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<br />" <br /> <br />c' <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />- 3 - <br /> <br />crest and continues to drain until a new lower water surface elevation equal to the height of the new <br />board is established. For purposes of administrating the proposed plan for augmentation, Copper <br />proposes to fabricate a new series of boards allowing the lake's water elevation to drop in one inch <br />increments. <br /> <br />A release of water from West Lake equal to 1 inch of depth is equivalent to 0.075 acre feet, <br />assuming the lake is full at the start of release. Using an equation for rectangular weirs, the release <br />of that amount is calculated to occur over a 55.5 hour period. The release rate would vary from <br />approximately 30 gpm at the beginning of release to less than 2.0 gpm near the end. The average <br />release would equal 7.3 gpm over the 55.5 hour period. This flow release exceeds the 1.6 gpm <br />augmentation requirement; however, it represents the lowest practical release rate that can be <br />achieved under this structure. At this rate of release, it would take approximately 17.8 days to <br />release all 0.58 acre feet of augmentation water. Consequently, while the amount released is greater <br />than the amount of depletions, there will be a number of days each month when no release is being <br />made and the 0.0025 cfs of depletions are not being replaced. This situation is similar to other <br />existing plans for augmentations for which the CWCB has agreed to "slug releases" of augmentation <br />water due to the small amount of depletions and other physical constraints. However, due to the <br />unique nature of this proposal, the stipulation would contain a provision stating that the CWCB's <br />acceptance of the terms and condition as in this case are based upon the specific facts and <br />circumstances of this application and shall establish no precedent applicable to any other water court <br />proceeding. <br /> <br />Historical Flows on West Tenmile Creek <br />According to a letter from Copper's consultant Scott Fifer, dated April 26, 2007, streamflows in the <br />upper reach of West Tenmile Creek (above West Lake) are most often well above the CWCB's <br />instream flow water rights. The potential shortages to CWCB water rights occur in the lower reach <br />of West Tenmile Creek (below West Lake) due to various downstream diversion structures and to a <br />losing stream channel in the lower most segment of the reach. Therefore, the proposed augmentation <br />sources, including West Lake and the West Tenmile Ditch, appear to be properly positioned to <br />augment depletions from Copper Mountain's CB-2 Well. <br /> <br />A review of data collected at the gage indicates that flows in West Tenmile Creek generally exceed <br />the instream flow amounts. Average monthly flows for the gaged period of record (1973 - 1979) <br />always exceeded the amounts decreed to in stream flow water right. Furthermore, average monthly <br />flows during 1977, an extremely dry year, were also above the minimum flow. Although flows in <br />West Tenmile Creek generally appear to satisfy the instream flow water right, there were two <br />instances (April 1975 and April 1976) when average monthly discharge measured at the West <br />Tenmile Creek at Copper Mountain gage was slightly below the instream flow amount. However, <br />these instances, seem to be driven by later than average spring snowmelt, rather than a lack of <br />available water. Also, the USGS streamflow measurements do not include tributary inflow from <br />Roundabout Creek and Union Creek. Both tributaries originate from the ski mountain and enter <br />West Tenmile Creek upstream of West Lake. These sources would further enhance streamflows and <br />reduce in duration the limited amount of time that streamflows might fall below the decreed ISF <br />amounts. <br /> <br />In summary, stream flows in West Tenmile Creek above the proposed augmentation sources <br />generally remains above the decreed ISF amounts, even during drought year conditions. Even if <br /> <br />Flood Protection. Water Project Planning and finance. Stream and Lake Protection <br />Water Supply Protection. Conservation Planning <br />