BOARD01745

• Board Meeting Date: 7/23/2001
• Description: Flood Section - Colorado River Basin Issues - Report on the North Fork of the Gunnison River Restoration Project
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

.

.

Colorado Water Conservation Board
Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman Street, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: (303) 866,3441
FAX: (303) 866,4474
www.cwcb.state.co.u5

STATE OF COLORADO

Q

MEMORANDUM

Bill Owens
Governor
Greg E. Walcher
Executive Director
Rod Kuharich
eWeB Director
Dan McAuliffe
Deputy Director

TO:

Colorado Water Conservation Board Members

FROM:

Larry Lang, P.E., Chief, Flood Protection Section
Brian Hyde, Flood Protection Section

DATE:

July 13, 2001

RE:

Agenda Item 23.e - July 23 - 24,2001 CWCB Meeting - Colorado River
Basin Issues - Report on the North Fork of the Gunnison River
Restoration Project

Introduction
The CWCB contracted in FY '01 - '02 with the North Fork River Improvement
Association (NFRIA), a watershed organization started several years ago by property
owners along the river. The CWCB is also about to contract with NFRIA in FY '01 -
'02. Last year CWCB contracted for a study of the potential effects ofPaonia Reservoir
on the stability ofthe North Fork of the Gunnison River downstream of the reservoir.
This year the CWCB is about to contract with NFRIA for planning and design of river
stability improvements for a 4 - 5 mile reach of the North Fork between Hotchkiss and
Paonia. In addition, NFRIA has already performed a great deal of work (studies, plans,
and construction), using funds other than CWCB funds. A representative ofNFRIA will
make a presentation to the Board at the Montrose meeting, showing the problems on the
river, the work that has been done so far, and the work being funded by the CWCB.

Puroose of Board Presentation
The purpose of the NFRIA presentation to the Board is to provide the Board members
with information about the river instability problems on the North Fork of the Gunnison
River, about the work that has been done in the past to address those problems, and about
the work currently underway and about to begin with CWCB funds.

Discussion

Background
The North Fork of the Gunnison River has experienced severe erosion and deposition
problems that have had serious impacts on agricultural operations in the valley and on
some infrastructure. The CWCB is funding two separate projects on the North Fork.
One project, currently underway with funding from the previous fiscal year, is a study of

Flood Protection. Water Project Planning and Financing. Stream and lake Protection
Water Supply Protection. Conservation Planning