BOARD00220

• Board Meeting Date: 9/22/2003
• Description: CWCB Director's Report
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

exists even when releases for the fish would result in water shortages for cities, farmers and other Project
water users.

.Alamosa River Restoration: The CWCB is involved in two projects involving restoration efforts in the
Alamosa River watershed in the San Luis Valley.

First, design and planning work is underway for a river restoration project on 4 - 5 miles of the Alamosa
River below Terrace Reservoir, in the vicinity of Capulin. CWCB funding of $450,000, in combination
with funding from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and other sources, is
paying for planning, design and construction work on the Capulin reach of the river.

The purpose of the construction activities is to restore a section of the river that was straightened about 30
years ago. The design will address bank erosion, irrigation supply, groundwater, and habitat problems in
that reach. Completion of design work is expected in October 2003. Construction mobilization has
begun and quarrying of rocks for construction of stabilization structures in the channel should begin about
the same time. Actual river restoration construction should continue during the fall and winter of2003-
2004.

Secondly, CWCB staff is working with staff from other federal and state agencies on the Alamosa River
Watershed Restoration Plan. That study is being funded through the Natural Resource Damage
Settlement between the State of Colorado, the federal government, and the operator of the Summitville
Mine. It will look at a variety of watershed issues, including impacts ofthe mine operation, questions
about Terrace Reservoir, and the impacts of the channel straightening near Capulin (and the ongoing
stream restoration). The purpose of the study is to provide specific guidance for the most appropriate
projects on which to spend the $5,000,000 in settlement funds and any matching funds that can be
combined with those settlement funds. On September 9, 2003 four (4) finalist consultants will be
interviewed and one of them will be selected to perform the study. Work on the study will begin in late
. October or early November 2003.

San Juan River Basin

Animas-La Plata Project Update: We have been informed that new cost estimates for the ALP indicate
an increase in costs of$162.l million. We attended a meeting on August 14th during which Reclamation
began the process of explaining the reasons for this huge increase. As we learn more, we will update you
further.

Reclamation Awards Contract for Critical Components Of Ridges Basin Dam: On Sept. 8
Reclamation announced that it awarded Weeminuche Construction Authority (WCA) with a $2.3 million
contract for construction of certain features for the Ridges Basin Dam. This work is considered critical in
meeting the overall construction schedule for the Animas-La Plata Project.

Included in the contract, are:

. Construction of key sediment retention structures on Basin Creek.

. Excavation of the Dam's right abutment above the existing stream level.

. Construction of a ravine dam just downstream of the Dam's right abutment. This is necessary to
ultimately protect the future embankment of the Dam.

. Installation of a construction water delivery system to the dam and reservoir site.

. Construction of additional segments of a haul road for constructing Ridges Basin Dam.

. Completion of this contract is an important step in keeping the construction of Ridges Basin Dam on
. schedule (Dam Completion - April 2008). Reclamation anticipates that WCA will accomplish this
contract outlined above between July and September 2003.

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