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<br />" <br /> <br />FROM: RES. RIGHTS <br /> <br />To:CWCB <br /> <br />002ut~\ <br /> <br />AUG 12. 1994 1:09PM ~479 P.02 <br /> <br />Q~~STIONS AND ANSWERS REGARDING <br />ASPINAr.L AND TAYLOR PARK RESERVOIRS <br /> <br />Question~ Are the 850,000 acre feet released annually from the <br />Aspinall Unit wasted? <br /> <br />ResEonse~ Aspinall is operated in conjunction with other <br />CRSp-stQrage units, including Lake Powell. The carryover <br />storage provided by both Aspinall and Lake Powell protects <br />the Upper Basin from having to curtail water use to meet <br />its compact delivery obligation to the Lower Basin. <br />Aspinall releases also satisfy the unquantified reserved <br />right for Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Monument, <br />protecting upstream water rights from a call. Aspinall <br />releases are also used to recover endangered fish, prevent- <br />ing "jeopardy opinions" under the Endangered Species Act <br />that threaten to shut down existing and future water pro- <br />jects. All of these uses benefit water development <br />throughout Colorado. <br /> <br />Question: Why should the Aspinall Unit be allowed to fill and <br />release every year when it has never been used to respond to a <br />compact call from the Lower Basin states? <br /> <br />Response: The Aspinall Unit was constructed and decreed to <br />serve multiple purposes, and it has fulfilled those pur- <br />poses. Its river regulation purpose has been accomplished <br />by its operation in conjunction with Lake Powell. This <br />river regulation and compact purpose is accomplished <br />thr.ough normal operation of the reservoirs, and is not de- <br />pendent upon a call from the Lower Basin -- the compact im- <br />poses a delivery requirement on the Upper Basin that does <br />not require a call. Aspinall was also intended to provide <br />water for use in COlorado, and has a substantial amount of <br />water available for contract. Finally, the power revenues <br />produced by its powerplants aid in developing Colorado's <br />compact apportionment, through contributing to repayment of <br />the entire Colorado River Storage Project and participating <br />projects. <br /> <br />Question: Why should additional water development in the Upper <br />GunnISon be foreclosed by the Taylor Park and Aspinall rights? <br />Isn't there a lot of water available for development in the Upper <br />Gunnison? <br /> <br />Response: 'I'he idea that a large amount of unappropr iated <br />water was available in the upper Gunnison was disproven <br />