Minutes Oct 2007 CBRT _2_

• Basin Roundtable: Colorado
• Title: October 07 Minutes
• Date: 10/22/2007
• Basin Roundtables - Doc Type: Minutes

i. 300 cfs would be pumped from Green Mountain Reservoir to Dillon Reservoir with a
yield of 53,000 AF. This would pernut Denver Water to divert more Dillon Reservoir
water through the Roberts Tuiulel to the North Fork of the South Platte.
ii. Anew reservoir is sited at Wolcott to hold 25,000 to 85,000 AF to replace releases that
will no longer be made from Green Mountain Reservoir down the Blue River. A
pumping plant on the Eagle River with 250 cfs pumping capacity would fill the proposed
Wolcott Reservoir.
iii. Environmental impacts include:
Phosporous loading. Tlus could increase phosphonis in Dillon Reservoir to
unacceptably high levels; a potential solution to this is to pump the water directly
from Green Mountain Reservoir through the Roberts Tuiulel, thereby bypassing
Dillon Reservoir. Dillon Reservoir has had phosphorous control regulations in place
since the 1970s.
2. The projected energy cost to pump 300 cfs is $5.6 million per year, or $102 million in
present value dollars - ed.
3. Colorado River's dissolved salt concentrations in Grand Valley will increase.
4. Pumping 53,000 AF out of Green Mountain Reservoir could cause depletion impacts.
iv. The projected cost is $530 million or $10,000 per acre foot.
v. According to Dan Birch, this project will not go forward unless the West Slope favors it.
vi. There is no West Slope consensus at this point that the impacts of this proposal warrant
its benefits.
vii. There are no upstream benefits to Grand and Summit Counties.
o. Aaron Million's Proposed Flaming Gorge pumpback to the Front Range.
A potential problem with this proposal is that it could impact senor water rights. It's
impossible to predict a 10-year drought in year 1 of the drought. A diversion on the
magnitude of Aaron Million's project would decrease water stored in Lake Powell
required to fulfill Lower Basin Compact requirements. Colorado water rights that are
junior to the 1922 Compact Call but senior to Aaron Million's project could be curtailed
in the event of a Compact Call.
ii. Smaller projects do not carry the same level of risk.
p. It's difficult to project future M&I needs.
i. Special districts provide water for new development, and counties do not control special
districts. Counties therefore caiulot adopt a consistent land use plan or water policy.
ii. Municipal water suppliers can develop these controls.
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