WSP02201

• File Number: 8200.766
• Description: Gunnison River General Publications-Correspondence-Reports
• State: CO
• Basin: Gunnison
• Water Division: 4
• Date: 1/1/1984
• Author: Various
• Title: CRWCD Publications - Waterlogue-1984 - Compensatory Storage-1985 - Waterways-1985 Annual Report
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

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l was an
interesting year

In terms of l>xpandinK wat(,f
supplies (or the near future and
beyond, for \\'estern Coloradans.
1985 was probabl)' the b('st ypar
in the ~8-y('ar history of the Colo-
rado Riv{'i \\'alt'r Const.>rvation
District. Not only was more dont'
in more differ!;'nt platt.s to securl'
a gn'ater watt'r supply. but in
many respt'cls, it was don", more
economically. The River District
board has mandatl'd an agressive
construction and pre-construction
proKram and that mandall' was
earried out mort' effieil'ntly than
ever befor{>. :-'10re work has b('('n
transft'rred from consultants to
in-hollst, staff. Furtht'rmore, a
Rivt'r District staff ffil'mbt'r
represents tht' District whilE'
working regularly with surveyor
and Keology crews.
~lost significantly. the River
District ha!' been quite succt'ssful
at levering its funds in cooper-

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ativl" efforts with tht' U.S.
Geological Sur....ey. Colorado
Water Conservation Board. and
Colorado Water and Power
[)('vE:'lopment AUlhority. As an E:'X'
amplE:', the Ri....er District has pro.
vidt'd the leadf'rship and coordina-
tion in cases invol~'inl':' a modest
contribution by a local conservan.
cy district. a larger contribution
by tht' River District and a much
largt'r contribulion by the state
water board. all for studies to get
local projects moving. Tht' RivN
District and tht' Dt'nver Watt'r
Board madt. a joint application to
the Authority for a S1.2 million
study that will givt. prt'liminary
examination to eight west slopt'
n.servoir sitt's for possibll' joint
development bl'twt.en both sidl:s
of the mountains. From the eight
sites. th(' best two or thrt.t. will
bt' t'xamined in detail.
Such studi('s and coopl'rativt' l.f-
forts, t'ssentially maximize the ef.
fort to t'xpand the prest'nt and
future watt'r supply for Wt'stern
Colorado while minimizing the
cost. Capsules on somt. of tht' pro.
jects and rclated River District
activities in 1985 follow.

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2

,\Zl"IU:. HOCK CHEEK. In a
1980, landmark agreement forced
by a Hiver District lawsuit, tht'
Front Hange's Northern Colorado
Water Conservancy District
agreed to build Azure Resen'oir
west of Kremmling as mitigation
for the Windy Gap transmountain
diversion projt"ct. Subsequent
studies revcalt'd that Azure was
indt'cd an excellent projcct. but
others might be better. In 1985.
the Ri...er District and :>:orthern
Colorado. through lengthy and in.
tt'nse negotiations, approved a
supplt'mentary agreement that
resulted in paymt'nt to the River
District of $10.2 million. With in.
vestment, tht. sum will grow to
provide enough to build a storage
project. Special legal and finan('ial
expertise plus substantial board
and staff lime was required to
:!rhit....e the settlt'mt'nt and secure
the funds at grealest advantage.

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