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WATER NEWS A Brief History of the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District To better understand the UGRWCD it is helpful to re- view 125 years of Upper Gun- nison Basin history: The early years 1( 875- 19501 Early settlers in the basin constructed ditches for irrigation, built pipelines and related facilities for mining, dug wells, built pipes, and later constructed municipal systems for domestic use. The earliest basin water right (appropriation date May 10, 1875) was obtained by Alonzo Hartman for the Seventy -five Ditch which took water out of the Gunnison River to irrigate 560 acres immediately south- west of Gunnison, now Dos Rios. Shortages frequently existed for irrigators, espe- cially in dry years, both because of physical conditions and because of the call on the Upper Gunnison Basin by the Gunnison Tunnel senior right (appropriation date of June 1, 1901) of 1,300 c.f.s.. A few small reservoirs were con- structed to alleviate water shortages, but cost prevented construction of large ones with the exception of Taylor Reser- voir, which was constructed in 1939. CRSPA period (1950- 1959) The Colorado River Storage Project Act (CRSPA), passed by Congress in 1956, was very controversial. It was locally supported for recrea- tion and water benefits and opposed because one of the projects, Blue Mesa Reservoir, would impact the tax base and destroy the famous Gunnison River fishery. CRSPA included the Curecanti (now Aspinall) Unit reservoirs and the Upper Gunnison Project, a participat- ing project composed of 6 reservoirs storing 110,000 a.f. and 10 canals diverting 1,800 cfs. The Upper Gunnison Project would have satisfied most in -basin irrigation needs. Post CRSPA 1( 959- 1986 The Aspinall Unit reser- voirs were constructed in the 1960's. The UGRWCD was created June 1, 1959 as the entity to deal with the Bureau of Reclamation on behalf of the citizens of the basin. Studies found that the Upper Gunnison Project had feasibility problems as originally conceived. The UGRWCD's role therefore changed to consider other ways to solve basin water needs: (1) protect the Basin from a call by Aspinall rights (Subordination Agreement exe- cuted 2000) and (2) control of water in Taylor Park Reservoir for downstream irrigation, boat- ing, fishing, and flood control (agreement executed 1975). There were two applica- tions filed for the transbasin diversion of water out of the basin, one by Mills Bunger and another by the Central Colo- rado Water Conservancy District. Bunger was defeated in court and Central later with- drew its application. Page 4 Litigation period 1( 986- 2000) Applications were filed in 1986 for water rights for (1) the Collegiate Range Project by Aurora, (2) the Union Park Project by NECO (assigned to Arapahoe County 1988), (3) the refill of Taylor Park Reser- voir by UGRWCD. In early years, the UGRWCD relied on the Colorado River Water Con- servation District for financial, legal, engineering and political support. Beginning with the 1986 water rights litigation, UGRWCD assumed more re- sponsibility, including substan- tial costs. The UGRWCD hired Tyler Martineau as its first full time manager in 1992. As a result of UGRWCD's activities in coop- eration with others, Aurora dropped its application for the Collegiate Range project, a decree was obtained for the refill of Taylor Park Reservoir based on the 1975 Agree- ment, and the Colorado Supreme Court affirmed Judge Brown's decision that there is insufficient water available for Union Park. In addition, the UGRWCD has maintained diligence for Upper Gunnison Project water rights, which has included preparing numerous feasibility studies and con- ducting litigation. UGRWCD is evaluating means to satisfy calls by senior Gunnison Tunnel and Redlands Canal utilizing water stored in Blue Mesa or Taylor Park Reservoir.