BOPU 6-3-17
People living near or visiting the Encampment, Riverside, Baggs, Savery and Dixon areas should expect higher than normal flows in the Encampment and Little Snake Rivers this year because of runoff from the current snowpack.
Hog Park Reservoir, which is one of eight reservoirs for the City of Cheyenne Board of Public Utilities, is full as of June 2, 2017. Based on the predicated forecast, increased snowmelt in the surrounding area will continue to flow into Hog Park Reservoir which will cause the reservoir to fill. Once the reservoir is full, a spillway will safely direct natural runoff water coming into the reservoir back into Hog Park Creek (a tributary to the Encampment River), which may result in higher than normal flows in the Encampment River and Hog Park Creek.
Typically at this time of year, the BOPU closes its collection structures, which restricts trans-basin flow from the western side of the Continental Divide into Hog Park Reservoir. Since minimal runoff will be diverted trans-basin natural snowmelt is expected to increase flows into the Little Snake River. People living near or visiting the Encampment River, Little Snake River and surrounding riverways should exercise caution and be aware that flows may rapidly change depending on weather conditions.
As of June 2, 2017, Hog Park Reservoir contains 22,650 acre-feet of water, or 100 percent of capacity. Since one acre-foot equals 325,851 gallons of water, Hog Park currently holds around 7.4 billion gallons of water.