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Section 5 Addressing the Water Supply Gap Technical Roundtable Supplies would consist of relatively high quality water. However, diversions may only be available in average to wet years if new junior water right(s) must be acquired. Storage in Blue Mesa Reservoir must be negotiated with the BOR. Agreements on minimum water levels in Blue Mesa Reservoir to provide for flatwater recreation opportunities and minimum power pool reservoir levels would also need to be provided and negotiated. The quantification of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison federal reserved water right could affect not only the availability of unappropriated water in the basin, but the yield of the existing Blue Mesa Reservoir and BOR Aspinall Unit Project and upper basin absolute and conditional water rights. A Blue Mesa Pumpback bas not been analyzed in any level of detail. Additional analyses of supply availability, Aspinall operations, Black Canyon reserved right, endangered species flows and other considerations would be required before a determination could be made on available yield for this project. The following are some of the key considerations when examining the project elements, benefits, potential implementation issues and potential attributes for this alternative. Benefits: ~ Minimizes loss of irrigated acres in South Platte and Arkansas basins. ~ High quality water that can be treated with conventional water treatment and/or blended with lower quality water. ~ Maximizes Colorado's Colorado River compact entitlement. ~ Additional flows in upper South Platte and Arkansas Rivers, providing for additional environmental and recreational enhancement. Implementation Issues: ~ Endangered species flows could be impacted in the Gunnison Basin. ~ Less water for future in-basin needs (quantity and quality). ~ Recreation impacts on Blue Mesa Reservoir and downstream. ~ Potential for increased compact call. ~ Large energy requirements. Potential Attributes: ~ Delivery to in-basin users for agricultural domestic augmentation and instream flows. Project Elements ~ Contract with BOR for portion of Aspinall pool or new water right appropriation with payment to BOR for power interruption. ~ Pumpback to South Platte and Arkansas with storage in each basin. ~ Diversions from pipeline for deliveries to upper Gunnison for agricultural firming, domestic well augmentation, and instream flows. ~ Possible exchange for diversion from the Colorado Basin to augment flows in headwaters areas of the Blue and Fraser Rivers. ~ Possible additional flexibility on Fry-Ark Diversions to benefit east and west slope communities ~ Development of additional storage in the Gunnison, South Platte, and Arkansas Basins. ~ Financial contribution or other mitigation to Gunnison Basin. ~ Provide funding for additional water quality improvements in the Uncompahgre River and Lower Gunnison River. ~ Limit diversions to average to wet year water ~ Potential for augmenting flows in Colorado River basin headwater, providing for additional environmental and recreational enhancement either through a direct discharge to Colorado basin or exchange of Blue Mesa water with existing transbasin diverters, allowing them to leave additional water in Colorado basin headwaters. 5-30 FINAL DRAFT