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<br />OC Reservoir - page 2 <br /> <br />This reservoir would be fed with a short pipeline out of the Big Ditch. The plan is to construct a <br />facility that would hold about 500 acre feet with the design to accommodate future enlargement. <br /> <br />RESERVOIR BENEFITS <br />1. This reservoir would provide more than 100 days of water, based on usage during the 2002 drought <br />season if all flow rights stopped. <br /> <br />2. In ~ddition to drought protection this reservoir would provide a second source of feeding the <br />treatment plant in the event that something happened to the existing pipeline feeding flows to the plant. <br />Since that pip~line parallels the Big Ditch it would also be feasible to bring all or part of the flow water <br />through the reservoir which would .act as a stilling basin to settle out sediments and reduce the air <br />bubbles that presently hamper plant capacity. This would also put the Town in a position to file for <br />storage rights to that water when usage on the system did not demand the full flow. <br /> <br />3. This project would also create an emergency winter time source of water. An episode during the <br />winter of 2006 highlighted this weakness in the present raw water system. Part of the collection <br />pipeline for the spring flows is above ground, on trestles where it crosses draws. Heavy snows <br />collapsed such a section and before it was discovered, could be accessed, dug out and repaired, usage <br />nearly emptied the Town's treated water storage. <br /> <br />Presently the only emergency source of winter water is the Town's ownership of less than 110 feet of <br />agricultural irrigation water in Little Gem reservoir at over 9,000 feet elevation. Accessing this in <br />harsh snow winters is extremely difficult and getting the water into the Big Ditch has obstacles to <br />overcome. At about 7,500 feet elevation and accessible by County road within about 1,500 feet of the <br />treatment plant, this reservoir will provide be ~ much improved winter emergency supply. <br /> <br />4. Another major benefit of this project is protection from wildfIre. Being off stream it would greatly <br />limit the infiltration of ash and debris into the reservoir. It would also provide a very accessible source <br />of water for engines and aircraft fighting a fIre anywhere on the south/southwest slope of the Grand <br />Mesa. <br /> <br />5. Lastly, the town currently holds a substantial amount of agricultural water shares that we do not use <br />or lease out. We hold this bank of shares as a back up for drought years to exchange for domestic <br />water. If the town had our own reservoir, then we could free up and lease out this agricultural shares to <br />the local farmers. Therefore, this reservoir would also benefit our local economy and agricultural <br />industry . <br /> <br />TIMELINE <br />The Town has adequate resources to acquire the properties and is in the process of doing so. The plan <br />is to complete engineering and permitting processes in 2007 with the goal of being able to obtain <br />fmancing and start construction in 2008 and have the complete facility operation~ py 2010. <br />