Laserfiche WebLink
<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />authorized, project beneficiaries must pay 100 percent of the costs. However, legislation is being <br />proposed by Sen, Allard that would reduce the cost share to 25 percent. <br /> <br />Federal Reserved Water Right Claims: In response to the state's letter of December 21,2001, the <br />u.s. Forest Service has offered a proposed stipulation to dismiss with prejudice their reserved right <br />water claims in Division 2. In July, the Board concurred with the proposed stipulation and since then a <br />number of other objectors have agreed to the stipulation. A letter conveying our agreement to the <br />stipulation with some clarifications was sent to the U.S. Forest Service in late August. <br /> <br />ARCA: The Annual Meeting of the Arkansas River Compact Administration [ARCA] will be held in <br />Lamar on Dec. 10. Staff is working on the following issues for continued consideration by ARCA: 1) <br />storage account at John Martin Reservoir [JMR] for the City of Lamar, 2) changes to the operating <br />principles for the Trinidad Project in regards to livestock watering and acreage record, 3) changes to the <br />1980 Operating Plan for John Martin Reservoir pertaining to evaporation and a new source of supply for <br />the permanent fishery pool, and 4) accounting issues at JMR and completion of ARCA's annual reports. <br /> <br />Staff met with the Purgatorie River Water Conservation District in August and it appears that progress <br />has been made on developing an acreage tracking system for the Trinidad Project. There have been no <br />formal follow-up meetings with Kansas since the May Special Meeting, but we have been in contact and <br />an additional staff-level meeting prior to November may be productive. Ultimately some of these <br />outstanding issues may have to await final resolution of the Kansas v. Colorado litigation, which has <br />resumed in Pasadena, California this summer. <br /> <br />Colorado River Basin Issues <br /> <br />New Commission Member: On Aug, 5 it was announced that Dick Bratton would replace Sam Maynes <br />as President Bush's appointee to be the new chair ofthe Upper Colorado River Commission. <br /> <br />Ruedi Reservoir Negotiations: Reclamation has initiated contract negotiations with the USFWS and <br />the CWCB on a long-term contract to deliver up to 10,825 acre-feet of water per year from Ruedi <br />Reservoir for the benefit of endangered fish in the 15-mile reach of the Colorado River. This contract is <br />for one-half ofthe water remaining available for sale from the regulatory capacity of the reservoir <br />following Round II water sales, We have entered into annual contracts for the use of this water since <br />approximately 1990. Completion of this contract is a key element required under the terms of the PBO <br />for the Colorado River mainstem. <br /> <br />Randy Seaholm is our lead negotiator. We will be coordinating our efforts with the Division Engineer, <br />Attorney General, Colorado River Water Conservation District, Southeastern Colorado Water <br />Conservancy District, and the Ruedi Water and Power Authority. The first negotiating session was held <br />in Carbondale on July 2, the second session was held on Aug. 13 in Glenwood Springs. Negotiations <br />are making good progress and there have been no surprises. The big issues are cost and the impact of <br />costs on other water users, shortage conditions and liability provisions, <br /> <br />Green Mountain Reservoir; As Mr. Wilkinson reported in July, operating restrictions dealing with the <br />historic landslide that exists around Henney on the south side of Green Mountain Reservoir are a <br />concern. Green Mountain Reservoir currently contains around 60,000 AF. When storage contents hit <br />49,500 AF or elevation 7880 Green Mountain is limited to releases that will not cause more than 1.5' of <br />elevation drop per day or 25' every 30 days. At elevation 7870' (40,850 AF) the draw is reduced to l' <br />per day. Finally, the reservoir may not draw below 7850 or 27,000 AF, After allowing for 7,000 AF of <br />dead storage, this leaves 20,000 AF of usable water that cannot be used because ofthe landslide <br />problem, This landslide has been known since the reservoir was built at which time there were <br />approximately 20 structures on the slide. Over the years since, Summit County has permitted additional <br />homes to be constructed and there are now approximately 80 structures on the slide area, including a fire <br />13 <br />