FLOOD10516

• County: Delta
• Basin: Gunnison
• Title: North Fork Water Conservancy District Water Management Plan
• Date: 7/1/2001
• Prepared For: Delta County
• Prepared By: Delta Soil Conservation District
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Floodplain Report/Masterplan

Chapter

Water Resource Inventory

This chapter describes the NFWCD's current water resource facilities. Water rights, water administration,
and the water delivery system are described. In addition, the water budget concept is presented to
examine operational efficiencies for the NFWCD.

Water Ri~hts

Paonia Reservoir

History and Changes of Water Rights

.
Anticipating the construction of the Paonia Project, the NFWCD filed for storage rights for Spring Creek
Reservoir, later to be known as Paonia Reservoir. On March 20, 1954, the Division 4 Water Court
awarded Spring Creek Reservoir a conditional storage right for 18,000 acre-feet. On January 31, 1964,
in Case No. 4808, an additional 3,000 acre-feet were conditionally awarded for an enlargement of
Spring Creek Reservoir. At this time, the name was changed to Paonia Reservoir. Beneficial uses
recognized in the adjudication were irrigation, domestic, stock, and industrial.

On March 18, 1966, in Case CA 4808, both conditional waterl rights for Paonia Reservoir were made
absolute. On March 23, 1971, in Case W 206, an absolute refill storage right was awarded for 7,424
acre feet and a conditional storage right was awarded for 2,576 acre feet. The decree stated that the
refill right was from summertime thunderstorms and the storage right "will be...inferior to all other
present priorities of water users in Division No.4."

On December 31, 1983, in Case 83CW328, a second enlargement of Paonia Reservoir was awarded
by the Water Court for 3500 acre feet, however, the storage right was subsequently abandoned by the
Water Court on January 5,1995. On December 31,1992, in Case 92CW153, the Division 4 Water
Court awarded a refill storage right to Paonia Reservoir for 18,000 acre feet for all beneficial uses. The
purpose of this decree was to recognize the filling and release of waters from Paonia Reservoir for the
purpose of flood control and subsequent storage for the beneficial use of irrigation and other uses.

Current Water Rights

Table 2-1 provides a listing of current water rights associated with Paonia Reservoir. Currently, Paonia
Reservoir has storage rights for 21,000 acre feet and refill rights for 28,000 acre feet of which 2,576
acre feet are still conditionally decreed.

Water Administration

Paonia Reservoir water rights are considered junior in relative ,priority. Under normal winter snowpack
conditions, the reservoir generally empties before spring run9ff and is filled during the height of the
runoff. As soon as springtime high water diminishes, the stbrage rights for the reservoir fall out of
priority and additional storage is curtailed.

2-1

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