flows in the Black Canyon are about 675 cfs.

The most recent forecast (July) for unregulated inflow during the water supply period (April through July) is projecting Blue Mesa will receive 390,000 af (58 percent of average).

Blue Mesa is not projected to fill this year based on the most recent inflow forecast.  On July 6, 2020, the elevation of Blue Mesa was 7490.82 feet above sea level corresponding to a live storage of 587,700 af (71 percent of capacity).  The elevation of Blue Mesa is now decreasing each day as releases are greater than inflows.  The peak elevation of Blue Mesa occurred on June 19th when the elevation was 7492.87 feet when the storage in Blue Mesa Reservoir reached 603,855 acre-feet (72.8 percent of full capacity).

The unregulated inflow volume in June to Blue Mesa was 140,000 af (54 percent of average). Unregulated Inflow volumes forecasted for Blue Mesa for the next three months (July, August and September) are projected to be: 47,000 af (40 percent of average), 37,000 af (59 percent of average) and 30,000 af (79 percent of average), respectively. The July 24-Month Study is reflective of these new forecasts. The April through July forecasted most probable unregulated inflow volume to Blue Mesa is 390,000 af (58 percent of average).  The 2020 water year forecasted unregulated inflow volume is 628,800 af (66 percent of average).


Credit: NPS/Lisa Lynch

Credit: NPS/Lisa Lynch

Credit: NPS/Lisa Lynch

Credit: NPS/Lisa Lynch

Fishing Report NEWS

Book Your Spring 2019 Fishing Trip

Epic Snowpack In Colorado Rocky Mountains

Spring Forecast For Morrow Point & Blue Mesa Reservoirs

The 2018/19 Winter season began with most of Southwest Colorado in an exceptional drought. A late start to snowfall was discouraging until things changed at the end of December 2018 when the jetstream began favoring the four corners region. It has been snowing ever since. The current snowpack is 154% above average.

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Happy Spring 2019!

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Although Spring is in the air here in Gunnison country, WE HAVE SNOW and LOTS OF IT! The much-needed snowfall this past Winter means that the reservoirs will have plenty of water this year ... now it's the waiting game.

When will Ice off happen? It is anybody's guess at this point, but what is for sure is that Spring and pre-runoff fishing is perhaps the best of the year for hungry, trophy sized, trout bite... We hope to be trophy lake trout and brown trout fishing within the month on Blue Mesa, the latest I have ever seen boats launch on Blue is April 27th. So, we are optimistic about a mid-April start. On Morrow Point we will try to launch the boats on May 1st, this can seriously be the best fishing in the state that week. These fish are hungry, very gullible and very catchable... COME FISH PRE RUNOFF with us!

Check out some fishing highlights video clips from Morrow Point HERE.

Contact Ryan VanLanen to book your Spring 2019 fishing trip HERE.

Fishing Report NEWS

Morrow Point

Looking to launch the boats May 1st. come fish the non-pressured trout of May with us.

Fishing Report

June on Blue Mesa = excellent Kokanee Fishing

June has been great for GSO on Blue Mesa. Kokanee fishing has been as good as it gets and the fish are healthy and HUGE. We still have some days open in July and the fishing should stay just as good as it is now.

 

 

 

 

Also we have been doing some Fly Fishing trips around the Blue Mesa’s waters. Consider us for your next fly fishing trip in the Gunnison valley

 

Blue Mesa Lake Trout

Trophy lake trout season has been good to GSO so far. Not gonna say it’s been easy, but finding a way to produce fish for clients on most trips!! With low water levels we’re finding some fish in new spots and been trying lots of new lures and tactics to induce a strikes> its been fun re-learning the lake at this water level. The bad news for good fishing this season is that many of the old trophy sized fish are being harvested by some anglers daily. It’s so sad to see people have no consideration for the fishery that they love so much. It’s so sad to see these old fish end up on stringer. I heard of one boat keeping 17 mackinaw one day,  half of which were old big fish and another that had 5 over 3olbs one day! sad sad sad, very ignorant and very disrespectful to an amazing fish that takes so long to grow that big! Please consider this lake trout  fishery for the future generations of anglers that will want to catch these fish and not just here the stories from you about how many 30lb’ers you threw on the grill years ago!

SAVE A LAKE TROUT>EAT KOKANNE FOR DINNER