Saturday, August 2, 2008

Colorado-Big Thompson update From email from Reclamation (Kara Lamb): A lot is going on this weekend across the Colorado-Big Thompson Project. [Thursday] night, we began running a temporary program on the west side of the C-BT that limits water through Grand Lake--Colorado's largest and deepest natural lake, and part of the C-BT. August is the time of year when algae blooms in the Lake can be at the highest. So, this mode of operation will be in place for three weeks until August 22. It provides us an opportunity to determine if limiting water movement through it improves Grand Lake's algae situation. Meanwhile, we continue to deliver water and generate power across the C-BT. Going into the weekend, we have pretty good water elevations in the reservoirs: Estes is at 7472 feet (3 feet down from full) and Pinewood is at 6577 (also 3 feet down from full). As I mentioned last week, we have stopped pumping to Carter Lake. With the heat on and the pump off, we've seen Carter drop about 5 feet since last weekend. It is currently at an elevation of 5719. All ramps are in the water. We ran a little more water into Horsetooth earlier this week and saw inflows match outflows for a while. Today, we are running about 290 cfs into Horsetooth and about 350 cfs is going out. The 'Tooth is currently at 5402--a little less than a foot down from last weekend. Heat driving demand like it does, we will see demands come up and more water move out of the project as it is delivered. Over the weekend, inflows to Horsetooth will drop twice: first this afternoon and then again tomorrow. By Sunday, inflow to Horsetooth will be about 140 cfs. It is possible it could drop some more. Meanwhile, run-off is finally starting to wrap up. Inflows into Lake Estes from the Big Thompson have dropped. Consequently, late last night for the third night, we reduced releases from Olympus Dam at Lake Estes to the Big T river through the canyon. We've gone from 403 cfs to 352 to 270 cfs in the last three nights. We are still at 270 cfs today, but that will continue to drop over the weekend, as well. Flows should bump between 160 and 150 cfs Saturday and Sunday. "colorado water" 3:38:49 PM

Dry Gulch Reservoir update Archuleta County in now on record as opposing the proposed Dry Gulch Reservoir, according to The Pagosa Daily Post. From the article: The Board of County Commissioners approved a resolution Tuesday opposing the construction of any reservoir larger than 12,500 acre feet at Dry Gulch, one mile north of the Town of Pagosa Springs. The Pagosa Area Water and Sanitation District has been planning -- and charging new customers impact fees for -- a $150 million (2006 dollars) 35,000 acre-foot reservoir at the Dry Gulch site. PAWSD currently distributes about 2,000 acre-feet of potable water... Karen Wessels, the President of the PAWSD Board, presented a very assured and confident defense of PAWSD plans and impact fees, to a large crowd which remained largely unconvinced. Wessels conceded that current PAWSD impact fees are based on the cost of a 35,000 AF project, but asserted, "We don't know what size the reservoir is going to be." Wessels characterized the focus on 35,000 AF as "premature and inappropriate." She added, "The appropriate data is the data from now until we start designing the project, roughly from 2008 until 2018."[...] The main points made by critics of present PAWSD plans: PAWSD plans for the project are just as vague as the San Juan Water Conservancy plans for a reservoir which were rejected by nearly 60% of the voters in 2004 Why base impact fees on the cost of the largest, most expensive model rather than the likeliest model? Why is this project still run by San Juan Water Conservancy President-In-Fact Fred Schmidt, given his court determined "disposition to act fraudulently and disregard the right of others"? (A characterization made by the same judge, Gregory Lyman, now deciding the Water Districts' water rights case.) New growth fee revenues are running less than 5% of forecasts and are likely to fall more than $10 million short for 2008 and 2009 alone The 35,000 AF model will require another $10 million of land purchases The Snowball Project which will rebuild the Town water system is the replacement of an existing system which should not be assessed to new users only Every water rights request, financial plan and engineering and environmental assessment developed by PAWSD is explicitly based on the 35,000 AF model Town, County and Fire and School Districts will not be able to raise sufficient funds for their own capital project unless PAWSD builds a more reasonable reservoir. More Coyote Gulch coverage here. "colorado water" 3:32:45 PM

