|
<br />.
<br />
<br />.
<br />
<br />Robert Felmlee, San Luis Valley Water Conservancy District
<br />Jeff Johnson, Colorado Division of Wildlife
<br />
<br />Pete Magee, SL V GIS/GPS Authority
<br />Scott Miller, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
<br />D.H. McFadden, Geological Consultant, Retired Division Engineer
<br />Doug Messick, San Luis Valley Water Conservancy District
<br />Randall Palmgren, San Luis Valley Water Conservancy District
<br />Steve Russell, Natural Resources Conservation Service
<br />Doug Shriver, Centennial Ditch
<br />Steve Vandiver, Division Engineer
<br />Ray Wright, Rio Grande Water Conservation Distric
<br />
<br />The work was guided by the TAC, the San Luis Valley Water Conservancy District (SLVWCD) and the
<br />Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB). The TAC mel to review and discuss intennediate Project
<br />deliverables at key Project milestones and participated in making slrategic planning decisions. Two public
<br />meetings were held to guide the data collection effort and develop a final restoration plan.
<br />
<br />Study Area Description and Data Collection
<br />
<br />The Rio Grande_Headwaters Restoration Project study area is located along the Rio Grande within Ihe San
<br />Luis Valley of Colorado. This is shown in Figure ES-l. The San Luis Valley is a large intennountain basin
<br />located in the south-central portion of the state. The study area includes the Rio Grande from the upstream
<br />town limits of South Fork to the Alamosa/Conejos county line and encompasses the river corridor in all of
<br />Alamosa County and mosl of Rio Grande County. The study area includes approximately 91 miles of the
<br />river. The study reach includes South Fork, Del Norte, Monle Vista and Alamosa, portions of the Rio Grande
<br />and Higel State Wildlife Areas and portions of the Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge. The river within the
<br />study reach is primarily used for irrigation diversions, wildlife habitat, ranching and recreation.
<br />
<br />The data colleclion portion of the project was undertaken to understand historical and current events which
<br />may have affected the river corridor, gather data necessary to perfonn a technical analysis of the five key
<br />areas as described above, and understand limilations to the restoration effort. Data collected included current
<br />and historical aerial photography, hydrology data (daily flows, peak discharges, and Rio Grande Compact
<br />requirements), floodplain reports and maps, bridge inspection reports, and existing geographic infonnation
<br />system (GIS) coverages for land use, soil type, vegetation characteristics, property ownership, and
<br />topography. Meetings were also held with key stakeholders in an effort to gather knowledge not necessarily
<br />available in written fonn. As part of the GIS mapping tasks, the river corridor was flown to develop low
<br />resolution and high resolution aerial photos.
<br />
<br />A GIS-based river corridor inventory was prepared as part of the data collection effort. The inventory
<br />documented irrigation structures, bridges, banks, channel bed, vegetation and other features in Ihe corridor.
<br />The river was "floated" from the upstream study limits near South Fork to the downstream study limits. A full
<br />video inventory of river conditions was taken and developed into a G IS coverage. Key river locations were
<br />visited and studied by members of the technical team to collect field data such as channel geometry, bank
<br />conditions, floodplain vegetation conditions, and irrigation diversion structure conditions. Portions of the data
<br />collected during these visits are also available through GIS coverages.
<br />
<br />ES-2
<br />
<br />.
<br />.
<br />.
<br />.
<br />.
<br />.
<br />.
<br />.
<br />.
<br />.
<br />.
<br />
<br />ES.2
<br />
<br />.
<br />
<br />Executive Summary
<br />
<br />The Rio Grande Headwaters Restoration Project (RGHRP) was conducted by the Montgomery Watson Harza
<br />Americas, Inc. (MWH) Project Team under the guidance of the San Luis Valley Water Conservancy District's
<br />Rio Grande Restoration Project Enterprise Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). The Project was
<br />undertaken to analyze and prescribe a plan to restore historical functions of the river. An interactive approach
<br />with the general public, landowners, Project beneficiaries and governmental agencies was used to develop the
<br />analysis and recommendations contained herein. Funding was provided by the Colorado Water Conservation
<br />Board (CWCB).
<br />
<br />Introduction
<br />
<br />ES.1
<br />
<br />The primary purposes of this Project were to analyze and develop a restoration master plan for the Rio Grande
<br />from the upstream corporate limit of the Town of South Fork, Colorado to Ihe Alamosa-Conejos Counly line.
<br />The study assesses and presents a plan to enhance the adequacy of the Rio Grande to fulfill the following
<br />historical functions:
<br />
<br />Maintenance of channel capacity and overbank capacity.
<br />Protection of channel and floodplain from damage by flooding.
<br />Maintenance of riparian habitat.
<br />Delivery of Rio Grande Compact commitments.
<br />Access to river for water diversion.
<br />
<br />Consulting Team
<br />
<br />.
<br />
<br />.
<br />
<br />.
<br />.
<br />
<br />.
<br />
<br />ES.1.1
<br />
<br />Compact
<br />
<br />The Technical Advisory Committee (T AC) provided assistance, guidance and review of the work. The input
<br />and guidance from the TAC was key to a successful project. The RGHRP TAC was comprised of the
<br />following individuals
<br />
<br />Local
<br />
<br />Diversions
<br />
<br />Floodplains,
<br />
<br />Irrigation
<br />
<br />Hydraulics
<br />
<br />The RGHRP project team consisted of:
<br />
<br />MWH Americas, Inc.
<br />Issues)
<br />Agro Engineering, Inc.
<br />Coordination)
<br />Lidstone and Associates (Geomorphology, Irrigation Diversions)
<br />SWCA, Inc. (Vegetation, Habitat, Wildlife)
<br />
<br />Technical Advisory Committee
<br />
<br />Mapping,
<br />
<br />Hydrology,
<br />
<br />GIS
<br />
<br />Management
<br />
<br />Inventory,
<br />
<br />(Project
<br />
<br />(River
<br />
<br />.
<br />
<br />.
<br />
<br />.
<br />.
<br />
<br />ES.1.2
<br />
<br />Mike Blakeman, U.S. Forest Service, Landowner
<br />Mike Blenden, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
<br />Doug Davie, Silva Ditch, Landowner
<br />Allen Davey, Davis Engineering
<br />Kate Booth Doyle, San Luis Valley Ecosystem CouncillRio Bravo Coalilion
<br />Brian Hyde, Colorado Water Conservation Board
<br />Dennis Felmlee, San Luis Valley Water Conservancy Distric
<br />
<br />.
<br />
<br />.
<br />.
<br />.
<br />.
<br />.
<br />
<br />.
<br />
<br />ES-
<br />
|