Final Draft ALP Marketing Supply and Demand Study

A -LP Water Animas -La Plata Water Marketing Supply and Demand Study Section 3
3.2.3 Use of State's A -LP Water to Eliminate Priority Call on Junior Reservoirs
This section investigates the potential for using the State Water to reduce the frequency of, or eliminate,
calls on junior reservoirs (reservoirs with junior water right priorities). The objective would be to
exchange the State's A -LP water to these reservoirs thereby avoiding the construction of expensive
conveyance means to deliver this water to avoid calls. This feasibility investigation focuses on the
following reservoirs:
• Summit
• Jackson Gulch
• Vallecito
• McPhee
• Lemon
• Lake Electra
• Long Hollow
• Havilland
As shown in Figure 3.2.3, Lake Electra and Havilland Reservoir are the only two reservoirs located in the
Animas River basin. Both reservoirs are located upstream on the Animas River from the Durango RICD
which is of such magnitude that it limits the ability to exchange any A -LP Project water upstream, except
during nighttime hours. Transit times from the "exchange from" and "exchange to" points would have to
be calculated and used for administration purposes.
The remaining reservoirs are all located in river basins which would require exchanging through another
state. As discussed in Section 3.2.2, it is administratively difficult, and would require cooperation of
downstream states (which cannot be assumed in this study) for the Colorado State Engineer to
administer an exchange through another state.
Therefore, because of the difficulty of exchanging through the reach of the Animas River affected by the
Durango RICD and the inability of the Colorado State Engineer alone to administer an exchange through
an exchange reach located in another state, the feasibility of using the State's A -LP Project water to
eliminate calls by senior water rights on junior reservoir water rights is determined to be very minimal.
However, as noted previously, the downsized A -LP Project leaves a significant amount of the A -LP Project
water right conditional. The SWCD may wish to consider possibilities for using the remaining conditional
portion of the A -LP Project water right in conjunction with the existing upstream storage on the Animas
River to improve water management and utilization in the basin.
3.2.4 Use of State's A -LP Water for Colorado River Compact Compliance
A compact curtailment comes about when a severe and sustained drought results in a failure to meet
the conditions described in Article III(d) of the 1922 Colorado River Compact which reads as follows:
"The states of the upper division [Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming] will not
cause the flow of the river at Lee Ferry to be depleted below an aggregate of
75,000,000 acre -feet for any period of 10 consecutive years reckoned in continuing
progressive series beginning with the 1st day of October next succeeding the ratification
of this compact."
State Water that is not contracted for by local water users could be used for Colorado River Compact
compliance purposes. Colorado's remaining A -LP Project water could be designated Compact
Compliance Storage, if legally authorized. Compact Compliance Storage is described at present as
3 -5
FINAL ALP Repo, t_1_13_11_LL.docx