Uncompahgre Plateau Project scores $40,000 From The Delta County Independent: "The Umcompahgre Plateau Project in Montrose and Delta counties will receive a $40,000 federal grant to restore and protect 23 miles of riparian buffer along the Gunnison River. The grant was announced July 12 by the National Association of Counties (NACo). NACo has awarded $246,100 in grants through the Five Star Program Partnership to sustain 10 projects in various counties across the country to help implement locally-driven wetland and watershed restoration projects." More coverage from the Montrose Daily Press. From the article: The Uncompahgre Plateau Project in Montrose and Delta counties will use the two-year grant to remove invasive plants and restore native species along 23 miles of the Gunnison River within the Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area, said Pam Motley, Uncompahgre Plateau Project education coordinator. The target species are tamarisk, Russian knapweed and whitetop, she said. Tamarisk has a reputation for using significantly more water than the native vegetation that it displaces, according to the nonprofit Tamarisk Coalition. The invasive plant is also known to increase an area's soil salinity and wildfire intensity. Its dense growth also negatively affects wildlife biodiversity, access to surface water and endangered fish habitat, the coalition noted. The project, which begins in August, will help enhance the riverside habitat. It will also engage local residents in educational efforts about invasive species management and watershed health, said Motley. Educational signs will be established at multiple trailheads to provide information to users of the trail system, she added. "colorado water" 3:13:46 PM

Crystal River: Darien conservation easement Conservation easements are a great way to preserve land for riparian interests and aesthetics. Here's an article about Larry and Dana Darien's easement along the Crystal River, from The Glenwood Springs Post Independent. From the article: "We've been considering this for probably about 15 to 20 years," Larry [Darien] said. "We wanted to see it conserved the way it is, we kind of like the way it is." The Dariens initiated conservation efforts in 2006 when they placed 70 acres of the ranch under conservation easement by 2007. Now, some 90 percent of the ranch is protected and will never be developed. The Dariens did reserve some potential home sites along County Road 3. Conservation of the property was a partnership between Aspen Valley Land Trust, Pitkin County and lottery-funded Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO), with additional funding assistance from Gunnison County. The property is a major piece of the Crystal Watershed Legacy project, which was initiated to conserve the last major ranches and historic properties in the Crystal River Valley. This project was headed by Pitkin County Open Space and Trails, in partnership with AVLT and the Town of Carbondale with Gunnison County contributing funds to the project. According to Martha Cochran, executive director of AVLT, this is a huge investment that will preserve the historical integrity of the valley. "It's very exciting for us and the whole community in the valley," Cochran said. "It's a very unusual piece of property and it kind of sets the entrance for the upper Crystal Valley. It's a historic ranch." According to a statement from AVLT, the ranch located along County Road 3 and is visible from highway 133, was originally owned by John Osgood who also built the community of Redstone and the Redstone Castle. In 1938, Larry's father, Gus Darien, and two uncles Hank and Jim Darien purchased the ranch from Osgood. During the 1970s the ranch was platted for more than 600 residential homes, which never came to fruition. Larry and Dana built Ute Meadows Inn on the banks of the Crystal River and previously operated the Ute Meadows Nordic Ski Area on the property, but now mostly raise cattle and horses. The ranch is surrounded by the White River National Forest and is close to the Raggeds Wilderness Area and is considered vital winter range for elk and a summer concentration area for deer populations. The Dariens retain ownership of the property with the conservation easement and they can use the land for whatever purpose they feel, according to Cochran, however, they gave up their rights to development. That was the main goal for all parties involved. "colorado water" 9:51:37 AM

