Analysis of Colorado-Big Thompson Project Operation With Respect to East Slope Diversions and Non-Charge Deliveries

• Description: For the River Colorado Water Conservancy District
• State: CO
• Basin: South Platte
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 1
• Date: 10/1/2000
• Author: Helton & Williamsen, P.C.
• Title: Analysis of Colorado-Big Thompson Project Operation with Respect to East Slope Diversions and Non-charge Deliveries
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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Maryanne C. Bach
Brian Person
October b, 2000
Page 9
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past. I wrote to the Northern District over a year ago describing in detail the River
District's primary areas of objection. The River District has also pointed out on
numerous occasions to the Management Committee of the Coordinated Facilities
Operations Study, Phase 2 ( CFOPS), which includes Reclamation representatives,
that re- operation of the CBT Project can meet the goals of the CFOPS process
without impacting water deliveries. No action has been taken to address the points
raised. In order for the River District to fulfill its statutory mandate to preserve for
western Colorado the use and development of the water resources of the Colorado
River, stronger measures are now required.
We would like to discuss these issues in further detail and offer to meet with
representatives of Reclamation, USFWS, the Northern District, and the State of
Colorado to accomplish this objective in a fair and open process. In summary,
however, we believe that Reclamation must do the following in order to fulfill its
responsibilities under Senate Document 80, the Blue River Decree, the Endangered
Species Act and the PBO:
1. Prohibit diversions from the Western Slope in advance of, or in the
absence of, a demonstrated need for supplemental irrigation or domestic water by
CBT contract aliottees. In other words, eliminate the Northern District's "non -
charge program."
2. Require utilization of the East Slope storage decrees for Horsetooth
Reservoir and Carter take and the manner of operation contemplated by Senate
Document 80. The enclosed operation study is intended to provide a specific
method of operation that is practical and immediately implementable.
3. Develop and implement a Platte River Recovery Program which does
not rely on an illegal and inefficient operation of the CBT Project.
4. Expand the scope of the Helton & Williamsen report by conducting an
independent evaluation of other CBT Project operations which may further refine the
results. Specifically, Reclamation should examine the impact of the CBT carryover
program on its ESA obligations to Colorado River fish species.
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