BOARD02264

• Board Meeting Date: 1/27/1999
• Description: Rio Grande Headwaters Restoration Project Application
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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APPLICATION FOR FUNDING
TO PERFORM THE
RIO GRANDE HEADWATER RESTORATION PROJECT

Applicants

The applicant and sponsoring agency is the San Luis Valley Water Conservancy District, P.o.
Box 729, Monte Vista, Colorado 81144. Carol Redding is manager of the District and can be
reached at Ph# 719-852-2315, Fax# [phone]. The District is a government entity formed
by Colorado Statute on November 14, 1949. The boundaries of the District were expanded in
January 1984 to include lands served by the Rio Grande. The District power and authority are
described in Colorado Revised Statutes, Article 5.

Description of Project

During the past decade, the capacity of the Rio Grande to carry high spring flows, without
significant property damage has declined. This decreased channel capacity is making it
increasingly difficult to make efficient delivery of water required for the Rio Grande Compact.
Efforts by the Division of Water Resources to pass relatively large spring river flows past water
users' diversion structures and through the towns and cities results in wide spread flooding of
property, relocation of the channel and loss of water through evaporation and excessive recharge
of the river alluvium far removed from the river channel, and loss of riparian habitat and its
services. If an extensive program of river channel maintenance is not initiated, a significant
flood of even a 25 year frequency will cause major property damage.

The proposed Rio Grande Headwater Restoration Project will be a multi-staged project with the
first stage being a detailed planning study and some immediate site-specific channel
improvements. The reach of the Rio Grande that will be the focus of the study is from
approximately the southern boundary of Alamosa County to near South Fork. A map of the Rio
Grande basin showing this reach is attached. This funding application is for the first stage; the
detailed planning study and development of a demonstration project concerning immediate issues
along the Rio Grande.

The Headwaters Restoration Project is a river restoration project for a corridor+ 85 miles in
length and :!: 2 miles wide. While Rio Grande Decision Support System (RGDSS) will provide
data useful to the accomplishment of our objectives, it is a regional effort and only complement
restoration efforts. Data for restoration will be needed at a different scale.

The Headwaters Restoration Project has four essential goals:

1. Minimize water needed to carry Rio Grande Compact obligations. Currently, excess
water is being used curtailing water use from the user due to channel sedimentation and