BOARD00582

• Board Meeting Date: 5/19/2003
• Description: WSP Section - Ruedi Reservoir - Proposed Contract to Deliver 10,825 AF Annually to Endangered Fish in the 15-Mile Reach Through 2012
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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STATE OF COLORADO

Colorado Water Conservation Board

Department of Natural Resources
1313 Shennan Street. Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
www.cwcb.state.co.us

Bill Owens
Governor

MEMORANDUM

Greg E, Walcher
Executive Director

TO:

Rod Kuharich
CWCB Director

Colorado Water Conservation Board Members

FROM:

Randy Seaholm ~
Chief, Water Supply Protection

Dan McAuliffe
Deputy Director

DATE: May 8, 2003

SUBJECT: Agenda Item 24, May 19-20, 2003, Board Meeting -
Colorado River Basin Issues -
Ruedi Reservoir - Proposed Contract to Deliver 10,825 AF Annually to
Endangered Fish in the IS.Mile Reach Through 2012

Backl!round

The Recovery Implementation Program for Endangered Fish Species in the Upper Colorado
River Basin (Recovery Program) committed to entering into an interim long-term contract for the
unsold portion of the regulatory capacity remaining in Ruedi Reservoir following Round. II water
sales. This Recovery Program action is also a component of the reasonable and prudent alternative
identified by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) in the amended Ruedi Round II'water sales
Biological Opinion dated January 6, 1999. Following the Round II sales, the remaining unsold
regulatory capacity was 21,650 AF (total regulatory capacity is 51,500 AF). This 21,650 AF was to
be provided in addition to the existing 40-year Memorandum of Agreement for 10,000 AF (5,000
annually from storage and 5,000 available on average in four out of five years through modified
operations of Ruedi) for endangered fish purposes. Thus, through December 31, 1999 the total
amount of water that could have been delivered from Ruedi Reservoir for endangered fish purposes
was 31,650 AF.
However, pursuant to the Final Programmatic Biological Opinion for the Upper Colorado
River, dated December 1999, the 21,650 AF from Ruedi may be reduced by one-half when water
users provide the other 10,825 AF from other sources. The water users (Denver Water and Colorado
River Water Conservation District) approved interim agreements with the Service and this Board in
April 2000 for providing that 10,825 AF. Thus, Ruedi contracts for endangered fish water with
Reclamation and the Service were limited to 10,825 AF in 2001 and 2002. No annual contract is
proposed this year, rather a contract to deliver 10,825 AF through 2012 we believe has been reached
and is attached hereto for the Board's consideration and approval.

Flood Protection. Water Supply Planning and Finance. Stream and Lake Protection
Water Supply Protection. Conservation and Drought Planning