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. ) OCT-27-95 FRI 14:46 00150 /-16-9.lM IrEU ZI d AlCVE/f.1,SER 7, l'lo/S 6/911,// .-tJro.-tJ,;JAL (M 2 ) I . . year, Colorado basically enjoys uninterrupted use of the W'dters of the river pursuant to Colorado water law. Historic records of flows at the stalC line (Iulesburg) gage and the gage at the beginning of the lower reach (Bal:ac) indi\:ate that additional water is available to Colof;ldo under the provisions ofthecompat.t Relatively recently, the lower reach of the Soulh Platte River has become a focal area for new water uses. There is 8 need (or walet such as the City of Sterling's need for water reslllting from the development of a prison that will bring hundreds of families to the city. The Colorado Division of Wildlife is desirous of l.:reating new and improved waler related habitat for Colorado wildlife, including species of concern like the Plains minnow, as well as protecting existing habilat improvement projects in Stale Wildlife Areas. Existing users of water in the lower river envision managing water through recharge projects to enhan\:e existing uses. Lastly, water is needed to address federal requirelllents under the Endangered SpocieS Act The State of Colorado h~,s an obligation to develop and protel:t compat.1 entitlement for the future so that uses such as those listed above can be realized and protected. . Because oC ilS location at the lower end of the Colorado's South Platte system and the flows that exist in the reach, the lower reach is naturally a prime area for the development (,f relatively inexpensive managed recharge projects de.~igned to create return flows that can be used to address threatened and endangered species \:oncems in Centtal NebrllSka or to meet d'elTland~ in Colorado like those listed above. In addition to managed recharge opportunities, thcre is potential to develop new off-stream storage sites or to rehabilitate existing reservoirs to ,--reate wate1' supplies to address these same needs. Finally, there may be existing water rights that are available and well suited to addrcs.~ these needs through a change in water right. SCOPE OF WORK The general scope of work for the investigation is presenled below. A more delailed scope of work that enumerates specifIC issues or projects to be investigated will be fmalized by the participants and approved by the CWCB prior to the beginning of the investigation. The results of the investigation will provide the information needed to evaluate potential alternatives to develop and protect Colorado's compact entitlement. . The fUlal scope of work will identify and describe potelltial projects/water righls in the lewer reach that will be inyestigated. Several such "projects" have already been identified by waler users that require additional evaluation to determine lheir feasibility for developme1lt and to be able to compare those projects with other options, An example is the developmenl of managed recharge at the Division oCWildlifc's Tamarack Wildlife Area and at existing ditch systems, Brief evaluation by Ihe project participants indicate that water may be developed for annualized costs less than futy dollars per at:re foot at such sites. Several potential off-channel rt'servoir site~ exist in the lower end of the river that could also yield water for various uses. In addition, an existing reservoir sueh as JuIesburg Reservoir could be altered to provide additional storage. Finally. exL~ling waler rights could be examined for their potcmial to provide water for municipal or other purposes. Those ideas would be coupled with new possibilities identified during the investigatiull to create a group of alternatives that would be evaluated for lheir benefits and costs, including