Coyote Gulch

Friday, August 29, 2008

Intra-State Colorado River Compact?

Here's an article about the Colorado River District's planned meeting to discuss the issues around an intra-state compact for water in Colorado, from The Delta County Independent. From the article:

Can Colorado develop in-state agreements to ensure water is available for Western Slope uses in the future? Or will it all go to the rapidly growing Front Range simply because it needs the water now? These questions and more will be examined at this year's annual Colorado River District Water Seminar that takes place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 19, at the Two Rivers Convention Center in Grand Junction. The cost is just $25 and includes lunch. Early registration ends Sept. 16 and the cost is $35 at the door.

This year's seminar focuses on how Colorado should deal with the last increment of the Colorado River that can be developed. By law, Colorado must let about 70 percent of the river and its tributaries ﬂow by the state border to satisfy the Colorado River Compact and meet downstate obligations in California, Nevada and Arizona. It is a goal of the Colorado River District to avoid a compact curtailment in Colorado. In other river basins, such as the Arkansas and the South Platte, local water users feel the economic pain of compact administration every year.

Sitting on the lead panel of this year's program are Colorado Supreme Court Justice Greg Hobbs as moderator, renowned water attorney David Robbins, Colorado River District General Manager Eric Kuhn and State Sen. Josh Penry, discussing if and how the Colorado River should be shared statewide.

Other panels will examine how a water rights bank might stave off an interstate curtailment order, the Front Range Water Council's vision for a water supply future, Denver Water's innovative conservation plan and an update of a soon-to-be-released study of the energy industry's future demand for water supply on the Western Slope.

The lunchtime keynote speaker is Upper Colorado Regional Director Larry Walkoviak of the Bureau of Reclamation.

To register for "What Would an Intra-State Colorado River Compact Look Like and How Would It Work?" (Are There Any Modern Day Delph Carpenters Out There?), visit www.ColoradoRiverDistrict.org, call Mandi Ebeler at (970) 945-8522 or e-mail mebeler@crwcd.org. Continuing education credits are available for attorneys and real estate professionals.
"colorado water"
7:02:47 AM

Zebra mussel update

From The Leadville Chronicle: "Concerned with the spread of non-native mussels, the Aurora Water Board (AWB) recently considered closing off Twin Lakes and Turquoise Lake- without notifying the Lake County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) about its plans, leading to somewhat of a showdown between Aurora and the BOCC. On Aug. 13, the Aurora Water Board held a meeting with the United States Forest Service (USFS) to discuss the possible closure of both Twin and Turquoise Lakes to all boating, in order to prevent zebra and quagga mussels, both non-native invasive aquatic species, from being introduced to the reservoirs by boats coming from other areas. However, the BOCC were not notified of or invited to the meeting. When USFS officials notified the BOCC days beforehand, the commissioners became concerned...The AWB was considering the closures as a surefire way to protect Lake County from an infestation of the mussels in its reservoirs, which would prove disastrous to both the immediate area and all connecting waterways. Lake County is a major factor in the fight to control the spread, because it lies at the top of the watershed. The mussels, which reportedly travel downstream, would be disastrous if they were to penetrate Lake County waterways and gain access to everything downstream, according to Bob Leaverton of the USFS."

More Coyote Gulch coverage here.
"colorado water"
6:53:48 AM

Draft EIS released for Windy Gap Firming Project

Here's an update on the environmental impact statement for the Windy Gap Firming Project and the proposed Chimney Hollow Reservoir, from The Loveland Reporter Herald. From the article:

A proposed reservoir near Carter Lake would provide a firm source of water for about 4,150 Loveland families and residents of several Front Range cities at the expense of 810 acres of habitat for elk, deer and black bear. The benefits and environmental impacts of Chimney Hollow Reservoir were detailed in a report released Thursday -- a day ahead of schedule -- by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation...

The 90,000-acre-foot reservoir near Carter Lake (southwest of Loveland) would store water from the Windy Gap project for Front Range communities. The cities, towns and districts already have rights to the water, but in many years, the water is not available. Chimney Hollow would store water from wet years, making it available on a reliable basis, Boyd said. Loveland would have a firm supply of 2,075 acre-feet of water each year, according to the draft environmental impact statement...

"This is still for us, essentially, a supply for the future," said Larry Howard, the city's senior civil engineer in water resources. "It certainly is important to have it in place over the next few years when development will be growing to the point that we need it." He estimated the city's current water usage (1,400 acre-feet per year) would grow to as much as 30,000 acre-feet in the coming decades. Chimney Hollow, combined with Green Ridge Glade Reservoir and the city's share of Colorado-Big Thompson water, would meet the city's water storage needs until 2030, Howard said.

While officials say the water would help sustain people in the region, the reservoir would inundate habitat where black bears, deer and moose forage. Project manager Jeff Drager admits that those 810 acres of habitat cannot be replaced. However, the open space surrounding the reservoir -- which would be managed by the county [~] may be able to offset some of the loss, he said. "We may be able to enhance some of the habitat surrounding Chimney Hollow," he said...

Comments are due Oct. 29 to Will Tully, Bureau of Reclamation: 11056 W. County Road 18E, Loveland, CO 80537; 663-3212 (fax); or wtully@gp.usbr.gov (put "Windy Gap draft EIS comment" in the e-mail subject line). Public meetings are scheduled Oct. 7 at McKee Medical Center in Loveland and Oct. 9 at the Inn at Silvercreek in Granby.

More Coyote Gulch coverage here and here.
"colorado water"
6:44:06 AM

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