WSP09111 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

FONSI- B~B 11 \fater Works ot Pueblo July 2000, . ... , PURPOSE The purpose of this action is to increase the efficiency of the Board of Water Works' (Board) water supply system, conserve water for municipal uses, and improve the quality of the Board's raw water supply. This action also allows development of a potential water delivery alternative from Pueblo Reservoir to the City of Colorado Springs (Colorado Springs). NEED The Board is requesting the use of up to 15,000 acre-feet per year of "if and when" storage for non-project water in Pueblo Reservoir, permission to connect a 84" pipeline to the South Outlet Works, permission to lay a 84" pipeline across Reclamation land, and a conveyance agreement that would allow the passage of non-project water through the South Outlet Works. These actions would improve the efficiency the Board's water system and allow the Board to more efficiently use its water rights. Connection to the South Outlet Works would normally eliminate the need to convey water in the Arkansas River to the Board's Northside Intake, Souths ide Intake (Intakes), and Comanche Pump Station resulting in higher quality water being delivered to the Whitlock Water Treatment Plant. Higher quality water will contribute to lower chemical costs for treatment. The head created by the water behind the dam will also reduce the Board's pumping costs at the Comanche Pump Station and the Whitlock Water Treatment Plant. Increased summer demand from residential irrigation and fickle weather sometimes work together to produce system inefficiency. Without "if and when" space in Pueblo Reservoir, the Board releases water from the upper basin reservoirs (Clear Creek, Twin Lakes and Turquoise Reservoirs) to meet short-term increases in demand. Travel time for the water from the upper basin reservoirs to the Board's Intakes ranges from 30 to 40 hours. If it rains after water is released from the upper basin reservoirs but before it reaches the Board's Intakes, demand for residential irrigation water decreases dramatically. There is no way to stop this water once it has been released from the upper basin reservoirs for later use unless storage is available between those reservoirs and the Board's Intakes. If there is no storage space, the Board is forced to use that water even though the Board's direct flow rights could have met the demand. As a result, stored water is used unnecessarily and direct flow rights are left in the river. This results in water from the Colorado River Basin being diverted into the Arkansas River basin to replace the released water. Storage at Pueblo Reservoir will allow the Board to use stored water only when necessary. This would allow the Board to manage its water supply more efficiently and could reduce the Board's demand on Colorado River Basin water until such time that the Board needs to fully utilize those rights to meet the demands of the citizens of Pueblo and to satisfy contractual obligations. Long-term access to "if and when" storage would increase the efficiency of the Board's water supply system, in the near term reduce the need for transbasin diversions from the Colorado River basin, and assure that all diversions from the western slope as well as the Board's east slope stored water is used efficiently. Unused water by the Board would be subject to diversion by junior appropriators in the Colorado River basin and may improve habitat for endangered fish. Colorado Springs has indicated that if additional water conveyance pipelines or other facilities to deliver water are not constructed, Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) will not be capable of meeting Colorado Spring's forecasted water demands by 2010. Lack of adequate water supplies may contribute to disruption of community master planning efforts, limitations on