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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.”