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

1

Ruedi 2012 Agreement Final EA Page 3-5
Figure 3.2. Historic Quantity and Percentage of Water Made Available for Endangered
Fish Releases, 1989-2001.
1989-1990
(10,000 of Total)
1
Wollord
Green 0%
' Mountain Williams Fork
0% 0%

Ruedi
100%

F,
1

1

t

1996-1999
(57,650 of Total)
Wotlord Williams Fork
untain Rued
55%
Q040 Green Mo
95%
3.1.2 Water Contracts
2000-2001
(57,650 of Total)
2000-2001
(57,650 of Total)
WoBord - WNWents Fork
20% 9%
uedi
Green Mouftw 96%
35%
Ruedi Reservoir is an important source of municipal and industrial water for Colorado River
basin water users upstream of Grand Junction, Colorado (See Table 3.3). In Colorado, water
users with senior water rights are first in priority to divert water, whether from wells or surface
water diversions. The quantity of water established by decree for each diversion is tracked and
attributed to specific drainages. Water rights within the same drainage, which are junior to more
senior water rights, are legally obligated to curtail their water use when their use of water would
impede the senior water right holder from utilizing water due to them. To avoid having to curtail
water use, junior water right holders may acquire augmentation water, which is released to insure
senior water right holders are not "injured". Junior water right holders may enter into contracts
with Reclamation to obtain augmentation water from Ruedi Reservoir to provide the protection
described above. These contracts comprise most of Reclamation's long-term water marketing
sales conducted in Ruedi Round I and Round 11 contracting. Releases from Ruedi Reservoir to
meet contract demands may occur at any time of the year, but are primarily associated with dry
seasons and seasons of peak water demand, mainly July through October.