Prehearing Statement of Colorado River Water Conservation District

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UPCO/Summit County Water Supply Study December 15, 2004 Background The Upper Colorado River Basin Study (UPCO) was initiated in 1998 to identify and investigate water quantity and quality issues in Grand and Summit Counties. Participants in the study include, in addition to Grand and Summit Counties, the Colorado River Water Conservation District (River District), Middle Park Water Conservancy District, Northwest Colorado Council of Governments, Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District, Denver Water (DW), and Colorado Springs. The study proceeded in phases, the first being scoping, and the second involving the following tasks: compilation and analysis of water resources and water supply data for Summit and Grand Counties, both for existing and buildout scenarios; expansion of DW's raw water system model PACSM, to reflect individual West Slope water supply systems; development of a data management and display tool to support analysis of impacts associated with hypothetical supply and demand scenarios; and identification of issues to be analyzed in the third phase, the "solutions" phase. Under contract to the UPCO Participants, Hydrosphere Resource Consultants completed the second phase in May, 2003, delivering the Upper Colorado River Basin Study Phase II Final Report(the Phase II report). As part of the Phase II effort, DW's PACSM model was used to identify areas in Grand and Suminit Counties where shortages might occur under buildout demands expected by 2030. The model uses a 45-year study period, extending from 1947 through 1991. It imposes current and future demands and operations on the historical hydrology, revealing where and when the demand could or could not have been met. The modeling scenarios featured increased demand both on the east slope, and within Grand and Summit County. Generally, with respect to Summit County, the Phase II modeling showed modest shortages in the Soda Creek and Blue River basins. More severe shortages were associated with Copper Mountain ski area on Tenmile Creek, and Keystone and Arapahoe Basin ski areas in the Snake River basin. Shortage estimates may change as the UPCO process continues. Summit County water suppliers have recently provided updated demand and water rights information to DW for the purpose of modifying the PACSM model, and revised estimates of future shortages may soon be available. The Phase II study also considered impact of the future municipal and industrial demands on instream flows needed for both environmental and recreational purposes, and impacts of future use on Dillon Reservoir levels. In addition, it recognized water quality issues related to current and historical mining activity in the county. In mid-2004, the UPCO participants with interests in Summit County (the UPCO/Suminit County Participants, including Clinton Ditch and Reservoir Company, Colorado River Water Conservation District, Denver Water, Middle Park Water Conservancy District, Suinmit County, and NWCCOG) drew up a scope of services for engineering feasibility analysis of specific water development alternatives which they believe have potential for resolving the issues identified in Phase II. On September 29, 2004, they authorized Boyle Engineering Corporation to proceed with this three- month study initiating Phase III of the UPCO study within Suinmit County. A similar but separate study was likewise authorized for Grand County by the Fraser basin UPCO group.