BOARD01811

• Board Meeting Date: 5/11/1998
• Description: Rio Grande Basin Issues - Closed Basin Project Issues
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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May 11-12, 1998 CWCB Meeting
Agenda Item 29c, CLOSED BASIN PROJECT ISSUES
Page 3 of6

requirements of the Rio Grande Compact, the status of water deliveries by the Project,
maintenance and special operating problems, The DWR report typically covers
snowpack measurements, stream gage measurements and their translation into stateline
delivery commitments. The fall meeting typically includes an update on the status of
compact deliveries, the Project contribution to stateline deliveries and the probable need
for Project operation during the winter and the ensuing year,

At the conclusion of most Operating Committee meetings, a resolution is passed
recommending Project production levels to the Bureau of Reclamation. The
recommendations are based upon evidence of compliance with drawdown restrictions as
described in the authorizing legislation, water quality limitations, need for Project
production to satisfy Colorado's Rio Grande Compact obligations, and water deliveries to
the Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge and Blanca Wildlife Habitat Area, To date, the
BOR has operated the Closed Basin Project at the production levels recommended by the
Operating Committee,

The evidence available to answer this question includes the provisions of the Rio
Grande Compact, provisions of the authorizing federal legislation, the minutes of the
Operating Committee, the records of 82 observation wells, the records for the 170
production wells, and the annual reports of the Rio Grande Compact Commission, Based
on these records, it is clear that the Closed Basin Project has been operated in accordance
with all applicable federal requirements and with congressional intent. Although there
have been changes in the water table, the Operating Committee has concluded on the
basis of the available information that operation of the Project has not caused the water
table available at any irrigation or domestic well in existence outside the Project
boundary prior to construction of the Project to drop more than 2 feet. Similarly, the
Operating Committee has concluded that operation of the Project has not caused the
reduction of artesian flows from properly constructed wells in existence prior to
construction of the Project, and that production of water from the Closed Basin Project
has not exceeded the congressional authorization (i,e" to produce up to 600,000 acre feet
for any period of I 0 consecutive years to assist in making the annual delivery of water at
the gaging station near Lobatos, Colorado, as required by Article III of the Rio Grande
Compact or the commitment of waters to the Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge and
Blanca Wildlife Habitat Area),

What role does the Closed Basin Project serve in Colorado's effort to
satisfy compact requirements? As indicated above, the first priority for water
produced by the Closed Basin Project is to provide up to 600 KAF in any consecutive 10-
year period to meet Compact commitments and limit the curtailment of beneficial
consumptive uses in Colorado. Records of the U,S, Bureau of Reclamation presented to
the Rio Grande Compact Commission indicate that, since normal operation of the Closed
Basin Project began in 1989, production meeting compact requirements has ranged from
a low of approximately 10 KAF to a high of 40 KAF, Rio Grande Compact Commission
records also indicate that our stateline deliveries, assisted by production from the Closed
Basin Project, have been sufficient to meet Colorado's compact obligations since the
1968 stipulation, Given an average annual stateline flow of approximately 325 KAF, we
conclude that operation of the Closed Basin Project and consumptive uses in Colorado
have been carefully maintained within reasonable limits, It should also be obvious that,