09/4/A-003 Gunnison River Correspondence

Home Browse Search

High Country Citizens' Alliance 7/10/08 ,, Linda Bassi, Jeff Baessler Stream and Lake Protection Section Colorado Water Conservation Board 1525 Sherman St., 5th Floor Denver CO 80203 Dear Linda,Jeff and the CWCB, On 7/8, after a lengthy discussion, the Board of Directors of High Country Citizens' Alliance (HCCA) decided to withdraw our request for instream flow protection for the mainstem of the Gunnison River from Almont to the Curecanti National Recreation Area. We made that request at the annual workshop in February and the CWCB staff had scheduled field studies this summer to quantify flows and review water availability issues. At this time, we don't think the expenditures to move the recommendation forward are warranted. In the past several weeks there have been public discussions about the benefits and drawbacks of having an instream flow water right for the Gunnison. Several water users and the UGRWCD staff have expressed concern about how it will be more difficult to get new well permits approved without new augmentation supplies and how some flexibility would be lost managing limited water supplies during periods of prolonged draught. It became apparent that if we continued to pursue additional legal protection for this segment of the river it would attract significant opposition. There are several mechanisms already in place that offer partial protection of streamflows. The 1975 Taylor Reservoir Operating Agreement provide for releases that offer this segment some protection. The RICD is a more substantial right but is only a day-time right and only seasonal. HCCA has been involved in several collaborative processes over the last two decades with water users in the basin that have been quite productive in protecting both the environment and the water users interests. Some examples of this cooperation include a joint defense against the Union Park Project and the recent settlement agreement for water rights for the Black Canyon National Park. There are significant additional challenges that we hope to work collaboratively on with the water users, specifically,the Aspinall Reoperation EIS. It does not make sense to be involved in a dispute over the instream flow filing when we need to be focused on getting a preferred alternative for flow recommendations to recover endangered fish in the Lower Gunnison River that will be favorably received by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. We thank the Board and staff for considering our request but we don't think the timing is right to move forward on a filing on the Upper Gunnison River. We will work with the water users and CWCB staff to explore other options to find additional protection for the excellent fishery the Gunnison River currently enjoys. P.O. BOX 459, CRESTED BUTTE, CO 81224 970 349-6646, 970 349-0164 (f), e-mail: steve @hccaonline.org