9609

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 9609
• Author: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.
• Title: Ruedi Reservoir 2012 Agreement Final Environmental Assessment Fryingpan-Arkansas Project.
• USFW Year: 2002.
• USFW - Doc Type: Loveland, CO.
• Copyright Material: NO

Ruedi 2012 Agreement Final EA Page 3-4
the Ruedi 2012 Agreement analyzed here. The premises of CRO include that participation is
voluntary and that the operations do not affect the timing or ultimate attainment of fill by any
participating reservoir. Because of this, Ruedi Reservoir's participation in CRO in any year will
not affect filling Ruedi or provision of water through any of the alternatives analyzed here.
After runoff season is complete, and reservoirs have attained whatever fill they can for a
particular year, the focus of operations shifts to summer demands and the late summer target
flows for the 15 Mile Reach. Figure 3.1 illustrates the, target flows used for late summer
augmentation.
Figure 3.1. 15 Mile Reach Late Summer Target
Flows (in cfs) Based on Winter Snowpack.
Wet Average Dry
1,630 1,630 1,240 810
The Recovery Program relies on multiple water sources to supplement flows within the 15 Mile
Reach, including Ruedi, Green Mountain, Wolford Mountain, and Williams Fork Reservoirs.
The quantity from each of these sources has changed significantly over time. Historic quantities
of water and sources of water available for endangered fish releases are reflected in Figure 3.2.
Water in Green Mountain Reservoir that may be available to augment flows in the 15 Mile
Reach would be from the Historic Users Pool (HUP) in accordance with conditions established
in the settlement of the Orchard Mesa Check Case (91CW247). The HUP consists of up to
66,000 acre-feet of water in Green Mountain Reservoir available to provide for the needs of
users with irrigation or domestic water rights in western Colorado, perfected by use prior to
October 15, 1977, whose water rights would otherwise be curtailed by administration of the
Colorado River. In some years these users do not require the entire 66,000 acre-feet of water. In
those years, the portion of the HUP which is not needed to meet HUP beneficiary needs is made
available, through several different agreements, to assist in meeting late summer target flows in
the 15 Mile Reach. On average, it is estimated that about 20,000 acre-feet may be made
available annually. It is expected that up to an additional 10,000 acre-feet may be made
available on an average annual basis when the Grand Valley Water Management Program is
fully implemented.
A team including west and east slope water users, the CWCB, the State Division Engineer, the
Service, and Reclamation, hold conference calls weekly and have frequent communication
between conference calls to discuss flow needs of HUP beneficiaries and how to assist with the
15 Mile Reach targets. This group considers how best to manage releases from all sources in
order to meet their representative interests and the interests of the Recovery Program. In the
case of releases from Ruedi, the Service, in conjunction with the CWCB, requests flow releases
from Ruedi for endangered fish releases. Reclamation is responsible for ordering releases from
Ruedi for operational and contractual needs, including the Service's release requests.
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