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Quarterly Newsletter January, 2001 Volume 6, Issue 1 Competing UJU in tbe Doloru WaterJbe'J McPhee Reservoir is rhe most sophisticated and one of the grab more of McPhee's spill for the fishery was the genesis newest water projects in the United States, according to of WETPack (Water for Everyone Tomorrow Package). Steve Harris, Harris Water Engineering. It provides ample WETPack is a project of the DWCD. Their efforts involve warer to both agricultural and municipal needs as well as simultaneously increasing irrigated farmland and meeting creates a year round fishery below the dam. Don Schwindt, non-agricultural needs (See the sidebar for more Colorado Water Conservation Board and Dolores Water information). Jim Carder, a member of the Three Rivets Conservancy District (DWCD), describes McPhee as, "the Chapter of Trout Unlimited, created the moniker DRIP first 'New West' project that really does provide water for (Dolores River Instream Flow Partnership) for another local competing uses. Yet, there are still issues regarding how water group. Its primary purpose is adding water to the the water is divided." fishery and includes the Bureau of Land Management, US Forest Service, Bureau of Reclamation, Colorado Division of Wildlife, DWCD, Trout Unlimited, Colorado Outfitters Association and commercial fishermen. Prior to the reservoir, the lower Dolores River was almost dry during summer irrigation months. Requirements for building the project ensured that the fishery below the dam would get an annual 33,200 acre feet, plus the annual "spill" or excess water that McPhee cannot store. The fishery has a McPhee allocation of 29,300 acre feet plus up to 3,900 acre feet of senior water rights to create the pool. This is second to full service farmers, whose allocation is 55,000 acre feet annually. The Ute Mountain Ute Tribe receives 23,000 acre feet and the Montezuma Valley Irrigation Company (MV!) gets an average 13,000 acre feet. Although a spill does not occur every year, effort goes into managing the spill when it occurs to maximize boating opportunities. Don Schwindt describes McPhee's allocations as buckets. Today's conflicts involve how to create a new bucket or how to squeeze more out of the existing buckets. The drought of 1989 revealed that the existing fishery allocation is just not enough. Biologists determined that a total pool of36,500 acre feet would best sustain the qualiry trout fishing waters of the lower Dolores. This leaves a 3,300 acre foot need unmer. In addition, now that there is a continuously flowing river below the dam, recreational boaters have weighed in on the debate. They would like to see an increased and more predictable flow each year. McPhee holds a total of 381,000 acre feer of water. Some might atgue that on most years thete is excess water. So, why nOllet the fishery and boaters have that excess? "It's all allocated and no one is willing to give up their rights," says Don Schwindt. The reservoir is a multi-year operation. On November 1 of each year, any remaining water goes toward next year's allocation. The carry-over water must be maintained so managers are ready for drought years, much like 2000. There is another more complex reason that involves the agricultural heritage of the region. The most common theme in communiry planning efforts for both Montezuma and Dolores Counties is agricultural viabiliry. Residents, new and old, are attracted to the lifesryle and landscape fostered by agriculture. Water is essential to maintaining the backdrop for that sentiment. Over 15 alternatives have been visited for satisfYing the fishery, but so far none have become a realiry. In the last couple of years, emphasis has been on construction of new storage at Plateau Creek. According to borh John Porter, Manager of the DWCD, and Don Schwindt, President, new storage is the only long-term solution to the fishery need. The reservoir option does nor sit well with the boating and environmental communities primarily because Efforts to figure out how to create more water or essentially it involves further manipulation of nature and possibly In tbu Iddue of tbe Water Letter Continuedonpage3 Competing Uses in the Dolores Watershed .................. 1 &3 Did You Know' ................................................................. 3 Ernest W. Schutz............................................................... 2 Water for Everyone Tomorrow Package ............................. 3 Qualiry Control Hearing on Animas River................... 2&3 Upcoming Feature Stories & Events Calendar................... 4