BOARD02631

• Board Meeting Date: 3/29/1999
• Description: WSP Section - Colorado River Basin Issues - Ruedi Reservoir - Proposed Contract for the Release of 21,650 AF to Endangered Fish in the 15-Mile Reach
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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Agenda Item 211
March 29-30, 1999 Board Meeting
Page 2 of3

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· Assurances to the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project east and west slope water users and
repayment entities for all Section 7 consultations on the Project that there will be no
loss to them in water yield from the Project nor any increase in Project repayment or
operating costs. Progress: Pursuant to the arnended biological opinion, once the
programmatic biological opinion for the 15-Mile Reach is completed, it will take
precedence over the arnended biological opinion and thus would assure there would
be no loss in project yield.
. Are the current operating constraints placed on Ruedi release rates and reservoir
elevations appropriate or should they be revised in order to allow more flexibility to
use Ruedi water? All parties understand that release rates could be based more on
biological pararneters than on recreational (wadeability) factors than they are at the
present. The parties also understand the potential impacts to the local economy of the
Fryingpan Basin and continue to look for win-win solutions to this issue. Any
changes to the environmental conunitrnents already made, or substantial changes to
the preferred alternative discussed in the Record of Decision could create the need for
supplemental NEP A compliance measures. Progress: This matter remains under
discussion, but no operational changes are currently proposed.
· Do the contracts for endangered fish releases require site specific NEP A compliance
and possibly mitigation?
· What is the overall strategy for managing flows in the 15-mile reach? How do
releases from Ruedi fit with the CWCB instrearn flow protections for the 15-mile
reach and releases from Green Mountain Reservoir given the settlement in the
Orchard Mesa Check case and other pieces of the Recovery Prograrn like Grand
Valley Water Management and Coordinated Reservoir Operations. There is desire to
have a clear understanding of the objectives trying to be achieved in the 15-mile
reach. Progress: The forthcoming Biological Opinion for the I5-mile reach
addresses most of these issues.
· There will also need to be a process in place for balancing the needs between
recreational users, water supply interests and endangered fish during development of
the annual operating plan for Ruedi Reservoir so that people have a clear
understanding of what to expect in any given year. Progress: Annual operating plan
meetings are held and will become better coordinated with operational meetings for
other parts of the Recovery Prograrn in the future.

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With the arnended biological opinion, Reclarnation is proceeding with the processing
of up to 6,135 acre feet of Ruedi Round II water sale contracts and may proceed with the
full 17,000 acre feet (6,135 AF plus the remaining 10,865 AF) of Ruedi Round II water
sales upon completion of the programmatic biological opinion for the IS-Mile Reach.
The 1999 contract also retains the maximum release rate at 250 cfs and the reservoir
target levels and dates have not been changed.

As you know, the U.S. Bureau of Reclarnation follows a formal negotiating process in
the development of long-term contracts. The negotiating sessions are open public
meetings and the actual designation of parties to the "interim contract" (probably 15
years) still needs to be decided. This memorandum and the attached I-year contract have .
been forwarded to representatives of the U.S. Bureau of Reclarnation, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, the Colorado River Water Conservation District, the Southeastern
Colorado Water Conservancy District and the Ruedi Water and Power Authority. They