22b ‎(2)‎

• Board Meeting Date: 11/18/2007
• Description: CF Section – Proposed Statute Revisions/Legislation within the 2008 Projects Bill - Chatfield Re-allocation Project Contracting Requirements
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

STATE OF COLORADO
Colorado Water Conservation Board
Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman Street, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
wuu-. c~vcb. state. co. us
TO: Colorado Water Conservation Board Members
Bill Ritter, Jr.
Governor
FROM: Dan McAuliffe, Acting Director
Tom Brownin ,Section Chief xarris D. Sherman
g DNR Executive Director
DATE: November 5, 2007 Dan McAnhtfe
Acting CWCB Director
SUBJECT: Agenda Item 22b, November 14-1_5, 2007 Board Meeting
Water Supply Planning and Finance Section
Proposed Statue Revisions/Legislation within the 2008 Projects Bill
Chatfield Re-allocation Project Contracting Requirements
Background
The CWCB has contracted with the Omaha District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
(Corps) to investigate the feasibility of reallocating existing storage space within Chatfield
Reservoir. We are currently in the process of completing a Feasibility Report/Environmental
Impact Statement (FR/EIS) for the Chatfield Reservoir Reallocation project (Project) and have
been told by the Corps that a Record of Decision (ROD) is expected during the spring or summer
of 2009.
The fundamental scope of the Project is to look at the feasibility of converting flood control
storage space in Chatfield Reservoir, owned by the Corps, into joint-use water supply storage
space. The maximum volume for the reallocation analysis has been set at 20,600 acre-feet based
on a flood model that was approved by the Corps.
An original consortium of 16 water users (now 15) signed Letters of Commitment with the
CWCB pledging cost-share funding assistance and legitimate interest in potentially receiving
reallocated storage space within the reservoir. Each water user would ultimately be responsible
for the costs associated with obtaining storage space. The CWCB is pursuing a contract with the
Corps (likely a lease in perpetuity) authorizing use of the space for water supply purposes.
The total cost of the Project is estimated to be more than $100 million which includes the cost of
the storage space (payment to the federal government for use of the existing facility), cost of
environmental mitigation, and cost of recreation mitigation. In addition, annual O&M costs
would be required as part of the Project's operation.
The Project enjoys broad support from a strong coalition of upstream, instream, and downstream
interests as well as from all nine members of Colorado's Congressional Delegation. Additionally,
a Senate Joint Resolution (SJR07-019) was sponsored by numerous members of the Colorado
General Assembly supporting the Project. The coalition currently consists of:
Water Supply Protection • Flood Protection • Stream & Lake Protection • Water Supply Planning & Finance
Water Conservation & Drought Planning • Intrastate Water Management & Development