Rio Grande - Manassa Conejos River & N Branch Stablization_Application

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Water Supply Reserve Account - Grant Application Form Form Revised May 2007 Project Overview: (Inserted here for contextual orientation and clarity) The Conejos River is a tributary to the upper Rio Grande River, accounting for nearly 40% of Colorado's Rio Grande Compact obligation. It rises at the Continental Divide in the San Juan Mountains and flows through Platoro Reseivoir, continuing through Conejos County until it reaches the Rio Grande River 2 miles north the settlement of Los Sauces. At the point that the river crosses state highway 285, 1-'/4 miles north of Antonito, there is a bifurcation, with a concrete diversion structure (locally known as ``the Core') and a headgate system (Diversion Gates). The Core is ahnost 100 rears old, and is in need of reconstruction. It was designed to split and balance the flow of the river into the main channel and the North Branch of the Conejos. Proper operation of the Core is therefore instrumental to both channels of the river. The Diversion Gates consist of five eight-foot wheel-and-stem headgates which are manually operated and accessed by a perilous 18 inch plank. catwallc over the river. This structure is also unsafe and in need of replacement. Both the Core and the Diversion Gates require weekly and sometimes daily maintenance due to floating debris, log jams, high sediment load. bank erosion, and streambanlc instability. The effects of this problem include operational difficulty in meeting irrigation needs, poor water quality due to bank instability and resulting high sediment load, negative impacts on the condition of fisheries downstream of the diversion: lack of control and frequent documented losses of Compact waters during high flows: and the very real threat of flooding for communities north of the Cone jos. If water were to breach the north bank of the main chaneel of the Conejos, the river chaneel would change course, bNpassilig the gaging station at Los Sauces, seriously impacting all water users downstream on both channels. and flooding the agricultural cornrnunities of Conejos County and the town of Manassa. There are 42 ditch companies on the main and north channels of the Conejos. Twelve of these ditch companies rely upon the North Branch diversion to irrigate a total of 22,204 acres, with excess flows returning to the main channel east of Manassa where they contribute to fulfilling Colorado's Rio Grande Compact obligation. In this proposal MLI requests fiends to address and remedy the issues associated with the North Branch diversion of the Conejos River, re-shaping the channel, stabilizing the strearnbank, replacing the Core and the Diversion Gates, and enhancing riparian areas at this bifurcation point. This Project will restore full operational capacity to both bifurcation structures, meet multiple consumptive and nonconsuaptive needs in both the main channel and the North Branch, and improve the Conejos' ability_ to fulfill its Compact obligation to downstream states. Describe how the water activity meets these Threshold Criteria. 1. The water activity meets the eligibility requirements outlined in Part 2 of the Criteria and Guidelines. MLI proposes an eligible water activity, as identified in Senate Bill 06-179, involving a 3- phase riparian stabilization and structural repair of the Conejos River. MLI is an eligible entity in that it is a mutual nonprofit ditch company classified under the U.S. tax code under section 501(c)(12). MLI is requesting fiends from the SB 179 Rio Grande Basin Account and is complying with all applicable submission, review, and approval deadlines and procedures. 2. The water activity is consistent with Section 37-75-102 Colorado Revised Statutes. The requirements/language from the statute is provided in Part 3 of the Criteria and Guidelines. • This proposal is eligible for funding under Senate Bill 06-179 because 1) it is being submitted for approval to the Rio Grande Interbasin Roundtable pursuant to article 75 of title 37,