Town of Carbondale Gateway Boating Park Hydrology Study June 2006

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It is concluded that the development of any significant portion of Colorado's compact entitlement within the Crystal River basin is severely limited by existing water right constraints. 5.2.1.3 Roaring Fork River Basin Above the RICD. The Roaring Fork River basin above the RICD reach is internally controlled at certain times and locations by instream flow water rights and senior diversions. These limit the ability for extensive future water development. The CWCB instream flow water rights for the Upper Roaring Fork are summarized in Table 8 in Section 4.0 of this report. Stream flow in the Roaring Fork may drop below decreed instream flows at certain times limiting new diversions and exchange opportunity. Instream flows in the Roaring Fork above Aspen, particularly below the headgate of the Salvation Ditch, are very frequently not satisfied. Generally water will be available in May and June but at other times of year, depending on the hydrologic conditions, water may not be available. Higher, in the headwaters, above Aspen, instream flows are frequently not satisfied. Lower in the basin, from the confluence with the Frying Pan River upstream to the headgate of the Home Supply Ditch, stream flow may fall below the instream flow in dry years from mid to late- summer through the end of September. This limits exchange opportunities for year around depletions. On side tributaries, and high in the basin, streams are internally controlled by existing water rights. Immediately above Aspen, the Salvation Ditch can completely sweep the stream at times during the late irrigation season. The City of Aspen's RICD located a short distance below the Salvation Ditch can also place a call on the stream. This right can call for 270 cfs in June, 350 cfs in July and 33 cfs in August. As such it can command nearly all the flow in the river in most years during these three months. However, the decree specifically limits the calling hours to between 6:00 AM and 10:00 PM. This allows nighttime upstream diversions, but daytime diversions could be severely restricted. Further upstream, the stream is controlled by transbasin diversion water rights of the Twin Lakes Canal and Reservoir Company. To summarize, these constraints, all located above the Town of Carbondale's RICD reach, limit future Compact development. Limited additional development will occur by small scale storage during runoff and by exchange for local in -basin use. Possible expansion of transbasin diversions through existing facilities utilizing existing water rights senior to Carbondale's 2006 RICD claim may also occur. However, the amount of expansion is limited by water availability and existing water rights calls. Further, the RICD with a 2006 priority will have no impact on additional depletions under these more senior water rights. In 10W