PUB00004 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

The Gunnison: A Basin In Balance CD the in-basin purposes of: domestic and municipal; irrigation and stockwatering; industrial; electric energy development; flood control; fish, wildlife protection and preservation; and recreation. In 1962, the River District assigned these water rights to the United States. In 1980, the United States was decreed the following absolute rights for the Aspinall Unit: Reservoir storeage rights Blue Mesa first fill Blue Mesa refill Morrow Point Crystal Hydropower flow rights Blue Mesa Morrow Point Crystal 1 ,212,51 0 Acre-feet 940,755 AF 122,702 AF 119,053 AF 30,000 AF 10,950 cubic feet per second 2500 cis 5450 cis 3000 cis Each year the Bureau operates the Aspinall Unit-storing and releasing Gunnison water-to satisfy several purposes at the same time, thereby juggling many competing demands for a finite water supply. Typically, the Bureau draws down reservoir storage levels during the fall and winter months, and then lets them rise again with the run-off from melting snow in late spring. During the summer, it attempts to keep reservoir levels steady to maximize flat water recreation on Blue Mesa while also releasing enough water to meet the needs of downstream water users. Throughout the year, the Bureau maximizes electrical generation by releasing water through penstocks that have hydropower turbines (rather than through by-pass tunnels or "spilling" over the top) and keeps an eye on flood control for downstream cities. More recently, it has implemented releases of water to benefit federally endan- gered fish in the lower Gunnison and Colorado Rivers. In the future, the Bureau will re-operate the Aspinall Unit to better meet the needs of endangered fish and Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. 3. Taylor Park Reservoir/Aspinall Unit Exchange Prior to construction of the Aspinall Unit, Taylor Park Reservoir was operated as a typical irrigation storage reservoir, with heavy releases during the irrigation sea- son and closing of the gates in fall and winter to maximize storage for the next irriga- tion season. Many people realized that the existence of Aspinall (primarily Blue Mesa Reservoir) presented an opportunity for Taylor Park Reservoir to be operated in a new way, to improve conditions for other water uses, without infringing upon flows at the Gunnison Tunnel for the UVWUA. In 1975, several parties entered into an Exchange Agreement involving Taylor Park Reservoir and the Aspinall Unit." The Exchange Agreement allows UVWUA's storage in Taylor Park (securing UVWUA's Gunnison Tunnel diversions) to be exchanged for storage and release from the Aspinall Unit. As a result, Taylor Park Gunnison Basin Water .5.