WSP00691

• File Number: 8142.700
• Description: Trinidad Project - Annual Operating Plans and Reports
• State: CO
• Basin: Arkansas
• Water Division: 2
• Date: 12/1/1996
• Author: US DoI BoR
• Title: Review of Operating Principles and Project Operations Final Report
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Operating Principles/Plan

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1. Introduction

Article VI of the Operating Principles for Trinidad Dam and Reservoir Project (Project)

provide that the operating principles are subject to review and amendment once a year at the

request of any of the signatory parties; provided, that one review shall be accomplished within the

first 10 years of completion of Trinidad Dam and at least once every 10 years thereafter. The

stated objective of the reviews is to obtain optimum beneficial use of the water supply as

conditions change, experience is gained and more technical data become available. In addition to

these provisions Condition NO.4 ofthe State of Kansas' five conditions for approval of the

Operating principles requires that the operating principles be reviewed five years after beginning

operation of the Project, and once each 10 years thereafter. The stated objective of this review is

to determine the effect, if any, operation of the Project has had on other Colorado and Kansas

water users.

Construction of Trinidad Dam and Reservoir was completed and available for initial

storage on January I, 1977. However, litigation concerning water rights for storage of water in

the reservoir delayed substantial storage of water until March 5, 1979. The Project has been in

continuous operation since 1979 with irrigation of all Project lands beginning in 1985.

Kansas first became concerned about the operation of Trinidad Reservoir in 1979-80 and

called a special meeting of the Arkansas River Compact Administration (ARCA) held June 30,

1980 to discuss these concerns. Kansas raised additional concerns over the operation of the

Project in 1981 and 1982 at a meeting of the ARCA on March 25, 1983. Finally, at its December

11, 1984 annual meeting, the ARCA passed a resolution requesting the Bureau of Reclamation

(Reclamation) to initiate a review of the operating principles in accordance with Kansas'

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