AND RESERVOIR OPERATION 265. FILLING CRITERIA. The filling criteria for Lake Powell were approved by the Secretary of the Interior on April 2, 1962. Basically, the criteria cover the first filling of Lake Powell up to full reservoir at elevation 3700 feet above mean sea level. Provision was made for sufficient water to be released from Lake Mead and Lake Powell to satisfy water uses below Hoover Dam. The criteria also provided that the United States would make a fair allowance for any deficiency in firm energy generation at Hoover Powerplant. Until elevation 3490 was first reached, the water stored in Lake Powell was made available to maintain rated head on Hoover Powerplant. A minimum flow of 1,000 cubic feet per second was maintained in the river downstream of Glen Canyon Dam during this initial storage period through the high-pressure gates in the left diversion tunnel. After stored water in Lake Powell reached elevation 3490, the reservoir level was maintained at that level or higher. The storage level in Lake Powell was operated in such a manner that Lake Mead was not drawn below elevation 1123, which is the elevation for rated head on Hoover Powerplant. Over 1,000,000 acre-feet per year was also released while gaining storage to elevation 3490 at Glen Canyon, insofar as inflow and storage permitted. In summary, the operation of Lake Powell above elevation 3490 and the operation of Lake Mead were coordinated to produce the greatest practical amount of power and energy, but still meet downstream water demands in accordance with the filling criteria. These filling criteria are included in U.S. Senate Document No. 7, 88th Congress, 1st session, along with other related documents. 266. RESERVOIR FILLING. Initial closure of Glen Canyon Dam was accomplished on March 13, 1963, by final closure of the left diversion tunnel gates. The reservoir water surface elevation at the time of closure was 3203.3 feet with a storage of 119,500 acre-feet. Water release through the high-pressure regulating gates in the left diversion tunnel was adjusted to pass a minimum of 1,000 cubic feet per second. This rate of release was maintained for the remainder of the year and the reservoir elevation on December 31, 1963, was 3409.6 feet with a storage of 2,968,000 acre-feet. to a minimum of 1,000 cubic feet per second. This flow was maintained through August 17, 1964, when the reservoir attained an elevation of 3490.3 feet and a storage of 6,141,000 acre-feet. Testing of generating unit 1 began on August 20, 1964, unit 2 on September 9, 1964, and testing of the other units followed at approximately 2-month intervals. The downstream water releases were continued as coordinated releases from the available turbines, left diversion tunnel gates, and the outlet works hollow-jet valves until August 30, 1965. By this date units 1 through 5 were on the line and the combined turbine discharges alone were sufficient to meet downstream water requirements. 267. INITIAL OPERATIONAL STAFFING. Key operating personnel were transferred to the project in July 1964, to observe the last phases of construction and equipment installation, assist in final tests, and assume operation of the powerplant upon completion of construction. Operating personnel consisted of a branch chief, an operations foreman, five control room operators, and five assistant operators, providing adequate personnel for efficient operation of Glen Canyon Powerplant on the basis of 24 hours per day and 7 days per week. 268. INITIAL POWER GENERATION AND TRANSMISSION. Initial power transmission was to be made on the Glen Canyon-Shiprock 230-kilovolt transmission line. This line was test energized from Shiprock, N. Mex., to Glen Canyon. Following the initial turbogenerator testing, unit 1 was synchronized to the system on August 31, 1964. Tests were completed and unit 1 was operated 461.5 hours during the month of September 1964. Unit 2 was initially synchronized to the system on September 18, 1964, and was operated 232.0 hours during the remainder of the month. Combined generation of units 1 and 2 produced 46,220,000 kilowatt-hours in September, the first partial month of operation. The official in-service dates for the eight units (dates of first power generation) are as follows: Releases were increased by varying amounts to meet downstream requirements from January 30, 1964, through May 11, 1964, when they were again reduced Unit 7 Unit 8 October 13, 1965 January 21, 1966 February 28, 1966 |