Rio Grande - Manassa Conejos River & N Branch Stablization_Application

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Water Supply Reserve Account - Grant Application Form Form Revised May 2007 thereby- reducing the need to perform repeated channel river work to maintain flows of the Conejos. • It enhances wildlife habitat by creating a stable riparian area. • It protects the cultural values inherent in six generations of farming in a region which first relied on the historic acequia irrigation systems of Spanish land grant settlement. • It protects and enhances resources which are of high value to families AN-ho enjoy hunting, fishing and outdoor activities along the Conejos. • It complies N ith all applicable laws, regulations, and water rights. k. The water activity promotes water conservation and efficiency. • This Project reduces water loss by increasing the operational efficiency of MLI, enhancing the company's ability to control flows at the diversion; • It installs a structure which will eril-ianced riparian stability for probably the next 100 years; • it increases channel capacity, stabilizes channel boundaries, slows bank erosion, and prevents loss to the system. • It enables the Ritchfreld Canal, which now diverts some of its irrigation water through the North Branch Diversion Gates, to use its own diversion structure. This will occur as the Project creates a more constant flow in the main channel of the Conejos, as the Richfield diversion is downstream from the MLI diversion point. • It corrects chamlel instability and streambank erosion at this critical bifurcation point, preventing the loss of the north bank, avoiding the consequent widespread flooding which would occur, and therefore preserving the integrity of the entire Conejos River system. • Water conservation and efficiency in this case extends to the much larger objective of ensuring Colorado's ability to meet its Compact commitment. 1. The applicant has an existing water conservation plate. • Although MLI does not in itself have a water conservation plan, it supports water conservation practices and policies of the Conejos Water Conservancy District. in. The water activity will make new water available for use. This Project recovers water which has repeatedly been lost, every year, to flooding, riverbank instability, and the inability to divert into the North Branch. M this case, "new" water becomes available for use by irrigators that benefit from this Project by recovering large and repeated losses and enabling them to take their full decreed water right. This Project provides a significant benefit to downstreamn wildlife, fisheries, and riparian areas and supports water quality and reliable flows to the high-value recreational resources of Colorado's spectacular Conejos Canyon. n. The water activity involves reoperation, enlargement, or rehabilitation of existing facilities. • This is a rehabilitation project whose primary objective is to improve the operational efficiency, allowing all the ditch companis on the tvvo channels to take their fiill priority. 12