PUB00047

• Year: 2000
• Title: SECWD/Arkansas Basin Preferred Storage Options Plan Final Draft Report
• Author: GEI Consultants, Inc
• Description: SECWD/Arkansas Basin Preferred Storage Options Plan Final Draft Report
• Publications - Doc Type: Water Resource Studies

Final Draft - Preferred Storage Options Plan
Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District
June 8, 2000

of significant sites. Similar efforts would be required at Lake Meredith and Williams Creek
Cultural resource studies at previously mined gravel pits converted to water storage would be
much less complex because of pre-existing mining disturbance and clearances obtained during
mine permitting.

For the current level of planning, the team has made conservative assumptions about the
requirements for identifying, recording, and mitigating cultural resources. These are reflected
in significant allowances for mitigation included in the cost estimates presented in Chapter 3 of
this report. There are no known cultural resource issues that could potentially block
implementation of any of the storage options or alternatives.

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4.5

Socio-Economic Issues

The Arkansas River Basin exhibits significant $ocial and economic diversity. The Upper Basin
depends heavily on tourism and recreation to maintain its economic well-being, particularly since
the decline of the mining industry. The cities, suburbs, and towns of the Fountain Valley and
Pueblo areas have diverse economies and populations that are experiencing both the benefits
(and down sides) of the economic expansion rhat is taking place in Colorado and nationwide.
The Lower Basin has not enjoyed the benefits of economic growth or expansion of tourism and
recreation. It continues to rely on a fragile agricultural economy. These socio..econo!11jc realities
affect how the storage options and alternatives are perceived by the public and evaluated in terms
of recreation, agriculture, visual and aesthetic resources, and construction impacts.

Upper Basin interests, and recreation interests as a whole, appear to be primarily concerned with
the impacts of re-operation and reservoir enlargements on stream flows and reservoir levels.
Any loss of river-based recreational opportunities (rafting, kayaking, float and wade fishing, etc.)
could have adverse economic impacts in the Upper Basin. Construction of the enlargements at
Turquoise Lake and Pueblo Reservoir will require in-kind replacement and likely enhancement
of existing recreation facilities. However, recreation will be impacted during construction of the
dam modifications and new recreation facilities. Generally, the enlarged Project reservoirs are
perceived to have a positive impact on the quality of flat-water recreation. Project reservoir re-
operation and enlargements will have an affect on stream flows, but not too significantly, as
documented in Section 3.4 of this report. Enlargement of Lake Meredith and development of
gravel lakes for water storage are expected to nave positive effects on recreation and the local
economy in the Lower Basin, through creation of more fishery and aquatic bird habitat.

Agricultural interests are concerned about the potentials for increasing water exchanges and
reductions in water quality in the Lower Basin, which they perceive could result from re-
operation or reservoir enlargements. The agricultural economy is fragile, at best. Any added
costs to irrigators for protecting their water rights, or for dealing with lowered water quality,
could have significant economic impacts in the Lower Basin. The Winter Water Storage
Program is vital to the Lower Basin. Providing firm Winter Water storage, or at least protecting

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m GEl Consultants, Inc.