25d (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

-30- SEPTEMBER 2007 WATER ACQUISITION WORKSHOP: On the last day of the September 2007 CWCB meeting in Grand Junction, the Stream and Lake Protection Section staff gave a presentation on the Board's Water Acquisition Program. Attendees include water users and members of conservation groups. As a result of the notice provided about the September 2007 workshop, Staff has received several requests to give similar presentations in other areas of the state and has begun to schedule dates in response to those requests. PALISADE WHITE WATER PARK: The Town of Palisade is seeking to construct a white water park on a braided reach of the Colorado River just downstream of the Grand Valley Irrigation Company's (GVIC) diversion and at the upper end of the 15-Mile Reach. This is an alternate location for the white water park initially proposed as part of the fish passage to be constructed on the unused Price-Stubb diversion in DeBeque Canyon. Given that the white water park is in occupied critical habitat for the endangered Colorado River fishes, it is receiving intense scrutiny. The drawings submitted at this point lack sufficient detail to fully evaluate whether or not it will impede fish passage or adversely impact critical habitat. Furthertnore, the white water park needs to consider its impacts on the operations of the GVIC diversion, Orchard Mesa return and check back and the Palisade stream gage. The US Fish and Wildlife Service has already submitted extensive comments and is requesting additional information. The Colorado Department of Natural Resources still has the proposal under review and it remains uncertain whether or not Town will seek a "Recreational In-Channel Diversion" water right. COLORADO RIVER CLOUD SEEDING AGREEMENTS: The CWCB has agreements in place through the Colorado River Seven Basin States process to fund cloud seeding activities in Colorado. Wyoming and Utah have similar agreements. This year a total of $296,400 has been provided by the Southern Nevada Water Authority, Central Arizona WCD, and California Six Agency Committee to the three Upper Basin states. All the requests have been discussed via a conference call in September and then revised and approved via emails by the Lower Basin Water Users. Now we just need to sign the yearly exhibit and transfer Colorado's portion of the funding to the CWCB for contracts. Utah will get $76,350 for extension of operations at the High Uinta Project and Southern Utah Project that is the east slope of the Wasatch, Awapa, Fish Lke, Aquarius and Paunsaugunt Plateaus. Utah will also purchase three icing sensors to be installed next summer in the target areas to guide decision making. Wyorning will get $85,050 to contribute to their five year research program that includes: two automated weather stations, leasing and deployment of a microwave radiometer to detect super cooled liquid water, and lease two remote operated generators for- operations this winter. The CWCB will get $135,000 for the Lower Basin water users and a break down is provided as: $75,000 for grants for operations in Gunnison, the three Southwest San Juan Mountains Programs, the Grand Mesa, and the Upper Roaring Fork/Colorado Springs Utilities program. Another $53,000 will be used to modernize operations in the form of a low cost lease of a remote operated generator and a new weather station to be installed on the Grand Mesa. Also part of modernizing operations is to have the Desert Research Institute (DRI) in Reno, Nevada fabricate over this winter and then install another remote operated generator and weather station for one of Colorado's programs next sumrner. Finally, $7,000 will be used to conduct "downwind effects" study that is predominantly a literature review of wintertime weather modification as requested by the CWCB Members. ~~ ~ ,~ Below is a picture of the DRI truck, (white), the new remote operated generator (green) for the Grand Mesa, a ~ -~~ ~~°',:. .. ` white 55 gallon propane tank (middle), , and the old cloud seeding ground based °`W'~~ .: -' ~A~.r ° cloud nuclei generator (right). The new ~` ~~^F ~." y ~ ; `' generator is on Kannah Creek on the west - ' ~ ~- ~` ~ ~° ~~ ~~ ~~~ Flood Protection • Water Proje~ . ' %~ ~' , ~.~ Water Supply ~ ,~.. ~~ ~ . ~ ~ : ~ yam:,::