Laserfiche WebLink
Testimony of William G. Bates <br />Water Resource Engineer <br />Denver Water Department <br />Concerning <br />Application for Water Rights of the Town of Silverthorne <br />Blue River Whitewater Course <br />Case Number 04CW217 <br />My name is Bill Bates. I swear to tell the truth. I have been a Water Resource Engineer <br />for the Denver Water Department ("Denver Water") for 24 years. I am a registered Professional <br />Engineer. I have a Master of Science in civil engineering from the University of Colorado. My <br />duties and responsibilities include the adjudication, acquisition and protection of Denver Water's <br />water rights. I am familiar with Denver Water's water rights and the operation of Dillon <br />Reservoir under the Blue River Decree. I am also familiar with the water rights of Green <br />Mountain Reservoir and power plant, and the controlling mainstem water rights on the Colorado <br />River below the confluence of the Blue River. I am also familiar with the application filed by <br />Silverthorne in Case No. 2004CW217. I am familiar with these matters because my duties and <br />responsibilities require me to be familiar with Denver Water's decrees; diversion records; USGS <br />records; Denver Water's water accounting records; and the water rights and applications of other <br />water users. <br />The Town of Silverthorne filed an application for water rights for recreational in-channel <br />diversion ("RICD") associated with its proposed Blue River Whitewater Course. The course will <br />be located in the Silverthorne Whitewater Park, which is located on the Blue River downstream <br />from Dillon Reservoir. Flow in this portion of the Blue River is predominantly controlled by the <br />operation upstream at Dillon Reservoir, with minor additions from the unregulated flows from <br />Straight Creek and Salt Lick Gulch. The proposed decree, dated June l, 2005, indicates the <br />course will be approximately 600 feet long, although the engineering report indicates that the <br />course will extend approximately 400 feet, with the lower terminus located at the Colorado <br />Highway 9 bridge. The application was filed with the water court on December 27, 2004, and an <br />amended application filed on January 6, 2005. Denver Water opposed the application on or <br />about February 23, 2005. <br />The whitewater course is to have three rock and dam structures that will direct the flow to <br />pass through an opening of controlled width. The requested flow rates include 100 cfs from May <br />through September (Level One Flows), and 600 cfs during the Memorial Day, Independence Day <br />and Labor Day holidays (Level Two Flows). The Level Two Flows are for up to four days per <br />holiday weekend. The claimed flows are for the hours between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. for both <br />Level One and Level Two Flows. <br />Denver Water has water rights that divert immediately above the proposed RICD both for <br />direct use, storage, refill, exchange, and substitution. DWD Exhibits 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 21.