PROJC00106 App Letter (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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. . . for a total of $8,500,000 in CWCB financing. The following paragraphs summarize these items and present the results of the staffs feasibility analyses of the project. PROJECT DESCRIPTION The major features of the project are 3,000 acre-feet of storage capacity in a reclaimed mine tailings pond to provide additional storage for water users in the Upper Eagle River Valley. The project is intended to replace out-of-priority depletions caused by municipal and snowmaking diversions and for enhancement of Eagle river flows. Please see the attached project summary. Water supplies could be obtained from tributaries of the Eagle River, from Ten Mile Creek, and from the Arkansas River. It is the intent of the Company to store water under 1992 water rights filings for the reservoir and by exchange when the reservoir is not in priority. The exchange would utilize senior consumptive use credits, Green Mountain Reservoir contract water, snowmaking return flows, and the Pando Feeder Canal right, all owned by the project participants. The Company estimates that the firm yield from all of these sources would amount to about 2,100 acre-feet. Cyprus Climax has recently completed the removal of on~ million cubic yards of mine tailings from the reservoir basin. The Division of Minerals and Geology will certify the removal of the tailings and the rehabilitation of the site as a fresh water reservoir pursuant to the terms of Cyprus Climax reclamation pennit. The reservoir will be partially filled in the spring of 1997 and the quality of water in the reservoir will be tested for contamination. If contamination is present, the reservoir contents will be pumped to another tailings pond at the Climax Mine and the reservoir will be refilled. The process will be repeated until a level of water quality is attained that is suitable for release to the East Fork of the Eagle River. It is our understanding that at such time as water quality is acceptable, Cyprus Climax will request the Water Quality Control Division to amend the discharge pennit for the entire mine to delete Eagle Park Reservoir from the pennit. The Eagle Park Dam is a 135-foot high earth embankment structure which has been in place for more than 30 years, The Division 5 Engineer's Office has indicated that, to the best of their knowledge, the existing dam is sound and has no known structural problems. EAGLE PARK RESERVOIR COMPANY The reservoir site will be acquired by means of a purchase agreement between the Eagle Park Reservoir Company and Cyprus Climax. It is our understanding that the purchase agreement will include a number terms and conditions with respect to an adequate supply of water and water quality for the project. The original applicants to be incorporated in the Eagle Park Reservoir Company were Eagle County (the County) , the Upper Eagle Regional Water Authority (the Authority), Vail Valley 2