BOARD01516

• Board Meeting Date: 7/23/1991
• Description: Agenda or Table of Contents, Memos. Partial. No Minutes.
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Meeting

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COLORADO WATER CONSERVATION BOARD
Department of Natural Resources
721 State Centennial Building
1313 Sherman Street
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]

STATE OF COLORADO
o

Roy Romer
Governor

David W. Walker
Director

MEMORANDUM

TO:

Members, CWCB

FROM:

E. I. Jencsok

DATE:

July 16, 1991

SUBJECT:

Agenda Item llg(l), July 23-24. 1991, Board Meeting--
Endangered Fish Recovery Program
Lease of water from Ruedi Reservoir for Endangered Fish Recovery
Program

Background

In February, 1990, the Colorado Water Conservation Board signed an
agreement with the Bureau of Reclamation and the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service
which provides for the release of 10,000 af of water annually from Ruedi Reservoir
and the delivery of this water for the benefit of the endangered fishes in the 15 Mile
Reach of the Colorado River. These releases are made pursuant to the 1987
Biological Opinion on Ruedi Reservoir Round II and Green Mountain Reservoir
water sales and commitments in the Recovery Program for Endangered Fish Species
in the Upper Colorado River Basin (Recovery Program). Recently the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service has requested the sale or lease of an additional 10,000 af water from
Ruedi Reservoir for delivery to the 15 Mile Reach between August and October. The
Bureau has apparently agreed to provide 10,000 af on a short term annual basis.

Discussion

The preferred alternative for the Ruedi Round II water marketing EIS provides
for the long term sale of up to 43,650 af of water annually. Of this, 5,000 af have
been withheld from sale and another 5,000 af are provided through operational
management of Ruedi Reservoir for the benefit of the endangered fishes in the 15
Mile Reach.