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<br />Rangely Kayak Course: Plans for a water feature below Taylor Dam near Rangely have been
<br />put on the back burner, but the town will move forward on another part ofthe White Riverside
<br />Park project. The town had recently hired an engineering firm to locate the river's best sites for
<br />water features for kayakers and tubers, A location just below the Taylor Dam was presented and
<br />the town wanted to "fast track" the project so it could be built and tested during the spring
<br />runoff. Stewart said an integral part of the project was negotiating an easement from property
<br />owners. However, the property owners have decided "to pull back and take a more cautious
<br />approach to better understand the impacts the water feature would have on their operations,"
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<br />Mount Werner files on Yampa: On Feb, 3 the Mount Werner Water and Sanitation District has
<br />filed for water rights that would allow it to create a new infiltration gallery and draw millions of
<br />gallons per day from the Yampa River, The city of Steamboat Springs opposes the filing, and
<br />district critics said the filing is an attempt to control development.
<br />
<br />According to the Steamboat Pilot, Bill Martin, a former City Council president and longtime
<br />critic of the Mount Werner district, said he is wary of the district's move, He sees it as a pre-
<br />emptive strike on the recreational water rights the city filed at the end of December and a means
<br />for the district to control growth, The district filed a month before the city filed for its
<br />recreational water rights, which would ensure a minimum flow on the Yampa River for
<br />recreational purposes such as kayaking, fishing and tubing,
<br />
<br />The Mount Werner Water District Board has not opposed the city's RICD filing,
<br />
<br />Conucil Considers Yampa River Plan: On Feb. 3 the Steamboat Springs City Council
<br />discussed the Yampa River Management Plan, The plan was begun in 2001, and after a hiatus in
<br />2002, the balance of the work was completed in 2003, Mike Neumann, the city's open space
<br />supervisor, said the plan establishes the baseline health of the river as well as current use
<br />patterns, It calls on the city to fund monitoring activities to ensure water quality and the human
<br />experience remain within desirable parameters,
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<br />The plan was prepared with the guidance of a citizens advisory committee, which included the
<br />seven members of the existing Rivers and Trails Committee and an additional dozen interested
<br />residents,
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<br />The plan also would formalize the city's collection of a five percent fee from commercial
<br />outfitters and expand it beyond a percentage of rental equipment fees. Under the plan, the city
<br />would collect five percent of gross revenues derived from activities on the river, In recent years,
<br />the fee has generated about $10,000 annually, Neumann said, The plan calls for proceeds to
<br />continue to go into a separate fund devoted to river enhancements, and assures commercial
<br />operators will have influence in how the money is spent.
<br />
<br />Elkhead Reservoir Enlargement - Status of Conveyance Agreements: In 1993, the Recovery
<br />Program began work on a Management Plan for the endangered fish species in the Yampa River
<br />basin (Yampa Plan), The plan is currently in final draft form pending final action by the
<br />Management Committee of the Recovery Program. Among other recovery actions, the Yampa
<br />Plan identifies a need for up to 7,000 acre-feet (at) of water to augment base flows in the Yampa
<br />River, primarily below the town of Maybe II, during late J!lly through early October, To meet this
<br />need, the Yampa Plan recommends 5,000 af come from a dedicated augmentation pool
<br />established by enlarging Elkhead Reservoir with the balance of 2,000 afto come from a 20-year
<br />lease from the Elkhead enlargement.
<br />
<br />The Colorado River Water Conservation District will be constructing the reservoir enlargement
<br />with partial funding from the CWCB, The Bureau of Reclamation, acting on behalf of the Fish
<br />and Wildlife Service and the Recovery Program will acquire a storage space easement and 5,000¡afwater right from the River District, and will also enter into a 20 year lease for 2,000 af of
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