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<br />~ <br />~ <br />~ <br />~ <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />Aspen, Colorado <br />Basalt, Colorado <br /> <br />Agenda Item 21i <br /> <br />RUEDI WATER & POWER AUTHORITY <br /> <br />c/o Pitkin County Administration <br />530 E. Main Street, 3rd Floor <br />Aspen, CO 81611 <br /> <br />May 8, 2000 <br /> <br />Mr. Peter Evans, Director <br />Colorado Water Conservation Board <br />1333 Sherman St. <br />Denver, Colorado 80203 <br /> <br />RE: Ruedi Futures Study <br /> <br />Dear Peter, <br /> <br />This is to follow up our recent telephone conversation regarding the Ruedi <br />Futures Study that has been the subject of discussions between RWAPA, the <br />Colorado River Water Conservation District and the Roaring Fork Conservancy. <br />The Study is intended to collate and analyze existing data on Ruedi Reservoir <br />and to develop new data to the extent necessary to understand the various <br />demands on Ruedi and the economic and ecological implications of responding <br />to those demands in one manner or another. Given the many current and future <br />demands on Ruedi and the importance of Ruedi Reservoir and the Fryingpan <br />River to the local economy, we have determined that a comprehensive study is <br />necessary to guide both short-term and long-term policymaking. The idea for the <br />study originated with the River District, prompted by the possibility that a <br />pumpback ofRuedi water might be the preferred alternative for addressing <br />Homestake II needs. Concerns raised by the proposed long-term agreement for <br />endangered species releases from Ruedi have provided a new motivation to <br />pursue this study. <br /> <br />Eric Kuhn and Dave Merritt of the River District and Kristine Crandall of the <br />Conservancy and I met with Bureau of Reclamation staff (AIice Johns, Will <br />Tully, Julie Swanda, Doug Epperly) on May 3 to discuss this study. We <br />discussed both direct Bureau funding support for the study and how the study <br />might dovetail with the Bureau's study process associated with the long-term <br />agreement for endangered species releases. The Bureau will not know the extent <br />or timetable for that proc~ss until they analyze input and issues following the <br />public comment period but they appear unlikely to find any funding for the <br />Ruedi study in 2000. In the meantime, we want to proceed with study planning <br />so that we can begin to gather data as soon as funding issues are resolved. If it <br />turns out that we can incorporate Bureau needs into the work plan, we hope to do <br />so without losing any momentum. <br /> <br />MEMBER JURISDICTIONS <br /> <br />Carbondale, Colorado Garfield County, Colorado <br />Eagle County, Colorado Glenwood Springs, Colorado <br /> <br />Pitkin County, Colorado <br />Snowmass Villaae. Colo!acjo <br />