BOARD01031

• Board Meeting Date: 3/20/2000
• Description: CF Section - Riverside Reservoir and Land Company
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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STATE OF COLORADO

Colorado Water Conservation Board

Department of Natura I Resources
1313 Sherman Street, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone' [phone] M E M 0 RAN DUM
FAX, [phone]

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TO:

Colorado Water Conservation Board Members

Bill Owens
Governor

FROM:

John Van Sciver, P.E. ~(/.5
Mike Serle!, P.E., Chief f)j r
Water Supply Planning a't#1:inance Section

Greg E. Walcher
Executive Director

Peter H. Evans
eweB Director

DATE:

Dan McAullife
Deputy Director

March 2, 2000

SUBJECT: Agenda Item 15b., March 20-21, 2000 Board Meeting
Riverside Reservoir and Land Company

Introduction
The Riverside Reservoir and Land Company (RRLC) is applying for a $405,000 loan to
rehabilitate the Company's diversion structure on the South Platte River. The estimated total cost
of the project is $450,000. Please see the attached project summary and map. The RRLC is also
applying for a grant in maximum amount of $5,000 to pay for up to 50% of the cost of the
feasibility study for the project.

Backaround
The RRLC, located in Morgan and Weld Counties, operates the Riverside Reservoir (64,000 acre-
feet) for the benefit of the shareholders by providing storage and delivery of irrigation water. The
reservoir is filled through an existing diversion and 11-mile inlet canal. Water deliveries are made
through the reservoir outlet to the Riverside Canal, and by exchange to the South Platte River
where shareholders divert into their irrigation ditches. The RRLC diversion suffered severe
damage in 1998 and again in 1999, when the river cut around the south abutment, nearly
establishing a new river channel that bypasses the diversion entirely. This condition created an
emergency that forced the Company to spend approximately $60,000 in 1999 to build a dike to
direct the river back to the diversion and headgate. This repair is considered a temporary
measure, and the RRLC now wants to rehabilitate the diversion.

The RRLC has a separate existing CWCS loan authorization of $450,000 which can be used only
for construction of an emergency spillway on the Riverside Reservoir, and for purchase of BLM
land that lies within the reservoir basin. These projects have been delayed until year 2001 due to
the emergency nature of the river diversion project.

Feasibility Studies
The RRLC retained Jack Odor P.E., of GASP., to conduct a feasibility study. The study is
scheduled to be completed in March 2000 and includes an assessment of alternatives available
for rehabilitation of the river diversion.