Rio Grande - Platoro Reservoir Restoration_BRT Approval Letter

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tourism community; helping to safeguard agricultural uses; reducing the threat of serious flood; and ensuring Colorado's ability to meet its obligations to the Rio Grande Compact. The specific deliverables for this use of WSRA Funds will be accomplished by completing Phase III of the larger project by replacing the valves and operators for the reservoir. As CDWR Division Engineer, Mike Sullivan writes, "Platoro is a very important reservoir on the Conejos river system. Platoro reservoir provides flood protection in wet years [and] direct flow storage for the multitude of ditches in the Conejos basin. Direct flow storage is re-regulation of water within the irrigation year. Using Platoro, the ditches in the Conejos basin are able to spread their surface water supply over the entire growing season rather than being at the mercy of the short runoff season." The District's traditional consumptive and nonconsumptive water interests served by Platoro Reservoir operations extend over 100,000 acres, with 86,000 acres capable of being irrigated. The Conejos and its tributaries also irrigate an additional 8,000 acres that are not within the boundaries of the District. Storage and releases are jointly controlled between the District, USBR, CDWR, and the US Army Corps of Engineers to assure that Platoro Reservoir is operated in accordance with the Flood Control Storage Reservation Diagram criteria. This application for SB 179 funds represents not only these different entities but also the interests of multiple water users throughout the District. Proper functioning of Platoro will satisfy multiple uses identified by the Statewide Water Supply Initiative (SWSI) as well as consumptive and non-consumptive needs of the Rio Grande Basin. The completed three-phase rehabilitation project will avoid interference with irrigation operations, will help ensure minimum and regular flows in riparian areas, will protect and help to expand fisheries, will protect valuable recreational and wildlife assets from flood and from drought, and will play a major role in ensuring that Colorado continues to meet its Rio Grande Compact delivery obligations. The planned three-phase project assists in the administration of, and cures specific problems of Compact entitled waters. It ensures Compact compliance, and actively promotes maximum utilization of State waters. The overall project ensures the sustainability of the District's general plan for operation of Platoro Dam -- to control flows to 2,500 cfs on the Conejos River at the Mogote gage and 1,600 cfs on the Conejos River at the Los Sauces gage. Optimal utilization of State waters is implied by the R.G.R.T.'s priority of maintaining sustainable water supplies and by ensuring that there is the operational flexibility to adapt to changing conditions. Over the years, the District has repeatedly attempted to address USBR-identified repair and operational issues at Platoro but has never had the financial means to carry them forward to the extent required by that federal agency. For this project, USBR is providing $100,000.00 for the Phase I in-stream flow bypass piping system, with the District providing the remaining $25,000.00 and needed in-kind supervision for installation of the by-pass pipe. The District is also funding Phase II, the painting the penstock at a cost of $125,000.00. Page 3 of 4