Mountain snowpack could fill reservoir nearly twice
Water managers have been releasing between 400 and 1,700 cubic feet per second of water this week from Vallecito Reservoir into the Los Pinos River north of Bayfield.
The Pine River Irrigation District is drawing down Vallecito Reservoir to make room for ample spring runoff.
The spring flush has begun.
For three days this week, Vallecito Reservoir has been releasing a deluge of water, ranging between 400 to 1,700 cubic feet per second.
Ken Beck, superintendent of Pine River Irrigation District, the agency that operates Vallecito Reservoir, said the release will make room within the reservoir in anticipation of significant snowmelt this spring.
As of Tuesday, Vallecito Reservoir was at about 28 percent of capacity, largely because of a poor water year in 2018. But the amount of snowpack in the high country this year could fill the 125,400 acre-foot reservoir almost twice, Beck said.
The Los Pinos River flows at about 2,000 cubic feet per second Tuesday north of Bayfield as a result of increasing flows from Vallecito Reservoir.
“We have a bunch of snow up above,” Beck said. “It’s just crazy.”
Releases out of Vallecito Reservoir will taper off Thursday, he said.
