BOARD01948

• Board Meeting Date: 11/25/2002
• Description: CF Section - Referred Non-Reimbursable Investments - Estimating Water Yield from National Forest Management Changes in Colorado
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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STATE OF COLORADO

Colorado Water Conservation Board

Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman Street, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
www.cwcb.state.CO.U5

MEMORANDUM

Bill Owens
Governor

Greg E. Walcher
Executive Director

To:
From:
Date:
Subject:

Rod Kuharich
CWCB Director

Colorado Water Conservation Board Members
Kent Holsinger,
November 13, 2002
Agenda Item 22b, November 25-26, 2002 Board Meeting -
Water Supply Planning and Finance - Non-Reimbursable Investments -
Estimating Water Yield from National Forest Management Changes in
Colorado

Dan McAuliffe
Deputy Director

Introduction

The Board will be asked to authorize the expenditure of$190,000 from the Construction Fund to
perform a reconnaissance level analysis assessing the stream flows originating on U.S. Forest
Service lands in Colorado and the impacts that past and future forest management practices have had
or will have on water yields.

Proiect Objective

The assessment will have two components. First, using Forest Service data, each unit ofland will be
characterized by its cover type, stand class or age in 20-year increments, management class, aspect,
and elevation. Secondly, based on the characterizations, relationships between the various
classifications and flow will be developed; the initial focus will be on stand class and age. Once
characterized, similar stands can be aggregated and water yield can be simulated. Simulations will
be done at the forest level and aggregated to the river basin level. Current conditions will represent
the baseline water yield conditions that can either be carried into the future or regressed in time to
reflect historic hydrologic conditions.

Proiect Scope

The geographic focus of the analysis will cover all national forest lands in Colorado. The analysis
has already been completed in the North Platte Basin. This proposal would cover the remaining
forest lands in the Colorado River Basin (Yampa, White, Mainstem, Gunnison, Dolores and San
Juan), Rio Grande Basin, Arkansas Basin, and South Platte Basin.

Discussion

Flood Protection. Water Supply Planning and Finance. Stream and Lake Protection
Water Supply Protection. Conservation and Drought Planning