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<br />Water Users Offer R-easonable Proposal <br />to the City of Pueblo <br /> <br />... <br /> <br />Dry conditions this year, <br />including record low imports <br />from the Fry-Ark Project, tell us <br />exactly why \ve need to develop <br />additional \vater storage capacity <br />in the Arkansas River Basin. It"s <br />simple. \Vhen we have big <br />runoff years we need to store <br />water for the inevitable drought <br />years. That" s called "carryo\'eru <br />storage_ And, as our population <br />grows future economic <br />opportunity becomes even more <br />dependant upon an assured <br />supply of "'ater that can only be <br />provided ,,-ith additional storage. <br />It may be simple to <br />understand the basics of \\-hy "-e <br />need the additional ""-ater storage <br />capacity, but it" s not a simple <br />process to resolve all the issues <br />that surround the <br />implementation ofthe District" s <br />Preferred Storage Options Plan <br />(PSOP). The District board. <br />staff hired engineers, water <br />users representing the entire <br />nine-county service area of the <br />District. and environmental and <br />recreation interest groups have <br />\"'orked for four years on the <br />development and now <br />implementation of the PSOP. It <br />was a very open, public process <br />with lots of give-and-take and <br />compromise along the \"'ay. But. <br />as rye learned. that doesn't stop <br />latecomers to the process from <br />demanding new concessions. <br />\\" e' re reaching the end of a <br />series of negotiations with the <br />City of Pueblo (the City) in an <br />effort to resolve their concerns <br />for the potential ofthe PSOP <br /> <br />proposed operations of Pueblo <br />Reservoir to reduce riyer flo\vs <br />below Pueblo Dam through the <br />city of Pueblo. The water users <br />supporting the PSOP ha\'e <br />already committed to develop a <br />flo\'" management program in <br />order to help maintain flo\vs, but <br />the City of Pueblo \"'ants a <br />guarantee that water users will <br />forgo the storage of \vater <br />needed for municipal and <br />industrial use so that flo\"-s can <br />be sustained at 100 cfs during <br />the \vinter months and 500 cfs <br />during the spring. summer. and <br />fall. <br />\\' e are no\'" prepared to offer <br />the City a proposal that \"'ould <br />commit participants in the PSOP <br />to a plan to cunail the operation <br />of their senior exchange water <br />rights at times when river flows <br />(as measured at the river gage <br />belo\'" Pueblo Dam) drop below <br />100 cfs in the \,,'inter months. <br />and to curtail operations again <br />when flows drop belo\,,' 300 to <br />500 cfs in the spring, summer, <br />and fall. In addition, the PSOP <br />participants would agree to <br />coordinate the delivery of their <br />water and exchange operations <br />in such a \,,'ay that the City's <br />proposed kayak course can host <br />special events. The City may not <br />think so. but this is a major <br />concession on the part of the <br />PSOP participants. It actually <br />means that the Board of\\'ater <br />\Yorks of Pueblo, Colorado <br />Springs, La Junta, Florence, <br />Salida, and other communities in <br />the District will not be able to <br />store water needed for their <br /> <br />citizens so that the City's plans <br />for the "Legacy Project" can <br />ha\'e a better chance of success. <br />It also giyes the City much <br />more than they could get if they <br />had to rely upon their proposed <br />junior water ril!ht for recreation <br />. - <br />use. \Yithout this concession, <br />the City's proposed water right <br />\"'ould only be in priority when <br />the ri\'er is at or near flood stage <br />and all senior water rights are <br />satisfied. <br />Obviously, the PSOP <br />participants are willing to make <br />this type of agreement with the <br />City of Pueblo in order to gain <br />Pueblo's support for the federal <br />legislation to implement the <br />PSOP. and because the PSOP <br />represents the best hope to <br />develop additional storage <br />capacity_ Included in the flow <br />program proposal to the City is <br />an exception for dry years. so <br />that \"'ater users can store \'-ater <br />,,-hen conditions are dry. <br />By the time you read this we <br />\vould ha\'e met with the City of <br />Pueblo and presented our <br />counter proposal. I'm hopeful <br />that the City sees the proposal <br />as a win win solution to their <br />concerns. Ifnot, "-e're going to <br />spend a lot of money arguing <br />the matter in \"-ater court. But, I <br />guess the City has set aside the <br />money for that process in hopes <br />of securing one of the most <br />junior "-ater ril!hts on the river.h. - <br /> <br />\Yritten by Steye <br />AITeschoug, General <br />~lanager. SEC\\-CD <br /> <br /> <br />2 <br />