Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Parker details water plans Parker Water and Sanitation has written a long column for YourHub. Click through and read the whole thing. Here are some excerpts: Here is the reality: our current water use is reducing our groundwater aquifers by as much as 30 feet per year. Every well in the district records this reduced production. We are essentially mining a non-renewable resource. Once we have pumped the water to the surface, it will not be recaptured and returned to the aquifer. The Rueter-Hess Reservoir is part of the solution to this problem. But with groundwater depletion, PWSD management is working hard to find new sources to meet ongoing demand. The amount of renewable water supply from Cherry Creek is limited to about 5,000 acre feet annually (an acre foot supplies two average sized families for a year). Currently, our residents and businesses use 8,000 acre feet every year! The District will capture as much surface water as possible in the Rueter-Hess Reservoir, which represents a major component of our future water security. What is the answer to this mounting challenge? There are several opportunities related to purchasing renewable resources on the South Platte, Arkansas or Colorado rivers. Such buys are feasible but the cost is high because in addition to purchasing the water rights the District must launch major capital projects to construct pipelines and pump stations to transport the water to Parker. These kinds of capital costs are already being incurred by neighboring water districts, including several pipelines of 30 miles or more that will consume literally billions of dollars. PWSD has also purchased consumptive water rights by buying 12 farms outside the District in Logan County that could supply as many as 9,000 acre feet of water. The good news is that these are performing assets, generating District revenues until the water might be needed. PWSD's foresight in obtaining "senior" water rights here will give Parker residents priority over other uses when the time comes. The District views this option as a last resort insurance policy. Delivery from the Colorado River would bear the same infrastructure cost but would be less expensive to treat. The District is also looking at water from Flaming Gorge on the Green River, the largest provider of water to the Colorado River. We have also obtained permission to study this option from the Colorado Division of Natural Resources and the Wyoming Water Commission and the Bureau of Reclamation. With this option, 400 miles of pipeline would create significant capital costs and would require partnerships with other agencies. More Coyote Gulch coverage here. "colorado water" 7:31:22 PM     HB09-1174, SB09-147, Augmentation relief for South Platte Basin irrigators Here's a look at HB09-1174 (pdf), Exempt Pre-1974 Well Depletions and SB09-147 (pdf), Water Supply Plans Pre-2003 Depletions, from K.C. Mason writing for the Sterling Journal Advocate. From the article: House Bill 1174 affects about 400 wells users that the Central Water Conservancy District accepted into its plan after the demise of the Ground Water Appropriators of the South Platte (GASP). While the bill garnered no debate on the House floor, it generated a claim during a committee hearing last week that well irrigators are "stealing water from people on the lower South Platte." [More...] Senate Bill 147 would allow the State Engineer to approve substitute water supply plans in permanent augmentation plans for the repayment of out-of-priority depletions from the stream prior to 2003. The bill would apply only to wells in Division I and would expire in 10 years. "Right now you can't use substitute supply plans for augmentation," said Hodge, who is preparing for a hearing on her bill Thursday before the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. "This would just give them a quicker way to get water when it's available." A similar bill was introduced last spring when water providers said they had some surplus water to sell because of the heavy snowpack. It was immediately opposed by surface water users and Western Slope interests. More Coyote Gulch coverage here. "colorado water" 7:09:59 PM     Snowpack news From the Sky-Hi Daily News: "Snowpack in the mountains around Middle Park ranges from 81 percent to 157 percent of the 30-year average. Last year at this time it was 92 percent to 133 percent of average. The southern drainages have the most moisture content: Fraser River, 133 percent; Williams Fork, 126 percent; and Blue River, 125 percent. The northern drainages have the least: Corral Creek, 92 percent; Muddy Creek, 112 percent; and Willow Creek, 116 percent. Overall, this is quite similar to Feb. 1, 2006. Snow density is averaging 24 percent, which means that each foot of snow contains about 2.9 inches of water." "colorado water" 6:51:40 PM

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