C. C. Cragin Reservoir

[chumley]

Interesting article on AZCentral today about how Payson is finally going to get water from CC Cragin Reservoir (when exactly did it change it's name from Blue Ridge?).

In the meantime, it seems that SRP is taking water from the reservoir and releasing it into the East Verde at Washington Park, so that there's a regular flow that has more commonly been associated with spring runoff. This water is draining all the way down to Horseshoe and Bartlett lakes.

Payson will be building a new pipeline from Washington Park to a new water treatment plant somewhere near town, so it will be interesting to see how the pipeline/construction affects the area in the next few years.

It will also be interesting to see how the water levels on the reservoir are affected by the use of the water in higher quantities than recent years.

Recommended reading.
( 2018-08-28 dead link removed )

( 2018-08-28 damn smart thinking ahead - HAZ_Hikebot out! )
Edit: Added PDF since azc links expire within a couple of weeks.

[chumley]

You can read more about the current project and monitor the lake level, and water discharge rates here:
http://www.watershedmonitor.com/siteDet ... W_LwrVerde
http://www.watershedmonitor.com/siteDet ... W_LwrVerde

[ALMAL]

@chumley
Well, I guess there's your answer to the increased flow, slight off color, and seemingly colder water. Thanks for researching.
One potentially promising side note is the possibility of better fishing in at least the first couple of miles below the dam this fall. Better, meaning you will likely find trout in spots you did not find them previously. Maybe!
Not that you fish or anything Chumley...

[chumley]

@ALMAL
ahem
http://hikearizona.com/photo=433448

[ALMAL]

I stand corrected

[chumley]

Apparently it's been a good winter on the rim despite the lack of snow.

SRP sent this to the FS for public release.

It outlines the plans for how the reservoir will be managed this year. Looks like spring will be the best time for boating the lake before it slowly drops throughout the summer. (emphasis is mine)

CC Cragin Reservoir Operating Plan for 2015

Thanks to the most productive winter runoff season since 2010, Salt River Project expects C.C. Cragin Reservoir (formerly Blue Ridge) to be at 100 percent of capacity by April. The reservoir is currently at 96 percent of capacity, and only 5.5 feet shy of its maximum elevation. Last year, because of a lower-than-normal snowpack and winter runoff, the reservoir peaked at 60 percent of capacity. During the month of April, weather permitting, SRP plans to perform routine maintenance on the pipeline, electrical system, pumps and generation system. Assuming weather conditions allow access to the Cragin facilities, SRP hopes to have all of it systems operational by May 1. Water pumping will then commence, moving approximately 1,860 acre-feet per month. At that rate, SRP expects the reservoir to reach minimum pool around the first of October.

SRP acquired Blue Ridge Reservoir from Phelps Dodge Corp. in February 2005 as part of the Gila River Indian Water Rights Settlement approved by the Arizona Water Settlement Act. The agreement settled water rights issues and allowed for the transfer of the reservoir to SRP from Phelps Dodge, which built Blue Ridge Dam in 1965 for the purpose of collecting water to deliver to the Verde River as a water-exchange settlement with SRP. In addition to satisfying obligations to the Gila River Indian Community, Cragin is used to supplement SRP shareholders' water supply and to assist in improving the water supply situation in Payson and northern Gila County in accordance with the Arizona Water Settlements Act. SRP transferred ownership of the Cragin facilities to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, but continues to serve as operator of the system.”

(I'm not sure what SRP considers to be "minimum pool")

[azbackpackr]

Thanks very much for info, Todd!!

It was fun paddling there last summer, but the level sure was low. I went twice, paddled to each end, but my friend said the "ends" we paddled to were about a mile short of where they were supposed to be!

[toddak]

Right on!

[toddak]

Looks like the lake didn't quite make it to 100% full, but still very nice (photo taken 5/1/15). Water is still a bit cloudy and quite chilly.

[azbackpackr]

That's quite a bit better than the last time I paddled there back in July.