BOARD01614 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

. in many instances using all the water in 1 of 5 years. The biologic data seems insufficient _ to justiJY all the flows requested. It the CWCB or the State is in fact operating with a .. policy of limiting any new water filings on most of the streams in our state, this policy needs to be publically debated and clearly declared. Specifically, the North Fork Water Conservancy District (NFWCD) has several concerns about these ISFs. The NFWCD operates the Paonia project by contract with the U S Government. We store water in the Paonia Reservoir and lease it for use in the North Fork basin. One of our contracts is for exchange of water with upstream water users on the Muddy Creek. This exchange needs to be specifically protected in any filing. Further, the District is in the process of discussing the formation of a basin-wide augmentation plan which would supply water for some out of priority uses within our district-specifically in the Muddy and Anthracite areas. With or without a basin-wide plan, augmentation needs would be interfered with by these filings. The District is only in a preliminary phase of this planning and may need several years to complete it. In addition, the District holds conditional water rights for a reservoir originally part of the Grand Mesa Project, known as Electric Mountain Reservoir, which would use water from West Muddy Creek. Although these are senior rights to any 2005 filings, the District is concerned that there could be conflicts if any changes were needed in the reservoir plan or development. There is also a potential reservoir site on Anthracite Creek, known as Snowshoe Reservoir with privately held water rights which the District is interested in. Again, these are senior rights, but in case of any changes, the District would not want additional complications or conflicts. Finally, the flows proposed are excessive on all . these streams, particularly in the "shoulder" seasons prior to full runoff and during the summer diversion seasons. Specifically, the 56 cfs for Muddy Creek starts too early and ends too late and the 25 cfs for July to November is too high also. The same is true of the flows on the Anthracite and Coal Creeks. While there may well be room for compromise on these flow numbers, some of the issues the NFWCD has with these filings cannot be resolved so quickly - lack of good public input, exchange uses, augmentation planning and existing water rights. The best solution would be for the CWCB to put off any appropriation for at least a year to allow full resolution ofthese issues. Thank you for your consideration. ~y, :!_fl::Z; President ~. Keith Catlin CWCB 14291 6330 Road Montrose, Co. 81401 e