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Gunnison River Programmatic Biological Opinion
<br />What does mean for future water development?
<br />Compact Entitlements:
<br />The Colorado River Compact and the Upper Colorado
<br />River Compact affect the entire Western Slope, and
<br />entitles Colorado to the beneficial consumptive use of
<br />51.75 % of the total water available in the Upper
<br />Colorado River Basin. Presently, consumptive use in
<br />the Gunnison is approximately 500,000 af, of which
<br />approximately 3,000 af is in the form of exports to
<br />other river basins.
<br />The Gunnison River PBO process was initiated in response to
<br />endangered species issues in the Colorado River Basin. The
<br />PBO will allow for the continuation of existing operations on
<br />the river, and will allow for an as yet undetermined amount of
<br />new water development along the river. The PBO simplifies the
<br />consultation process with the US Fish and Wildlife Service
<br />under the Endangered Species Act. The PBO does not limit the
<br />amount of water that may ultimately be available for
<br />development.
<br />~ ~ Currently, a draft flow recommendation report, developed by
<br />the US Fish and Wildlife Service, is under discussion, and a
<br />Gunnison River Water Demand Projection Report was recently completed in draft form.
<br />Selected Major Basin VVater Users' Water Demand Projections ~~~
<br /> Water Demands (acre feet) Existing Water Supply Additional
<br /> (acre feet) Water Needed°
<br />Entity Current 1970 1990 2010 2030 Ave Annual Dry Year In 2030
<br /> Population Yield Yield
<br /> (1997)
<br />City of Grand 28,000 6,377 5,607 7,628 8,597 32,000 13,000 0
<br />Junction *
<br />City of Montrose 10,005 2,930 2,920 At least 1,000
<br /> AF
<br />Project 7 Water 50,000 7,265 7,265 At least 9,500
<br />Authority AF
<br /> 88,005 This represents 94% of the Basin population. Based on this %, and additional 10,500
<br /> 500 AF or more, may need to be added to the 10,500 AF already identified to
<br /> meet demands throughout the entire basin.
<br />°Additional Water Needs calculated by projecting populations and figuring average municipal consumptive use.
<br />~`The City of Grand Junction takes most of its water from sources within the Gunnison Basin
<br />Projections go out a~ far as the entities reported them to the Farm Bureau. Not all entities have done long term projections.
<br />References
<br />l. National Water-Use Data Files, USGS,1995
<br />2. Colorado Water Develo~ment StudX, Colorado Farm Bureau,1997
<br />3. Preliminary Po~ulation Projections, Colorado Department of Local Affairs, 2001
<br />4. Cumulative Yearly Statistics, Colorado Division of Water Resources, 2000
<br />5. Interstate Com~acts, U.S. Su~reme Court Decrees and International Treaties Affectin~ Colorado's Use of Water, Colorado
<br />Water Conservation Board,1995
<br />6. Colorado River Decision Su~port System, CWCB, 2001
<br />7. Colorado Basin Outlook Re~ort, Natural Resource Conservation Service, June l, 2001
<br />8. Estimated Water Use in the United States, USGS,1980,1990,1995
<br />C For more information on this basin please ~isit http:llcwcb.state.co.us ~
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