Rio_Grande_BRT_Mtg_2_Summary

• Basin: Rio Grande
• Title: Meeting Summary 2
• Date: 2/12/2004
• SWSI - Doc Type: Summaries

Rio Grande Basin Roundtable Technical Meeting #2
Meeting Summary

Ongoing implementation; funding is an outstanding issue for the strategic plan and
implementation. Administrative management and funding resources are needed.
It was noted that multi-objective projects are more expensive to design and construct
than single objective projects.
The Alamosa River restoration project has funding (federal and state). There is a need
for a restoration study; a CWCB study is pending (per Ralph Curtis), with a goal of
sediment management.
. R2 - Refers to recharge of the closed basin aquifer.
. R6 - Increasing storage in Rio Grande Reservoir should be included on the list
. R2, R3, and R6 are similar projects with similar goals
R2 and R3 should be combined into a single option with ongoing implementation;
need to identify water availability for recharge.
. R4 - This is a demand management option, not supply enhancement. Petitions pending;
a pilot project is being implemented and more are being considered. It was noted that the
list should indicate sub-districts, not districts.
The major implementation hurdle seems to be acceptance and buy-in, driven in part
by a resistance to additional fees/taxes.
. R5 - This is an old idea, and there is not enough water in the river to support it. Because
there are no current proponents for this option, it should be deleted from the list of
options. A preferable storage approach is recharge of aquifer.
. R6 - Terrace Reservoir is under a hold order. Rio Grande, Santa Maria, and Continental
are other potential projects. There is a lack of funding for these projects, and water
availability questions remain.
It would be possible to do a combination of reservoir upgrades and aquifer recharge
options.
The Continental project is under a voluntary hold order, impacting about 7,000 AF.
R7 - This project is proceeding and is at least 50 percent complete. It was noted that
better management of Elephant Butte Reservoir could benefit San Luis Valley by
changing the impacts of Compact requirements on the upper Rio Grande. The group
noted that enhanced administration of this water by the Bureau of Reclamation
should be incorporated into this option to ensure that there is not and has not been an
expansion of irrigated acreage in New Mexico.
. R8 - Add" ... and a sustainable water supply and prudent management of entire basin" to
this option. This option is ongoing.
. There is a proposed ground and surface water conservation program in the basin; the
proposal for this project will be submitted on 2/13/04 and Cathy McNeil will send a copy
to the SWSI team.
. It was noted that future M&I demands could use augmentation water. Further notes:
The City of Alamosa is evaluating its water supply options, and has a relatively new
well in place.
Several cities have available excess capacity now, so not all of the projected increase
in demand will require new sources of supply.
Water quality issues (e.g., arsenic Maximum Contaminant Level regulatory changes)
are also a concern in M&I supply.

CDIVI

6

Rio Grande BRT Mtg #2 Summary.doc 4/16/2004