WSP08923

• File Number: 7630.225
• Description: Wild and Scenic-Elk River
• State: CO
• Date: 4/1/1979
• Author: Leonard Rice WatEng
• Title: Elk W and S Study-Hinman Park Res-Public Service Company of Colorado-Appraisal of Hinman Park Reservoir and Saddle Mountain Pump Stations Water Rights
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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ment in principle that diversions under the change will be
limited to the amount of water available to the originally
decreed points of diversion. NO'estimate of the amount of
water the rights will yield is available at the present
time. The exercise of the Four 'County rights should not
adversely affect the Public Service Company's rights if the
stipulations agreed to are approved by the Court in grant-
ing the transfer.

~' .'

The Upper Colorado River Compact states in Article XIII(a)
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"The State of Colorado will not cause the flow of
the Yampa River at the Maybell gauging station to
be depleted below an aggregate of 5,000,000 acre-
feet for any period of ten consecutive years. . ."

The Upper Colorado River Compact is a commitment by the State
of Colorado which is senior to all water rights on the Yampa
River. The flow of the Yampa River at Maybell has averaged
1.075,000 acre-feet per year for the period 1951-1975. How-
ever. conditional rights with little return flow above the
Maybell gage could potentially reduce the compact flow to
a point where it would place calls on the Yampa River.

Reservoir Operation Studies

To determine the yield of the Public Service Company
the operation of the Yampa and Elk Rivers, including
Hinman Park Reservoir, Saddle Mountain Pump Stations.
Juniper Project and the Yampa River Compact was simulated
for a six year period. The operation study identified
when the Juniper Project, either because of unfilled stor-
age capacity or inadequate streamflow to satisfy its dir-
ect flow rights, would place a call on the river. When
a call was placed on the river the Hinman Park Reservoir
would have to release water from storage to augment con-
sumptive use by the Saddle Mountain Pump Stations. The

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~ Leonard Rice Consulling Water Engineers./nc,