Colorado Feb 27 06 minutes

• Basin Roundtable: Colorado
• Title: Minutes
• Date: 2/27/2006
• Basin Roundtables - Doc Type: Minutes

Flow meters on pipelines show the water flowing in CFS. A graduated rate is charged for
water use.

Grand Valley has a dual water system: Domestic supply and agricultural irrigation supply.
The domestic water provides for Grand Junction, Ute Water and Clifton Water.

Grand Valley: As more high water is diverted :Ii'om the Colorado River Basin to the Eastern
Slope, the water quality in the Colorado River decreases, especially in late summer.

Endangered Species Act:

Four fish species are endangered in the 15-mi1e reach from diversion out of the Colorado
River by the Roller Dam above Palisade to Highway 50 where the Gunnison River comes in.

Grand Valley Water Users Association diverted 450 CFS in fall, but may only use 200 CFS.
They plan to build seven new canal check stations so now only have to divert 200 CFS.

Palisade bypass pipeline: Moved diversion farther downstream :Ii'om Roller Dam (along
I-70).

The Canal eventually dumps into High1ine Lake. High1ine Lake has no water rights; it
benefits from the excess canal flow.

Some of the surplus water :Ii'om the Green Mountain Reservoir is used in the Grand Valley
power plant.

Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program: Helps save endangered fish.
Fish ladder on Red1ands diversion.

Water is needed to operate the Fish Passage studies: 80 CFS for fish ladders and 90 CFS
for attraction flow

Programmatic Biological Opinion (PBO) allows for 120,000 AF for future development and
on lower river as long as fish recovery program is successful.

Bob Norman: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation

Government and High1ine Canal Modernization Study: How to decrease flow in late season
and deliver water to High1ine Canal.

Problem: How to control water in the canal. It takes about a day for the diversion to
stabilize. From August 1 st to December 31 st is when fish need water the most and
the demand starts to drop. All checks (locks) must have enough water height to
feed its users.

L\CWCB Imaging\Caleb\Minutes\Colorado\2006\Colorado Feb 27 06 minutes. doc

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