PROJ02101

• Contract/PO #: FS0045FX
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Approval Letter

Northwest Colorado Council of Governments Agenda Item 12d.
January 26-27,2000 (Updated February 4,2000)

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West Slope communities are also growing at an average of 4% a year. The two counties in the
study area include the towns of Breckenridge, Frisco, Silverthorne, Winter Park, Fraser,
Kremmling, Granby, and Grand Lake as well as the Keystone and Copper Mountain areas. All
of these areas are facing tremendous development pressures and are also looking for a way to
preserve enough water for their future.

The,Upper Colorado River basin must contend with environmental, recreational, and economic
effects caused by the state's dependency on Colorado River water, The impacts of increasing
diversions from these basins must be identified and considered. This requires knowledge of the
watershed and a clear understanding of the hydrology of the basins. Information generated in
this project should assist in identifying solutions to problems associated with reduced stream
flows in the basin.

Specific Issues to be addressed
Basin stakeholders want to address specific issues in the basin, including water supply; water
quality; instream flow needs; recreational uses; water rights; and agricultural use. The project
stakeholders believe that cooperative solutions will be discovered as part of the study process,
addressing both Front Range and West Slope needs. The study will look at operational strategies
for meeting future Front Range and Headwater communities needs to the year 2030.

Mana~ement
The Water Quality & Quantity Committee ("QQ") of the NWCCOG will coordinate the project
on a daily level, raise funds for the study, keep the records, act as the public relations contact for
the media, and act as a clearinghouse for public information related to the project. A
Management Committee, consisting of governmental sponsors who have contributed financially
to the basin study, will provide technical input, technical review, agency coordination, and make
strategic decisions about the study. Advisory committees will include State and Federal
agencies, public citizens, environmental and recreational groups, water users in the basin, the
local ranching community, water and sanitation districts, and towns inthe basin. This group will
provide input and expertise on particular issues of interest to them.

Funding:
Funding received or committed to the project:

Sponsor
Summit County
Grand County
Colorado River WCD
Denver Water
Middle Park WCD
Northern Colorado WCD
DOLA Smart Growth Grant
Local Water Users
Total

Funding provided
$14,000
$14,000
$28,000
$28,000
$14,000
$18,000
$50,000
$ 2,000
$168,000

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