BOARD02105

• Board Meeting Date: 5/23/2005
• Description: ISF Section - MOA Between the Eagle River Water & Sanitation District and the Colorado Department of Natural Resources
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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aunually stocking up to 2500 lbs of trout in Black Lake No, 1 and up to 2500 Ibs of trout in Black .
Lake No, 2, ifit used water from No, 2, The MOA required the DOW to also stock 2500 Ibs of trout
in the lakes each year. In addition, the District and the DOW shared responsibility for the structural
integrity, maintenance and operational cost for both Black Lake No, 1 and Black Lake No, 2,

Subsequent to the 1986 MOA, fishery studies were conducted on Gore Creek and based on the
improved biological information, in 1990, DNR and the District entered into a second MOA that
modified the operational plan contemplated in the 1986 MOA and associated court decrees, The 1990
MOA revised the operating procedures for Black Lakes for a ten-year period, Under the revised
operating plan, all 300 AF of the available storage of Black Lakes was used to augment streamflows
in Gore Creek during the months of December through March, This operating plan was implemented
in 1993 upon completion of the first enlargement and has now expired,

During this period, the District has constructed an interconnecting pipeline that allows for pumping of
the Eagle River water into the Gore Creek drainage to provide for better integration of its total water
supply while maintaining its fishery protection commitments. With the construction ofthe
interconnecting pipeline, the District is proposing a second enlargement of Black Lake No, 1 and
operational changes to provide additional water for the District's needs, as well as augmentation of
late sununer, fall, and winter streamflows in Gore Creek and the Eagle River. In light ofthe proposed
changes, the District is seeking to update the MOA with DNR to address the new operations,

The Board's instream flow water rights subject to this MOA are on Gore Creek for 16 cfs, summer
(5/1-9/30), and 6 cfs winter (10/1-4/30) from the confluence of Black Gore Creek to the confluence of .
Red Sandstone Creek, and for 22 and 8 cfs (same periods) from Red Sandstone Creek to the
Confluence of Gore Creek with the Eagle River, The latter segment is considered a Gold Metal
Fishery section, After entering the original MOA, in May 1986, the Board appropriated an
enlargement for these segments in the amounts of 10 cfs and 14 cfs, respectively, during the month of
October, The Board also appropriated an enlargement on Black ,Gore Creek for 4 cfs during the same
period,

Enlarl!ement/New Operations Proposal

The District's proposed second enlargement of Black Lake No, 1 would raise the reservoir surface
elevation by approximately 4 feet, increase the capacity of the spillway, and utilize approximately 18
acre-feet of storage below the currently established minimum pool. The specifications of the
proposed second enlargement as well as operational changes are outlined in the attached draft MOA
and the technical proposal. The highlights of the 2005 MOA include;

. The reservoir enlargement and proposed operational changes will increase 'active storage capacity
of Black Lakes from 300 AF to 425 AF,

. Under current conditions, water is released from storage in Black Lakes only during the winter
months of December through March, With the reservoir enlargement, 125 AF of water will be
available for release to augment stream flows and water rights in the summer and fall,

. Under existing operations, water is released from Black Lakes during December through March
under a fixed schedule, With the reservoir enlargement and increased operational flexibility, the .
District will be able to coordinate reservoir releases with the operations of other facilities in a
mauner that will more effectively meet stream flow and augmentation needs.e
Flood Protection. Water Project Planning and Financing. Stream and Lake Protection
Water Supply Protection. Conservation Planning