Laserfiche WebLink
<br />......~,;:.,: ~ .., .~"-~"6";'; <br /> <br />Loan Feasibility Study <br />Town of New Castle <br />Colorado River Raw Water Transmission System <br /> <br />Introduction (Need for the Project) <br /> <br />Record low flows in East Elk Creek and the Spring Creek wildfire of 2002 have <br />severely strained the Town of New Castle's current sole source of water supply. <br />The Town's diversion structure is located on East Elk Creek approximately <br />three miles upstream of the town center and confluence of Main Elk Creek with <br />the Colorado River. The Town has a water right. of 2.67 cfs with an <br />appropriation date of 1889. Water from the treatment facility is delivered to <br />one of three storage facilities used for supply to the Town and surrounding <br />subdivisions. <br /> <br />On June 22, 2002, lightning started the Spring Creek Fire just north of New <br />Castle in the White River National Forest. The fire ultimately burned a total of <br />13,490 acres and has damaged a considerable portion of the East Elk Creek <br />watershed. Significant water quality and sediment problems are anticipated <br />during periods of heavy rain and snowmelt runoff. <br /> <br />On August 16th, 2002, the Colorado Division of Water Resources (State <br />Engineer's Office) placed an administrative call on Main Elk Creek and <br />requested that the Town close their head-gate on East Elk Creek. The Ware and <br />Hinds Ditch placed the water rights call due to insufficient flow on Main Elk <br />Creek downstream of the confluence with East Elk Creek. The ditch has <br />multiple water rights senior to the Town of New Castle and is an important <br />irrigation ditch for several downstream users. Subsequent agreements between <br />the Town, the State Engineer's Office, and the downstream senior water right <br />holders allowed the Town to temporarily continue diverting. An additional <br />downstream water right held by the Colorado Water Conservation Board <br />requires a minimum in-stream flow to be maintained during periods of low <br />flow. <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />In an average water year, the Town is able to support its current and projected <br />demands with the flow in East Elk Creek and its decreed water right(s). <br />However, in the current drought situation, low creek flows have threatened the <br /> <br />5 <br /> <br />CFLA902 <br />