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The Pueblo Chieftain Online <br />W <br />Page 3 of 3 <br />Flows in the reach of the river are tied to a 2004 intergovernmental agreement <br />among Pueblo, the Pueblo Board of Water Works, Colorado Springs, Aurora, <br />Fountain and the Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District. While the <br />flow program has been the source of previous friction with kayakers, the water last <br />weekend was adequate, Walker said. <br />Under the IGA, the entities agreed to restrict exchanges at certain times and to try <br />to provide additional water for special events, if the water is available. <br />The water for the weekend events was plentiful, at times nearly 800 cubic feet per <br />second, or twice the natural flow in the river at this time of year. <br />Alan Ward, water resources specialist for the Pueblo water board and manager of <br />the Pueblo flow program, said about 475 cfs was added to the river through the <br />flow program. Of that, 400 cfs was stored water released from Lake Pueblo to <br />Lake Meredith in Crowley County, largely owned by Colorado Springs and Aurora. <br />Another 50 cfs was timed, at the request of the flow committee, to be released to <br />Meredith by the Holbrook Canal. About 25 cfs represented curtailed exchanges by <br />the cities. One cfs amounts to roughly 646,000 gallons per day, about two acre - <br />feet. <br />"It was water that was going to move downstream anyway," Ward said. " "If we <br />know when to run it ahead of time, we can plan for it." <br />Last April, there was little extra water available for a planned Icebreaker event in <br />Pueblo, resulting in postponement. Walker said the water for the Chile and Frijoles <br />event was adequate, although another 200 cfs would have been preferable. <br />The IGA only provides that cities attempt to provide up to 1,000 cfs for events, <br />and does not guarantee any water actually will be available. The flow group is also <br />working to prevent future situations that drew the river down to virtually no flow <br />in 2005 and last spring, Ward said. <br />©1996- 2007The Pueblo Chieftain Online <br />http: / /www. chieftain .com /print.php ?article= /metro /l 190700074/4 9/25/2007 <br />