Eastern Colorado drought From The Colorado Springs Gazette: "Colorado Springs was a virtual desert in July, recording the least amount of rain for the month since before the Great Depression - 0.3 inches, tying the record from 1924." More from the article: Last year, Colorado Springs had received more than 7 inches of rain by the end of July. This year, it has had about 3 inches... Restrictions on lawn watering and washing vehicles, imposed in 2002 during a drought that lasted for years and weren't lifted until it eased in 2006, are not on the horizon, he said. The deep snowpack from winter months is looking especially fortuitous now, with the mountain runoff keeping the reservoirs filled to fairly high levels, despite the historic arid conditions. Pikes Peak and Rampart reservoirs were at 79 percent of capacity entering July, which was nearly 10 percent greater than the average during the past three decades at this time of the year. The city's systemwide capacity stood at 90 percent, a far cry from the 59 percent storage level at the same time in 2002... "We're looking to transition to monsoons next week," said Joe Ceru, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Pueblo, referring to the moisture flow from the Southwest that produces summer thunderstorms along Colorado's Front Range. Ceru said a high-pressure ridge did not move as far east as it usually does this time of year, stalled in part by Hurricane Dolly, delaying the onset of the monsoon. More Coyote Gulch coverage here. "colorado water" 9:20:31 AM

Energy policy: Nuclear Here's the lowdown on the recent lawsuit filed by several conservation groups asking for expanded analysis of impacts of uranium mining on near the Dolores River, from The Durango Herald. From the article: Conservation groups filed a lawsuit Thursday in federal court claiming that the Department of Energy needs to do more analysis on the impacts of proposed uranium mines near the Dolores River Canyon. The department is considering approving 38 uranium mines on 42 square miles of public lands in the area. The lawsuit claims that the department failed to adequately evaluate soil, water and habitat contamination threats as required by federal law. "The Department of Energy must thoroughly consider all of the consequences of vastly expanding its uranium leasing and mining program in western Colorado," said Brian Farnsworth with Information Network for Responsible Mining, in a news release. "The federal government cannot blindly stumble along with this proposal, which could permanently and irretrievably contaminate precious water, soil and wildlife habitat," Farns-worth added. Dolores Public Lands Manager Steve Beverlin declined to comment until seeing the lawsuit. "We try to balance use with protection of the existing resources," he said. "That's our mission."[...] In Colorado last year, mining claims on public lands rose to 10,730 from about 120 five years ago. The Dolores River area is the epicenter of Colorado's uranium boom, said Megan Corrigan, staff biologist with the Center for Native Ecosystems in Denver. In Dolores County, uranium claims rose from 396 in 2006 to 5,399 in 2007. In San Miguel County, claims were at 1,119 in 2006 and 2,633 in 2007. Conservation groups that filed the federal lawsuit include the Colorado Environmental Coalition, Information Network for Responsible Mining, Center for Native Ecosystems and Center for Biological Diversity. More Coyote Gulch coverage here. "cc" 8:53:39 AM

Eagle River restoration Here's an update on mine waste stabilization efforts along the Eagle River near Gilman, from The Vail Daily. From the article: Far below Highway 24 in a deep canyon south of Minturn you'll find the rickety ruins of Belden, a long abandoned work camp for the river-polluting, trout-killing Eagle Mine. It looks like a movie set down there. Railroad tracks wind through the narrow valley alongside the Eagle River. Rows of rusted buildings are still there, surrounded and filled by junk and debris, looking as if they'll collapse at any second. Rock walls tower above you, and the ghost-town Gilman is perched 1,000 feet above on the cliff side. Seems like a perfect place for a shoot-out with bandits. Look up the slopes and you'll see some more antiquities -- wooden "cribs" built by miners decades ago to hold tons of useless rock they pulled out of the mine. And now, 24 years after the Eagle Mine shut down, river advocates are worried that all the rock still trapped on the cliff poses an environmental threat to the Eagle River below. If someday those deteriorating cribs fall apart, all that rock, which is contaminated with toxic metal like zinc, would end up falling into the river. It could have a catastrophic effect on the ecosystem and kill wildlife that's sensitive to zinc, like trout. The Environmental Protection Agency though is finalizing a plan to prevent that from happening. As early as this month, it could begin building a couple concrete walls in the canyon to catch any contaminated rock that might fall in the future... Originally, the Environmental Protection Agency wanted to remove the rock from Belden altogether, or at least consolidate it into a place where it couldn't fall into the river. Actually doing this would be an engineering nightmare, the agency discovered, said Jennifer Chergo, public affairs specialist for the Environmental Protection Agency. "We'd have to get the backhoes up there, use explosives to bet the rock down, it just became very risky," Chergo said. "There's always that concern, you don't want to make it worse." There will be two walls, one higher up the cliff, one closer to the canyon floor. Final design on the walls hasn't been completed, so the EPA doesn't know how long or tall they'll be yet. The EPA isn't so worried about pollution from rainwater and snowmelt running off those rocks, which is a problem in other areas of the Eagle Mine. These rocks, since they were never processed, likely have very low amounts of zinc, and would only be a huge environmental problem if they fall in the water, where they would become a constant, direct source of pollution, Chergo said. Learn more about water quality issues at the ERWC Eagle Mine Limited's new Web site at http://www.erwceaglemine.org/. Eagle Mine Ltd. was formed by the Eagle River Watershed council to accept a grant from the EPA to involve and educate the community regarding water quality issues with the Eagle Mine Superfund Site. More Coyote Gulch coverage here. "colorado water" 8:24:33 AM

