PUB00048

• Year: 1992
• Title: Systems Integration as a Water Supply Source for the Denver Metropolitan Area
• CWCB Section: Water Conservation & Drought Planning
• Author: Hydrosphere Resource Consultants
• Description: Overview of water supply alternatives and suggestion for process to address future water supply needs of the Denver Metro Area
• Publications - Doc Type: Historical

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DRAFT 8/24/92, Page 25

could help to realize a portion of the planned Two Forks and Homestake yields in the short
term while the ultimate fate of these proposed projects is resolved.

The Barr Lake plan is another example of a proposed integration of South Platte water
rights and facilities. Certain aspects of this plan call for storage of Burlington system water
rights in upstream municipal facilities in order to allow for a municipal first use of agricultural
water. Details of this plan are discussed in a previous section.

Issues To Be Addressed

Coordinated use of water rights and facilities may require a number of water rights
changes, although the State Engineers has considerable authority to administratively appr'lVe
cooperative water management practices.

Institutional arrangements must be created to protect the interests of individual water
rights holders while also allowing for equitable allocation of new yields derived from
integration of supplies.

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b. Fraser Basin: Moffat and Windy Gap Projects

On the West Slope, the Windy Gap project diversion facilities are located about 20 miles
downstream of Denver's Moffat system diversions.

A gravity pipeline from Carter Lake to the north Metro Denver area could provide
opportunities for coordinated operation of the Windy Gap and Denver-Moffat projects. This
could result in increased system yields, increased protection against Moffat tunnel failures,
hydropower benefits and significant West Slope instream flow, water quality and water supply
benefits.

The Windy Gap diversion facilities, the CBT project system and the Carter pipeline
could provide an alternate delivery path to the Metro Denver area for water otherwise
divertable by the Moffat system during the period of August through April, when Windy Gap
is generally not in priority.

This method of delivery would accomplish several things. The natural flow regime of
the Fraser River would be restored during these months, benefiting fisheries along 30 to 40
miles of stream, as well as easing critical municipal and ski area-related water supply and
water quality problems in the Fraser Valley.

The use of Windy Gap/CBT facilities to divert Moffat water would also result in a
significant increase in energy production due to the extensive hydropower facilities located
within the CBT system. Even though Moffat water would have to be pumped at Windy Gap,
its delivery down the east side of the CBT system would generate more energy than would be
consumed for pumping.

Coordinated operation of the Moffat system and Windy Gap project throughout the year
would also allow for more efficient capture of peak summer flows by both Denver and Windy
Gap. The Moffat system, with more senior water rights, typically diverts heavily during the
early portion of the runoff season and fills Gross Reservoir in nearly all years. By the time
Gross fills, Colorado river flows have generally begun to fall to the point where Windy Gap is
out of priority. Under a more coordinated operation, the Moffat system could reduce its
diversions to allow Windy Gap to divert longer each season while still providing for the
reliable fill of Gross reservoir. The benefit to east slope municipal water users could be an