WSPP283

• File Number: 8240.200.39.C
• Description: Colorado River Threatened-Endangered - RIPRAP - CFOPS - Water Availability
• State: CO
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 9/1/2003
• Author: Brown and Caldwell
• Title: Phase 2 Coordinated Facilities Water Availability Study for the Endangered Fishes of the Upper Colorado River - Final Report - 09-01-03
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

000780

The interim agreements take 5,412.5 acre-feet from Williams Fork Reservoir and
5,412.5 acre-feet from Wolford Mountain Reservoir with options to go to Ruedi
Reservoir under certain conditions.

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6,000 acre-feet of reservoir storage space in Wolford Mountain Reservoir to benefit
endangered fish habitat pursuant to the Wolford Mountain Reservoir Biological
Opinion. Protection of releases of this water is accomplished pursuant to the terms of
the Wolford Mountain Reservoir Biological Opinion and an agreement among the
River District, CWCB and the Service.

Up to an estimated 28,400 acre-feet of water on an average annual basis resulting from
construction of improved water management features for the Grand Valley Water .
Management Project. This project consists of adding seven new check structures to
the canal system, automation of the checks and other structures, construction of the
1,000-foot Palisade Pipeline and the construction of the Highline Lake Pumping
Station. Much of this water will exist and be managed as surplus Historic User Pool
(BUP) water in Green Mountain Reservoir.

Legal protections for delivery of surplus HUP water and water made available by the
Grand Valley Water Management Plan will be accomplished in two phases.

1. Protect water up to the capacity of the Grand Valley Power Plant pursuant to
the Orchard Mesa Check Setdement. This water is protected by a contract
agreement, which will ensure its delivery to the Orchard Mesa Power Plant and
. u __. tbeheadof tbe15",Mile Reach.afteuelease from Green Mountain Reservoir.

2. Additional legal mechanisms to protect surplus HUP water in excess of
paragraph (1) above will be developed and will be available for enhancement of
flows in the 15- Mile Reach as a result of the Grand Valley Water Management
Project. In order to work within the confines of State of Colorado water law, a
municipal recreation contract with the City of Grand Junction, City of Fruita
and Town of Palisade has been entered into. This contract would protect
releases of surplus water from the Green Mountain HUP in excess of the
capacity of the Orchard Mesa Power Plant to and through the 15-Mile Reach
for municipal recreational purposes.

.

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1.3.2 Spring Peak Enhancement

CROPS is a voluntary program that coordinates operations and bypasses of water from various
water facilities to enhance flows to the 15-Mile Reach during the peak spring runoff period. The
Recovery Program implemented CROPS in 1997 and augmented spring peak flows by
approximately 2,000 cfs in that year; in 1998, CROPS added approximately 2,400 cfs to the peak and
in 1999 an estimated 2,500 cfs was added to the peak (Smith and Wilson, 1999). No CROPS
activities were conducted in 2000 and 2001 due to low snow pack and concerns about reservoir
storage, although a peak in the range of 13,500 cfs did occur in 2000 because of rapid snow melt.

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P: \Data \ GEN\ CWCB\ 19665\Report Phase 2\FinaIReport9.03\Final_ CFOPS_Report(9-03) .doc