Minutes Sep 2007 CBRT

• Basin Roundtable: Colorado
• Title: September Meeting Minutes
• Date: 9/24/2007
• Basin Roundtables - Doc Type: Minutes

Point Reservoir, a dam with a lot of head in a narrow canyon designed to generate
hydroelectric power; and (3) Crystal Reservoir, which collects Morrow Point Reservoir
releases and moderates further releases into the Guniuson River at more constant flow
levels. SWSI underestimated releases in the Aspinall Unit, thereby overestimating water
available for Eastern Slope pumpbacks.
v. Storage for recreation fisheries, hydropower flows, reserved water rights in the Black
Canyon, endangered fish flows, and PBO should be considered; Ray Alvarado stated they
are being considered in tasks 4 and 5 of the Water Availability Study.
t. Bureau of Reclamation independently operates the Aspinall Unit. Ken Spann stated that the
Bureau of Reclamation operates independently with complete discretion when malting
Aspinall Unit releases. The assumptions the Water Availability Study makes about these
releases is cn~cial to outcome of Phase L Eric Hecox stated that the IBCC would have
wonting sessions with the GLUUlison Roundtable to discuss this.
Compact Call Politics. Paragraph 8.b on page 13 states that "Following (the review of
the) Compact Call, prepare and document reasonable ranges for Colorado's Colorado
River allowable depletions..." Ken Spann suggested that this was more of a political
than an engineering question. In particular, this part of the Water Availability Study must
be transparent.
u. Go slow and determine how to mediate Basin conflicts. Lurline Curran wondered how Basin
conflicts that could surface between the Western Slope's Colorado River Basin and the
Eastern Slope's South Platte Basin, for instance, would be mediated. Water modeling is very
complex, and Lurline could not recall ever seeing two models that agreed. She
recommended against hurrying through the study, since it's difficult to build trust with
promptness. If parties cannot agree on the details, they will not agree on the outcome.
v. There's not a single node on the Eagle River to monitor river flows, noted Lane Wyatt.
w. The Water Information Users Manual for each river basin in Colorado can be downloaded so
that viewers can determine what the assumptions are and what nodes are being modeled.
This is available on the web at
ftp://dwrftp.state.co.us/cdss/swn~/in/UColoUsers_20070101.pdf
x. Outreach sessions should be part of the timeline for Phase I, and the contractor preparing the
Water Availability Study should build this into the budget.
11. Update on previous Water for the 21st Century Grant awards.
a. Eagle County Reservoir Enlargement. No report.
b. 10825 Study: Caroline Bradford reported that the group will decide next month on a
proposal to make to the Fish and Wildlife Service.
Energy use subcommittee: Greg Trainor reported that the City of Grand Junction will serve
as the fiscal agent for disbursing the energy consumptive use analysis grant. The
subcommittee is trying to synthesize all data available regarding projected water demands,
and noted that there is no consensus on projections at this point.
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