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<br />DESCRIPTION OF THE COLORADO-BIG THOMPSON PROJECT <br /> <br />The Colorado-Big Thompson Project (Project) is one of the largest and most complex natural <br />resource developments undertaken by the Bureau of Reclamation. It consists of over 100 structures <br />integrated into a trans-mountain water diversion system through which multiple benefits are <br />provided to the people. <br /> <br />The Project spreads over approximately 250 miles in the State of Colorado. It stores, regulates, and <br />diverts water from the Colorado River on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. It provides <br />supplemental water for irrigation of about 615,000 acres of land. It also provides water for <br />municipal use, industrial use, hydroelectric power, and water-oriented recreation. <br /> <br />Major features of the Project include dams, dikes, reservoirs, power plants, pumping plants, <br />pipelines, tunnels, transmission lines, substations, and other associated structures (Table 1, <br />Exhibits 1 and 2). <br /> <br />Historically, the Project has diverted approximately 230,000 acre-feet of water annually (310,000 <br />acre-feet maximum) from the Colorado River headwaters on the western slope to the South Platte <br />River Basin on the eastern slope, for distribution to Project lands and communities. The Northern <br />Colorado Water Conservancy District apportions the water used for irrigation to more than 120 <br />ditches and 60 reservoirs. Thirty communities receive municipal and industrial water from the <br />Project. J'he Western Division of the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program markets the electric power <br />produced at the six power plants. <br /> <br />The western slope collection system captures runoff from the high mountains, stores, regulates, and <br />conveys the water to Adams Tunnel for diversion under the Continental Divide. <br /> <br />To ensure irrigation and power generation under prior rights on the Colorado River, Green Mountain <br />Reservoir was constructed on the Blue River. Spring runoff is stored in this reservoir and later <br />released to meet the requirements of the Colorado River and to allow diversion of water by the <br />Project throughout the year. <br /> <br />Pursuant to authorities in Senate Document 80, (which authorized the Project), and the 1984 Green <br />Mountain Operating Policy and the agreements in the September 1996 Stipulation and Agreement of <br />the Orchard Mesa Check Case settlement (Case No. 91CW247, Colorado Water Division 5), the <br />content of the Historic Users Pool (HUP) in Green Mountain Reservoir is evaluated during the <br />summer to determine the availability of water surplus to historic beneficiaries' needs. If it is <br />determined that surplus water is available, it may be delivered, based upon need, first to the Federal <br />Grand Valley Power Plant and then to other uses through agreements. <br /> <br />Irrigation systems on the Colorado River, above the Blue River confluence, were improved to <br />enable continued use of existing rights. Releases are made from Lake Granby to maintain the <br />Colorado River as a live fishing stream. <br /> <br />4 <br />