Laserfiche WebLink
<br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />1.0 INTRODUCTION <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />1.1 Project Background. Ridgway Dam and Reservoir, as part of the Dallas Creek <br />Project of the Colorado River Basin Act, was authorized as a participating project of <br />the Colorado River Storage Project Act in 1956. Ridgway Reservoir was originally <br />designed, constructed, and administered by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) to <br />provide water storage for irrigation, industrial, and municipal uses, Construction was <br />completed in 1988, and the USBR has been using a draft water control plan and <br />diagram to operate for flood control. The Tri-County Water Conservancy District <br />(TCWCD) was formed in 1957 as the controlling entity for the water storage project. <br />TCWCD controls the sale and distribution of water to irrigation companies and <br />municipalities. In addition, the primary responsibility for the operation, maintenance, <br />and safety of Ridgway Dam currently rests with TCWCD. <br /> <br />A list of the regulating agencies and their roles for the Ridgway project follows: <br /> <br />. The Corps of Engineers provides and approves the operating criteria for <br />flood control, as well as preparing any necessary revisions. <br /> <br />. The USBR administers the flood control operations, Any deviation from <br />the flood control operating instructions must be authorized by the Corps. <br /> <br />. The Colorado Basin River Forecast Center of the National Weather <br />Service furnishes monthly water supply forecasts throughout the year. During the <br />snowmelt runoff season, flood control regulations govern operational releases if flood <br />releases are necessary. <br /> <br />. The Tri-County Water Conservancy District makes irrigation and other <br />water supply releases in accordance with operating criteria and procedures established <br />by the USBR. <br /> <br />. The Colorado Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation (CDPOR) <br />regulates and administers the recreational programs and facilities of Ridgway State <br />Park. <br /> <br />. The Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW) assists with enforcement of <br />all wildlife, game, and fishing laws and regulations within the reservoir management <br />area. <br /> <br />Background information for this EA is included in five documents: (1) the <br />Corp's 1996 "Ridgway Dam and Reservoir, Uncompahgre River, Colorado, Water <br /> <br />1 <br />