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. .- June 15~ 1991 ;j . ~I. OUTLINE OF POWER'S POSITION AND ACTIONS ON LAKE SAN CRISTOBAL RESERVOIR A. POWER's organizational objective ---- Gunnison Basin POWER opposes and seeks to prevent furth",,- trafl501\ountain diver-sian from the Gunnison River Basin. B. POWER's specific objective ---- POWER seeks pr~tection of the present condition of Lake San Cristobal Reservoir, decreed as a reservoir on July 7, 1925. and also seeks the opportunity for greater local control over what happens to this reservoir's waters. c. Why POWER filed for a water right I. POWER believes water is available in Lake Sa~ Cristobal Reservoir which could be used directly for transmountal~. . diversion indirectly for augmentation and e~change faCilitating this purp~se elsewhere within the Gunnison Basin. and for pump- storage hydroelectric power generation. The lake level and the timing alld quantities of flows from thE> lake -:=ould bE> controlled for such purposes and could adversely affect Its present ct:ndition. . , L k C.t 2. PD~IER has sought to apprize the Town 0 a e 1 Y. tlir.sdale County, and others in the area of its concer,:,s for ~ake San Cristobal Reservoir and to keep them informed of Its actions. D. Background J. LaJ.e San Cri stobal Reservoir was decreed as a reservoir in 1925 for the generation of electrical pOloler. There ~re presently Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) WIthdrawals adjacent to the lake for water power develop~ent. ~ Since 1906 the rlate of appropriation for the r~~er~~ir and perha~s before, the natural lake level h~s been r.=li'5ed by'mo1lt.e.rlal and structures placE"d at the butlf!t.. - .3. The Colorado t"'ater Conservil.tian Board (~WCBI In 1980 n?ceived a rlscree far l"hat it appears to have believed P.O. 80. 17.012 HilS il n-ltlwa.l lake lpvel condition Clod volulll~ of GunnI5.:Jn,C0&12JO "'pprvxim, ~e] y J3,545 acre-feet: Ho~ev:,:"~. an ,.,dminl!:',tri:\tive error "'<3S made In th1S 1111ng b~c;i\lI~e the recor-ded deer Fe is described by flow3, ..L:u..___. :. :~,:~~"."'~-'~C~~".~'-)'7". .~~-~--:.'7.-:"'-~.":'_-:..A .. . __1______..,. page 2 not lake level. The significance of this is that it appear5 the conditions of the ewes decree could be satisfied while draining Lake San Cristobal Reservoir. POWER understands that the CWCB is now seeking to correct this error brought to its attention by POWER. 4. POWER's filing is not for the natural lake level but for the additional present artificial lake level created by materials and structures placed at the lake outlet. Thu present level of the lake and its volume of appro~imately 14,040 acre- feet are greater than the natural lake conditions as a result of this man-made artificial impoundment. 5. The purposes for Iolater use given in POWER"s filing are recreational activities. wildlife protection, preservation of the natural environment, heritage and watershed protection. and flood control. These are appropriate uses which may bu decreed for water in an artificial reservoir. 6. These purposes and uses are also ones of particular significance not only to the applicants. but to the residents and to visitors in the Lake City Area and to the Area's economy. 7. POWER-s filing is not incompatible with the ewes. There are two layers of water in the lake. The eWCB decree for water naturally impounded .holds up. the upper layer created by the artificial man-made impoundment. Water for Iolhich POWER !leel(s a decree rides .piggy-back. on that in the co~rected decreed sought by the CWCB. POWER seeks a lake level sustained by the total capacity of the reservoir. E. POWER"s proposal ---- 1. POWER is a nan-profit _embership supported corporation. Cooperation is Bought with the eWCB to find a way of adequately protecting the present conditions of the lake and providing the opportunity for greater local control over what happens to this valued resource. Ag applicants. POWER and f1~. Ward believe their shared objectives would best be served if the application would be taken over by the Town of Lake City and I or Hinsdale County. This would provide: (1) protection of the present condition of Lal<e San Cristobal; (2) a position of stronger local influence in decisions made by the ewes regarding the lake and its water right; and (3) greater local protection for public and private investments made in and around Lake San Cristobal. 2. POWER and Mr. Ward do seek to recover their e~penses in ma~ing this application so that their limited resources can be reapplied to other efforts in furthering the protection of the Gunnison 9agins"s water resources. The costs and e~penses are approxilJlately $3,000.00 at present.