BOARD02431

• Board Meeting Date: 11/22/1999
• Description: CF Section - Request to Delay Grant De-Authorization for Arkansas River Basin Water and Storage Needs Assessment - Supplemental Memorandum
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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PHONE [phone] . FAX [phone]

~EGA~ AGENCY FOR
FRY-ARK
WATER PROJE<:T

SOUTHEASTERN COLORADO
.Water Conservancy District

P.O. BOX 440 . 905 HWY 50 WEST

PUEBLO, COLORADO 81002

November 15,1999

Mr. Peter Evans
Executive Director
Colorado Water Conservation Board
Centennial Building, Room 721
1313 Sherman
Denver, CO 80203

Dear Peter:

RE: Request for $25,000 from the Construction Fund for the Arkansas River Basin Water
and Storage Needs Assessment Project-Expanded Alternatives Analysis-- Water
BanklIntenuptible Supply Agreement Feasibility Study

.

The Colorado Water Conservation Board has been very helpful with the Southeastern
District's Water and Storage Needs Assessment Project. The District and the Storage
Study Committee now want to expand our existing scope of work so that detailed
information is available for our evaluation of how a water bank and/or interruptible
supply agreement would work in the Arkansas Basin.

As a part of the Phase II work on this project our Storage Study Committee (SSC) is
analyzing various alternatives to address future storage demands in the Arkansas River
basin. The analysis of alternatives includes a preliminary look at the concept of
interruptible supply agreements or water banking as a means to provide water to cities
during periods of drought. Given our preliminary look at this alternative, it is now
apparent that this concept may have potential to help address the need for additional
storage for municipal water supplies. The SSC believes that the concept(s) is at least
worth a closer look.

Additionally, community leaders within the Arkansas Valley are discussing ways to stop
the trend of agricultural land dry up caused by transfer of water rights out of the Valley.
They have discussed the concept of a water bank, designed to keep the water in the
Valley for irrigation use while allo"'ing for the temporary use of that same water for
domestic purposes during drought periods.

.

Given the present level of interest and need for more detailed information, the District
and our Storage Study Committee believe it makes sense to do a feasibility study,
including an operational assessment of how an Arkansas River basin water
bank/interruptible supply agreement concept would work. Our consultant engineers ",ill
have a scope of work drafted within the next few days so we'll have a better picture of
what ",ill be included in the study (a copy of the scope of work ",ill be forwarded to your
staff ASAP).