Reclamation issues snowmelt forecast for Big Horn River Basin

WASHINGTON – The Bureau of Reclamation’s January forecast of the April through July water runoff predicted for the Big Horn River Basin is as follows:

Big Horn Lake – Big Horn River April through July inflow to Big Horn Lake is forecast to be approximately 1,307,000 acre-feet (af), which is 105% of the 30-year average of 1,250,000 af.  As of January 1, Big Horn Lake was 87% full.

Buffalo Bill Reservoir - Shoshone River April through July inflow to Buffalo Bill Reservoir is forecast at 900,000 af, which is 120% of the 30-year average of 753,000 af. As of January 1, Buffalo Bill was 59% full.

Boysen Reservoir - Wind River April through July inflow to Boysen Reservoir is forecast at 700,000 af, which is 116% of the 30-year average of 606,000 af. As of January 1, Boysen Reservoir was 70% full.

Bull Lake Reservoir - April through July snowmelt runoff into Bull Lake Reservoir from Bull Lake Creek is expected to be 150,000 af, which is 104% of the 30-year average of 144,000 af. As of January 1, Bull Lake Reservoir was 25% full.

A reservoir is considered “full” when the pool elevation is at the top of the active conservation or joint-use pool. The percentage is based on total reservoir volume below that level.

Reclamation’s storage reservoirs in the basin have a combined storage capacity of 2.6 million acre-feet, and most of that capacity is attributed to Bull Lake, Boysen and Buffalo Bill reservoirs in Wyoming and Big Horn Lake in Montana and Wyoming. Hydropower is produced at Boysen Powerplant and four powerplants supplied by Buffalo Bill Reservoir in Wyoming and at the Yellowtail Powerplant in Montana.

For additional information on Buffalo Bill, Boysen and Bull Lake Reservoirs, contact Wyoming Area Manager Lyle Myler at 307-261-5671. For additional information on Big Horn Lake, contact Montana Area Manager Ryan Newman at 406-247-7298.