WSP04343

• File Number: 7630.325
• Description: Wild and Scenic-Gunnison River-Curecanti Unit
• State: CO
• Basin: Gunnison
• Water Division: 4
• Date: 12/1/1986
• Author: WBLA inc
• Title: Gunnison-Curecanti-Curecanti Instream Flow Water Rights Study
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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B. Purpose and Scope of Study

This study examines the hydrologic implications of legally

protecting certain flow regimes in the 29-mile reach of the Gunnison River

from the upstream boundary of the Black Canyon National Monument to the

North Fork. (See genaral map.) This reach would have been designated as

a national Wild and Scenic River under the Black Canyon Park Complex bill

introduced last March, and this study is intended to provide technical

information for the negotiation of the instream provisions for such a

bill.

The study operates the following principal water rights:

The storage decrees for the Curecanti or Aspinall Unit.

The senior irrigation & storage decrees for the Uncompahgre Valley

Project.
The junior power decree for the Gunnison Tunnel.

The Curecanti and Uncompahgre Valley Project water rights are the

controlling water rights upstream from the 29-mile reach. The study also

incorporates several categories of aggregated depletions occuring under

upstream water rights that are either senior to these controlling water

rights or that benefit from the subordination of the Curecanti decrees.

WBLA, Inc. 1909 Broadway, 13, Boulder, Colorado 80302