PUB00004

• Year: 2003
• Title: Gunnison Basin Water: No Panacea for the Front Range
• CWCB Section: Administration
• Author: Land and Water Fund
• Description: Gunnison Basin Water: No Panacea for the Front Range
• Publications - Doc Type: Other

.8.

The land and Water Fund of the Rockies

CD

The Gunnison: A Basin In Balance

In the severe drought of 2002, the UVWUA placed a "call" for the Gunnison
Thnnel in April. Use of the Taylor Park Reservoir refill right kept the Division
Engineer from having to enforce the call until July 9th. After that time, he was forced
to curtail a significant number of irrigation diversions in the Upper Basin. Also in
2002, Redlands placed a "call" on the river as early as April. Because Blue Mesa stor-
age was projected to drop below 400,000 AF by years' end, pursuant to provisions in
a 1995 Memorandum of Agreement, Redlands and other interested parties adopted a
plan to share water shortages. Redlands agreed not to call for more than 600 cfs and,
in return, the River District agreed to reimburse Redlands for lost power generation
revenue (not to exceed $85,500).30 These events reveal the Gunnison to be heavily
utilized (even over-utilized during drought years).

c. Municipal Use

Municipal use comprises a considerably smaller, but nonetheless important
use of water in this growing area of the state. The population of the entire Gunnison
River Basin grew by 35% during the past decade, from 58,700 in 1990 to 79,300 in
2000." The total full-time population of the Upper Basin is close to 14,000." The
two major population centers in the Upper Basin are the Upper East River Valley
(pop. 2,300, including the towns of Crested Butte and Mount Crested Butte which can
swell to as many as 10,000 people during winter and summer tourist seasons) and the
City of Gunnison (pop. 5,000).

The Town of Crested Butte has a water right for 6 cfs and currently diverts 3
cfs, using roughly 1 AF per day, or 365 AFA. At "build out" it is expected to use its
full diversion amount. The City of Gunnison holds three absolute rights, the largest
for 64 cfs (priority date 1880). The City also holds numerous conditional water
rights, including a decree for 85 cfs for municipal and irrigation purposes (1954 prior-
ity date) and four storage rights totaling 84,000 AF (1981 priority). In the entire
Gunnison Basin, municipalities divert between 14,000 and 17,000 AFA."

2. In-stream Uses

In addition to out-of-stream uses, there are a host of in-stream uses of
Gunnison water. Unlike water rights that involve the diversion of water out of the
channel, in-stream flows recognize the beneficial use of water that stays in the
stream.

Some in-stream uses have been assigned water rights, and are thus entitled to
a specific quantity and priority date, just like out-of-stream uses. Other in-stream
uses have more tenuous protection, or none at all, due to the fact that they have not
been granted a water right under state law. In-stream uses are an essential part of the
region's economy and an important reason why Front Range residents visit the
Gunnison Basin so frequently. Even those not legally protected must be considered
as we evaluate the ethics and costs of diverting water from our West Slope neighbors.