05

• Board Meeting Date: 7/11/2007
• Description: Flood Section - Approval of Re-distribution Agreement for the Chatfield Reservoir Reallocation Project
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

STATE OF COLORADO

Colorado Water Conservation Board

Department of N amral Resources
1313 Sherman Street, Room 721
Denver, Colorado S0203
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
www.C...vcb.state.co.us

MEMORANDUM

Bill Ritter, Jr.
Governor

To:
From:
Date:
Rc:

Colorado Water Conservation Board Members
Tom Bro\',ming, Chief, Flood Protection Section
June 26, 2007
Agenda ItemS - July 11~12, 2007 CWCB Meeting
Approval of Re-distribution Agreement for the Chatfield Reservoir
Reallocation Project

Harris D. Sherman
Executive Director

Rod Kuharich
CWCB Director

Dan McAuliffe
CWCB Deputy Director

Introduction
The Board at its May 2007 meeting approved a CWCB resolution supporting the Chatfield Reservoir
Reallocation Project within the South Platte River basin. The purpose of the Project is to investigate the
feasibility of converting flood control storage space in Chatfield Reservoir, O\vned by the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers, into water supply storage space for municipal, industrial, and agricultural uses and for
incidental recreation and fishery habitat enhancement The maximum volume for the reallocation analysis
has been set at 20,600 acre~feet based on several factors including an Antecedent Flood Study model that
was performed and approved by the Corps. From a flood control perspective, it has been deteill1ined that
water supply storage space can be made available in Chatfield without adversely impacting the existing flood
protection function of the facility. The CWCB is the non-federal sponsor of this project and is supported by
a large coalition of local interests.

BackljlTound
An original consortium of 16 water users entered into "Letters of Commitment" related to the reallocation of
storage space in Chatfield Reservoir. The Letters of Commitment established an equitable distribution of the
proposed 20,600 acre-foot storage space based on an agreement developed and endorsed by the 16 water
users. The water users were divided into an upstream group and downstream group to facilitate the
distribution process.

The CWCB approved the water user distribution agreement for the proposed reallocation at its January 2005
meeting. The agreement serves as the CWCB's recommendation to the Corps regarding how the reallocated
storage space would be utilized, and further places each of the 16 water users in a position having "first right
ofrefusaJ" for the reallocated space once the necessary approvals are issued by the Corps.

One of the 16 water users within the upstream group, Hock Hocking, LLC, recently provided written
notification of its intent to surrender their previously allocated J 00 acre-feet of storage space in Chatfield. In
accordance with the procedures outlined in the executed Letters of Commitment, a redistribution agreement
was developed and endorsed by the water users within the upstream b'TOUP. All of the water users within the
upstream group with the exception of Roxborough Water and Sanitation District, Parker Water and
Sanitation District, and Perry Park County Club elected to acquire their proportional share of Back
Hocking's surrendered allocation.

Colorado Water Conservation Board
Flood Protection. Water Supply Planning and Finance. Srream and Lake Protection
Water Supply Protection. Conservation and Drought Planning