Rio Grande - Romero-Guadalupe Channel Rectification Project_Application

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Water Supply Reserve Account – Grant Application Form Form Revised May 200 7 _______________________________________ monitoring for the entire Rio Grande in Colorado, and, in general, we feel it supports many other CWCB programs. t. The water activity helps support the State’s economic vitality and competitiveness in natio nal and international markets by preserving and protecting the Rio Grande Compact. 4 . Please provi de an overview of the water project or activity to be funded including – type of activity, statement of what the activity is intended to accomplish, the need for the activity, the problems and opportunities to be addressed, expectations of the participants , why the activity is important, the service area or geographic location, and any relevant issues etc. Please include any relevant Tabor issues that may a ffect the Contracting Entity . Please refer to Part 2 of Criteria and G uidance document for additiona l detail on information to include. Type of Activity: Reshaping and improving the condition of the channel of the Conejos River through ban k stabilization and restoration, using rock weir s and J - Hook vane structures. Multiple Objective s /Purpose s : 1) Protect the integrity of the Romero - Guadalupe combined ditch systems serving 12,672 acres of irrigated land; 2) Preserve the Conejos River’s ability to meet its obligations to the Rio Grande Compact; 3) Lessen the threat of flooding in Guadalupe; 4) Mainta in river stability and channel capacity; 5) Reduce streamba n k erosion, facilitate sediment transport, and reduce the Total Maximum Daily Load (T M D L) of silt; 6) enhance aquifer recharge; and 7) Improve fish and wildlife habitat, riparian health, and recrea tional uses. Need: The north bank of the Conejos River has badly degraded over many years, so that during high water flows, which cut into the sand and clay bank, the potential for flooding the area is great. Repeated efforts by land owners and local c ommunities have failed to stabilize channel boundaries, often accelerating bank erosion, decreasing upstream velocity, slope, and depth, and increasing roughness and sediment deposition. Human intervention in river bank changes throughout the years has co ntributed to extreme instability in the system and to the deterioration or failure of diversion structure s, exacerbating excessive bedload deposition. This has led to a loss of channel capacity, generally degrading the stable dimension, pattern and profil e of the river. For years t his project has been beyond the financial reach of the sponsoring parties. Poverty in Conejos County is three times higher than the State’s level with Guadalupe being one of the poorest communities in the San Luis Valley . We cou ld not do this project without this grant being awarded . T his project is seriously needed to protect the integrity of the ditch systems and to prevent flooding in and around the town of Guadalupe. I n a larger perspective i t is important to understand that the loss of the north bank jeopardizes the Conejos’ ability to meet its Rio Grande Compact obligation. Problems/Opportunities: The ditch companies have worked in this area of the river many times in attempts to correct years of stream bank erosion. We ha ve moved gravel, and , with the help of Conejos County, we have placed some rock in the bank in attempts to prevent further damage. Residents have at times placed crushed cars, trees, and other debris along the bank, only furt her complicating the situation. These efforts were attempts to patch a symptom rather than to achieve a stable channel form. In this time of severe drought, water is not being conserved. Given our increasingly unpredictable patterns of precipitation, we have still not devised a way to p revent a repeat of the wild flooding which drowned the town of Guadalupe in two feet of water some years ago . In dry months it is difficult to deliver surface rights into the area and to get water to the ditches in priority and to the Las Sauces gauge, th e mouth of the Conejos, and the Conejos’ Rio Grande Compact gauge. The measures we have taken have been crisis driven and have been limited by lack of technical expertise and funds. We have a great 8