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Water Supply Reserve Account - Grant Application Form <br />Fonn Revised May 2007 <br />• Provide for environmental enhancement: The Conejos River <br />watershed has many pitblie fishing areas with medium summer use and light itse in <br />the spring and fall. Trout species inchide Rainbow, Snake River and Yellowstone <br />Cutthroat, Broim, and Brook. In normal water years many fish are in the 16-20 inch <br />range, and occasionally lager. In the spring and the fall of the year an estimated <br />20, 000 Sandhill Cranes migrate through the Valley to and fi°om breeding grounds in <br />southeast Idaho and ivintering grozmds at the Bosque del Apache NWR in Socorro, <br />Nei j, Mexico. A nzmnber ofpasserine migrants also travel the Conejos and the path of <br />the Rio Grande. Abont 220 species are found here in fozlr seasons, with perhaps as <br />many as 20-30 "unusual birds " sighted by birdij,atchers over a member of years. <br />The District holds Board meetings and also holds open public meetings <br />at which the emphasis is usually on water use, its conservation, and the doctrine of <br />beneficial use. In all actions, environmental issues are central to the District's <br />operation, advised by the ecological wisdom and stewardship which comes natural to <br />folks in this rm°al agricultzn°al region. The District maintains a permanent pool in <br />Platoro for wildlife habitat. There is also a minimum flow from the reservoir, which <br />the District diligently maintains. To keep water f °om eroding banks, the District puts <br />rock diversions in the channel using NRCS-designed plans, at a cost of about <br />20, 000 to S30, 000 each year. This creates fish habitat and has proven to 11,ork well <br />for the District's goals for environmental enhancement. CWCD also works ivith the <br />Colorado Division of Wildlife in exchanging water to Platoro for improvement of <br />Trujillo Meadoi i,s Reservoir, encouraging a productive fishery. <br />It should be noted also that the irrigation practices of "Ivater users " in <br />the Conejos Water District f •equently create ia,etlands and small ponds in the area, <br />strongly supporting the most beneficial use to wildlife, increasing riparian habitatfor <br />nesting, shelter and forage. Keeping Platoro in top operating condition is essential to <br />protectfisheries and wildlife, to enhance recreational opportunities and to sustain <br />these environmental assets. <br />• Promote cost effectiveness, provide for operational flexibility, and <br />comply with all applicable laws, regulations and water rights: This Project will <br />benefitfi°om nmltiple cost savings and efficiencies by contracting the engineering and <br />project management services of Christenson Hydro Specialties 'Dennis Christenson, <br />retired from many years with USBR working on similar and more complex projects. <br />This Project supports the broader efforts of the Roundtable to foster szistainability by <br />curing a predictable and deteriorating deficiency in the flolI, control mechanisms of <br />Platoro Reservoir; stopping a leak by overhauling oi- replacing the old valves; and <br />maintaining the operational flexibility ofPlatoro by re-coating the entire penstock <br />area. It is the intention of the District to hire locally available expertise and labor <br />and thus avoid unnecessary costs and expenses. A11 of this will be accomplished by <br />this project, ij,hile at the same time maintaining adequate instream floij, for the <br />14