C150033 Application

• Contract/PO #: C150033
• Contractor Name: North Fork River Improvement Association
• Contract Type: Grant
• Water District: 0
• County: Delta
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Application

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. Bureau of Land Management
. US Fish & Wildlife Service
. Colorado Div of Wildlife
. Colorado State University
. Colorado Dept of Public Health & Environment
. Colorado River Water Conservation District

John Van Sciver from the Colorado Water Conservation Board has recently been added
to the committee and attended our last meeting in June. This committee will continue to
be used during this proposed reconnaissance study.

1.3 Coordination with Interested Parties

The North Fork River Improvement Association was initially established as the
legitimate voice for all interested parties associated with the river. A coordination and
information process is firmly in place to keep the community informed about events
concerning matters involving the river. NFRIA regularly reports to the Board of County
Commissioners and the Towns ofPaonia and Hotchkiss. It is also very active in public
community meetings, publishing newsletters and educational brochures, and displaying
exhibits at community events. This process will also be continued throughout this study.

2.0 RECONNAISSANCE PLANNING PROCESS

2.1 Study Objectives and Study Plan

Paonia Reservoir was constructed in 1962 primarily to supply irrigation water to the Fire
Mountain Canal for agriculture throughout the North Fork Valley. It is located in the
upper reaches of the watershed on Muddy Creek just above the confluence with
Anthracite Creek. The confluence of Anthracite and Muddy Creeks form the North Fork
of the Gunnison River. The reservoir is vital to maintaining sustainable agri(:uIture in the
North Fork Valley.

Since the establishment of the dam, the reservoir has been silting in at alarming rates
while sediment has been depleted from the North Fork. The objectives of the study are
the following:

. Determine the effects of sediment losses on restoration efforts downstream
. Research alternatives to removing sediment from the reservoir to increase volume
. Study innovative techniques for trapping sediment on the floodplain downstream

This study will research issues such as sediment budgets up and downstream of the
reservoir, sources of sediment, water demands, and riparian vegetative analyses. Dr.
David Cooper and Dr. Ellen Wohl of the Earth Sciences Department at Colorado State
University will head up the research. Coordination of the study will be the responsibility
of the North Fork River Improvement Association.