BOARD02574

• Board Meeting Date: 1/12/1998
• Description: WSP Section - Arkansas River Issues - a. Future Water Storage Needs Assessment, c. Ground Water Pumping Measurement Study, d. Trinidad Lake Operating Principles
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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PHONE [phone]

LEGAL AGENCY FOR
FRY-ARK
WATER PROJECT

SOUTHEASTERN COLORADO
a.v ater Conservancy District

FAX [phone]

P.O. BOX 440 . 905 HWY 50 WEST . PUEBLO, COLORADO 81002

January 20, 1998

RECEIVED
JAN 22 1998

A. Jack Gamer
Area Manager
Eastern Colorado Area Office
US Bureau of Rec1anlation
11056 West County Rd 18E
Loveland, CO 80537-9711

Co Colorado Warer
nservation Board

Dear Mr. Gamer:

RE: Comments on Bureau's Proposed Additional Storage Restriction-
. Pueblo Reservoir

.

The District agrees with the need to put public safety first in matters concerning the
operation of the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project facilities. As the operators of Pueblo
Reservoir, the Bureau must take every reasonable precaution to maintain safety, and
make risk assessments based upon sound engineering analysis and data.

We have not been given the opportunity to review the Safety ofDanls analysis documents
which are the basis of the SOD staff recommendation for further storage restrictions at
Pueblo Reservoir. Therefore, our comments will focus on the potential impacts of such an
additional storage restriction.

It is our understanding that the new restllction will reduce the top of the Conservation
Pool to 218,509 acre-feet (elevation 4871.60) during the May I" to October 31" period.
During the Winter Water Storage period the top of the Conservation Pool will revert back
to 236,706 acre-feet (elevation 4876.00), a level which was imposed by the first Bureau
restriction. Further, it is our understanding that the Bureau will store East Slope Project
Water, while in priority, to the top of the re-configured conservation pool (218,509 acre-
feet).

.

The new limitation on Conservation-Pool storage will result in a loss of an additional
18,000 acre-feet of useable storage space. The net loss to the Conservation Pool now
totals 38,000 acre-feet (first and second restriction combined). The most immediate
impact of this lost storage space is a curtailment of Project Water yield (native storage
and west slope diversions). There shouldn't be any further impact to the effective use of
the 1996-'97 Winter Water now stored in Pueblo Reservoir. That water will still need to
be fully evacuated from the Joint-Use Pool by May I, 1998, which is the Sanle for all
If & When Water now in the Reservoir. The real impacts of the Bureau's restrictions on
Conservation Pool storage will be felt over the next few years.