Gray water for conservation? Gray water systems (reusing water within a household) is generally not allowed by law in Colorado. Colorado water law allows each water user one use of their water (the exception is out-of-basin water). Also public health officials worry about gray water as a breeding ground for pathogens. Here's a report from The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. From the article: There are a number of issues that need to be understood before relying on gray water as a water-conservation tool. First, Colorado has strict water rights laws that prohibit multiple uses of water. For example, a farmer can only use his water rights to irrigate once, meaning that after a share of water is diverted from the river and directed onto a field it is either lost through evaporation, consumed by the plant or returned to the river through a waste ditch or by percolating through the ground. The last of these, return flows, is the critical pathway. Other water-rights holders depend on these return flows to fulfill their water rights and shares they own. In the household, these return flows are what we flush and rinse away, eventually passing through the water-treatment plant and returning to the Colorado River. Most interpretations of single use for the household stick literally to that definition. Even if waste streams stay within the house, they cannot legally be reused. Gray water is very much a gray area when it comes to defining its health risks. While places like Australia and Arizona encourage gray water use, the Colorado Health Department is wary of the myriad of potential contaminants known as pathogens that can infect gray water and cause human health problems. These include salmonella, Legionnaire's disease and hepatitis. Experts have conducted many studies on gray water, but the most significant finding is that gray water is highly variable in its level of pathogen contamination. More Coyote Gulch coverage here. "colorado water" 8:07:43 AM

No new evidence of zebra mussels found in Lake Pueblo Monitoring and inspections have not turned up any new zebra mussels or their larvae in Lake Pueblo, according to The Pueblo Chieftain. From the article: After nearly 19,000 inspections at Lake Pueblo in the past three months, no new evidence of zebra mussels has surfaced. Periodic sweeps of the lake and others in the state by the Division of Wildlife turned up larvae of quagga mussels at Lake Granby, but nothing so far at Lake Pueblo. That doesn't mean the rangers or wildlife officers will stop looking. "The inspections will continue as we have been doing," said Brad Henley, assistant ranger at Lake Pueblo State Park. "As we continue, there will be similar procedures at John Martin and other lakes in Southeastern Colorado."[...] "Of the 18,883 boats we've checked to date, there have been less than 10 complaints," Henley said. "Return users know the process. They pull into the area, leave everything open and do what they can to speed things up. The compliance level has been phenomenal." So far, only five boats have been decontaminated. A portable high-temperature boat wash was put in this week at Lake Pueblo, and will be replaced later this month with a permanent wash. One boat was being brought into the state from Michigan and had dead zebra mussels on the outside. The others have had suspicious black spots on them, about the size of ground pepper. That description matches the larvae - called veligers - inspectors are hunting. However, a lab analysis of the spots determined they were plant-based, not animals, Henley said. More Coyote Gulch coverage here. "colorado water" 7:53:24 AM

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