WSP06082

• File Number: 7630.425
• Description: Wild and Scenic - Piedra River
• State: CO
• Basin: Western Slope
• Water Division: 7
• Date: 6/1/1990
• Author: Northern Colo Water
• Title: Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District Waternews - Summer 1990
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

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C-BT BRIEFS

.

Water Exhibit to

Highlight State Fair

W aler is the tOpiC. the Slate
Fairgrounds the SIte. and over
30 organizatiOns are combining
efforts 10 tell the story. The 13.000
square fool State Fair Exhlbillon Hall
has been dedicated to telling the
story of Colorado water. The hall is
set up under a genera! theme each
year. Water has the limelight In 1990.

This rather monumental undertaking
is bemg coordinated by the Colorado
State Engineer's office with
participation from water conservancy
districts, el\les. ditch companies.
recrealionlsts. agriculture and federal
and slate lesource agencies.

e The Northern Colorado Waler
Conservar1cy District IS supporting
Ihese efforts. Dlstnct staff are
preparing the display on the historical
development of water in Colorado.
Tracing the origins from prehistoric
times to present day issues. the
display WI!! contain numerous
histoncal photos to illustrate key
aspects in the development of
Colorado's water supplies.

To this end. the District is asking for
help. II you have old photos of water
prOJects. canal systems. construction
actIVities. or other related subjects we
ask that you contact Brian Werner at
the NCWCD office. In addition, old
water measuring devices or irrigation
equipment will be displayed as part of
this exhibit and would be of particular
value

The overriding theme of the water
hall is that water resources. and the
. development and management
thereot. IS one of the keys to

understanding Colorado's past.
present. and future. BeSides historical
development. other genera! displays
Include: water conservation. the
hydrologiC cycle. drought.
groundwater. snowpack hydrology.
water quality. water nghts. Interstate
compacts. municipal water supplies.
agncultural water use. Instream flows.
recreation. industrial water use and
the economics of water.

The State Fair runs from August 24
through September 3 In Pueblo. If
you have never been or have been
thinking of returning thiS may be a
good year to make plans to attend.

C-BT Quota

Contmued from page 5

However. the Board does reserve the
right to add a supplemental quota
later in the year if expected moisture
fails to arrive. At the same time. when
local storage conditions and runoff
projections are low, higher quotas are
necessary and the Project is called
on to provide supplemental water in
larger amounts. Additional quotas
have been declared 11 times in the
previous 33 years of full water
operation. Including 1989 when
spflng runoff and precipitation totals
took a nose-dive after the quota
declaratIOn of 80% in April.

Additional Input Sought
What else mfluences how the quota
IS set?

The Bureau of ReclamatIOn reqUires
that a minimum amount of water be
brought through the system for power
generation purposes. Each year pnor
to the quota declaration, NCWCD
and Bureau officials meet to discuss

the water and power situation. This
Information is then passed on to the
Board before the quota is set.

The Board also listens to mput from
water users. Water users provide thiS
input in the form of phone calls.
written letters and personal
appearances at the Distrlcfs annual
spring water users meeting as well as
the public hearing at which the quota
is declared

With data provided from a variety of
sources. the Board makes a final
determinatlon of how much
supplemental C-BT water is needed
to provide an adequate water balance
for northeastern Colorado. While they
realize the quota declaratlon may not
fit the needs of every waler user, the
Board attempts to meet the
aggregate water needs of the entire
District while protecting the "savings
account"' from excessive withdrawals
and leaving the region vulnerable to
the inevitable dry years.

Historically the quota was set the first
Friday of April because of the time
consuming process of figuring out
individual allotments and notIfication
of all 2500 C-BT allonees. In recent
years. with assistance from
computers. the time needed for this
task has been greatly reduced. No
longer does it take staff a full week to
gel the allotment notifications out. As
a result, in 1989. the Board agreed to
set the pUblic hearmg date for quota
declaration as the second Fnday of
April to comClde With their regular
monthly meeting schedule.

WATERNEWS SUMMER 1990

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