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<br />Compact Facts
<br />
<br />Arkansas River Compact of 1948
<br />
<br />The Compact apportions the waters of the Arkansas River between Colorado (60%) and Kansas (40%)
<br />based on the opinion of the U.S. Supreme Court in Colorado v. Kansas, 320 U.S. 383 (1943). The Compact
<br />established the Arkansas River Compact Administration to prescribe procedures for Compact
<br />administration. The Compact Administration consists of three representatives from Colorado (a water user
<br />from above and below John Martin Reservoir and the Director of the Colorado Water Conservation
<br />Board), three Kansas representatives, and a federal representative.
<br />
<br />The primary tool for administering the Arkansas River Compact is the 1980 Operating Principles, which
<br />provides for storage accounts in John Martin Reservoir and the release of water from those accounts for
<br />Colorado and Kansas water users. If the conservation pool (water user accounts) in the reservoir is
<br />depleted, Colorado is required to administer water rights priorities in District 67 (downstream from John
<br />Martin). During such periods, John Martin Reservoir Accounts are not entitled to water flowing into the
<br />reservoIr.
<br />
<br />Statewide Water Supply Initiative
<br />Fact Sheet
<br />
<br />
<br />Ark_sas Basin
<br />
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<br />Colorado and Kansas have litigated claims concerning Arkansas River water since the early twentieth
<br />century. In 1995, Colorado was found to have depleted stateline flows in violation of the Compact
<br />through use of tributary well groundwater. In response to an order of the Court and Special Master, the
<br />Colorado State Engineer promulgated well administration rules to bring Colorado into compliance with
<br />the Compact. Colorado has also compensated Kansas for damage claims (approximately $34 million).
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<br />Major Storage Projects
<br />
<br /> Normal Storage
<br />ReseNoir IAF)
<br />John Martin ReseNoir 618,600 1
<br />Pueblo ReseNoir 357,678
<br />Great Plains ReseNoir 265,552
<br />Twin Lakes 141,000 1
<br />Turquoise ReseNoir 129,440
<br />Trinidad ReseNoir 119,877
<br />Adobe Creek ReseNoir 71,000
<br />Cuchara Valley ReseNoir 40,960
<br />Lake Meredith 39,804
<br />Horse Creek ReseNoir 28,000
<br />Mt Elbert Forebay 11,530
<br />Clear Creek ReseNoir 11,500
<br />Lake Henry 9,500
<br />St Charles Reservoir Noc 3 8,638
<br />Dye ReseNoir 5,640
<br />Holbrook ReseNoir 4,600
<br />Brush Hollow Reservoir 3,933
<br />Mt Pisgah ReseNoir 2,471
<br />Deweese-Dye ReseNoir 1,772
<br />
<br />Source: Colorado Division of Water Resources Office of Dam Safety Database;
<br />1 Colorado Water Conservation Board
<br />
<br />Arkansas Basin Overview
<br />
<br />Major Imports into the Basin Averaging
<br />Greater than 1,000 AF (1971-2003)
<br />
<br />The Arkansas Basin is spatially the largest river basin
<br />in Colorado covering an area of 28,268 square miles,
<br />or 27 percent of the surface area of the state. It
<br />comprises the southeast portion of the state, as
<br />shown in the figure above. The largest cities in the
<br />basin are Colorado Springs (population 373,328)
<br />and Pueblo (population 103,846).
<br />
<br /> Average
<br /> Recipient Diversions
<br />Name Stream IAF)
<br />1 Boustead Tunnel Lake Fork Creek 49,706
<br />2 Twin Lakes Tunnel Lake Creek 39,204
<br />3 Homestake Tunnel Lake Fork Creek 24,764
<br />4 Hoosier Tunnel Fountain Creek 8,747
<br />5 Busk-/vanhoe Tunnel Lake Fork Creek 5,484
<br />6 Wurtz Ditch Tennessee Creek 2,858
<br />7 Columbine Ditch Arkansas River 1,719
<br />8 Ewing Ditch Tennessee Creek 1,081
<br />
<br />Steep slopes characterize the western part of the
<br />Arkansas Basin, while relatively flat plains
<br />characterize the eastern portion. The headwaters of
<br />the Arkansas River begin near Leadville at an
<br />elevation of more than 14,000 feet and drop to
<br />3,340 feet at the Colorado/Kansas state line,
<br />representing a more than I O,OOO-foot change.
<br />
<br />Grassland and forest are the predominant land use
<br />types in the Arkansas Basin, covering approximately
<br />67 percent and 13 percent of the basin, respectively.
<br />The grassland areas are concentrated in the central
<br />portion of the basin whereas the forested land is
<br />located on the western portions of the basin.
<br />
<br />Source: Upper Colorado River Commission
<br />
<br />Major Exports from the Basin
<br />
<br />Name
<br />
<br />Average
<br />Annual
<br />Diversions
<br />IAF)
<br />
<br />Rocky Ford Ditch (to Aurora)
<br />
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<br />Water Conservancy Districts
<br />
<br />Arkansas River Huerfano County
<br />North La Junta Purgatoire River
<br />Upper Arkansas Crooked Arroyo
<br />Southeastern Colorado
<br />
<br />13,3451
<br />
<br />Source: Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District and Division of Water
<br />Resources
<br />1 Number represents the consumptive use total based on Rocky Ford Case one
<br />and two. Source: Division 2 Engineer.
<br />
<br />Additional information on this River Basin is available at http://www.cwcb.state.co.us
<br />
<br />Bill Owens
<br />Governor
<br />
<br />Arkansas Basin Water
<br />Management Issues
<br />
<br />Russell George
<br />Department of Natural
<br />Resources
<br />Executive Director
<br />
<br />The Arkansas Basin will face several
<br />key points and challenges with
<br />respect to water management issues
<br />and needs over the next 30 years.
<br />The following provides an overview
<br />of some of the points and challenges that have been
<br />identified through the Statewide Water Supply
<br />Initiative (SWSI) process.
<br />
<br />Rod Kuharich
<br />Colorado Water
<br />Conservation Board
<br />Director
<br />
<br />. Arkansas River Compact requirements and
<br />existing uses and water rights result in little to no
<br />water availability for new uses.
<br />
<br />. Growth in the headwaters region will present
<br />challenges in obtaining augmentation water for
<br />new demands.
<br />
<br />. Concerns over agricultural transfers and its impact
<br />on rural economies are significant in the lower
<br />portion of the basin downstream of Pueblo.
<br />
<br />. Recreational In-channel Diversions or water rights
<br />for recreation will have an impact on the
<br />development of augmentation plans for
<br />agricultural transfers.
<br />
<br />. Concern over water quality and suitable drinking
<br />water are key concerns in the lower basin
<br />
<br />. The success of two major projects are key to
<br />meeting future water needs.
<br />
<br />. The urban landscape is very important to the
<br />economy and an important component to quality
<br />of life.
<br />
<br />
<br />Fountain Creek
<br />
<br />February 2006
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