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~~~,,",'~:? ..-,. ".'~'-.' -~ ._~ . -'"- ~ . The District sees three near-term impacts from the storage restrictions: I) diminished Project Water yield; 2) no storage in Pueblo Reservoir under the Winter Water Storage Program; and, 3) maintaining timely contract repayment. Project Water Yield- Diversions from the west slope will be limited to the available space in Turquoise Reservoir, which is well below what is needed to accommodate anticipated imports. Over the next several years, while demand for Project Water will remain high, imports will be limited to the available space in Pueblo Reservoir. Every acre-foot of lost Conservation Pool storage results in a lost acre-foot of Project Water imports and native Project Water storage. Winter Water Storage Program-As was the case this year, Winter Water Storage participants may not use Pueblo Reservoir to store water under the Winter Water Storage Decree during this restriction period, specially when they know there is a greater likelihood that the water will be spilled or be subject to early evacuation:: This is compounded by the fact that the Bureau will not grant a reduction in tI1~WinteiWater storage charge in recognition of the limited storage space and early evacuation or spilL . The Safety of Darns construction project may be complicated by the Winter Water participants' decision to not store Winter Water. It is our Understanding that the Bureau assumes winter-time storage will allow construction work to take place without the need to protect the plunge pool from larger flows. If water is not stored during the winter, plans may need to be made to protect the plunge pool, which will increase construction costs. Contract Repayment-As you know, the storage restrictions on Pueblo Reservoir will reduce revenues available for the District to meet the annual Project O&M costs and repayment obligations. Each year the restrictions are in place we loose $150,000 in Winter Water storage revenue, over $50,000 in revenue from If &When contracts, and revenue lost from the reduction in Project Water yield. The District will of course continue to make our annual property tax payments, but with the reduction in revenue as described above, more of the Property tax payment will go toward O&M costs, and less to debt repayment. It would be helpful to have the Bureau conduct an interim Repayrnent Analysis (sometime within the next year to 18 months) so that the financial impacts of the storage restrictions could be fully understood. .