BOARD00743

• Board Meeting Date: 11/25/2002
• Description: CF Section - Referred Non-Reimbursable Investments Gunnison Cooperative Study - Streamflow Transit Loss
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

STATE OF COLORADO

~OloradO Water Conservation Board
Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman Sn-eet, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
www,cwcb.state.co.u5

~

Bill Owens
Governor

MEMORANDUM

GregE, Walcher
Executive Director

To:

Colorado Water Conservation Board Members

Rod Kuharich
CWCB Director

From:

Michelle Garrison

Dan McAuliffe
Deputy Director

Date:

November 14, 2002

Re:

Agenda Item 22a
Water Snpply Planning and Finance - Referred Non-Reimbursable luvestments
Guunison Cooperative Study - Streamflow Transit Loss

Introduction and Background

A<\J the request of water users, water managers, and various federal and state agencies, the USGS will conduct a hydrologic
_tudy of a section of the Gunnison River between Whitewater and Redlands cliversion dam. This reach is vital for reservoir
management, planning and accounting, implementation of endangered species programs, and river administration including
compact issues, For proper management, the involved parties need an lUlderstanding of the gain/loss and other streamflow
issues affecting USGS gages in this area.

Discussion

The gages in this area are used extensively in reservoir management, river administration and implementation of
endangered species programs. These gages are located in reaches with significant gain/loss and other streamflow
anomalies that hinder efficient water management due to lUlcertainties about true hydrologic conditions of the river. This
often results in cyclical overreleases and lUlderreleases and difficulties in administration with detrimental effects to water
users, upstream reservoir storage, and endangered fish habitat. To improve the efficiency of water management, affected
parties have requested the USGS to conduct a thorough investigation of this river reach.

The USGS require matching flUlds from other entities to conduct the requested study.

Goals

The goal of this project is to improve water management along the Gunnison river through better lUlderstanding of the
streamflow measurement issues in critical reaches.

e:WCB Request

Flood Protection. Water Project Plalll1ing and Financing. Stream and Lake Protection
Water Supply Protection. Conservation Planning