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fH):JH8 . Shadow Mountain ReservOir was built in 1946 as the means by which water could be transferred from Lake Granby 10 Grand Lake It also serves to help stabilize the fluctuations In Grand Lake as required by Senate Document 80 The reservOir has a surface area of 1.356 acres. almost half of which is less than 12 teet deep. The shallow depths provide an excellent environment for weed growth allowing sunlighllO facilitate their growth. Over the years. a delta has been formed where the North Fork of the Colorado River enters Shadow Mountain. Sediment IS being deposited at a rate of about 1900 cubiC yards per year. . Both weed growth and sedlmenlatlon problems have posed Increasing problems to recreational activities al the reservOIr. Local citizens and landowners have pushed harder for solutions to the problem In recent years. A senes of meetings held over the past year has led to the present proposal. Through agency cooperation and local help the problem may be closer to a solullon. Present efforts are focusing on a drawdown at the reservOir follOWing the 1990 water delivery season 10 November Following a two.week drawdown period during which Jocal reSidents will manually scoop out weeds, the reservoir will be refilled Estimated costs for the prOject are $20.000 With half 10 be covered by the federal agencies involved and the other half by local cihzens, the Town of Grand Lake, and Grand County. . Dlstnct General Manager Larry Simpson commented on the plan, wWhile we don't know If this fall drawdown IS the ultimate solution. we hope It Will provide help, The cooperation trom local officials and landowners IS encouraglOg H Lake Estes/Pole Hill Maintenance A JOint effort between the NCWCD and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has completed much needed repairs to C-BT Project facilities between Lakes Estes and PlOewood Reservoir. This seCllon is maintained by the Bureau as part of the C-BTs power operations system. NCWCD crews help WIth malOtenance when requested. As a result of the work. water and power operations for many at the C-BT east slope tacilitles were shut down for nearly five weeks. With water operations suspended, the Bureau took advantage of the opportunity fa carry out additIOnal project repairs Including removal of sediment build-up at Lake Estes, replacement of concrete canal sections, cleaOlng 01 diverSion dams, and Improvement of domeslfc water lines at PlOewood Reservoir. BeglOnlng March 19. Bureau crews repaired concrete hned canal sections on the Pole Hill Canal below Olympus Tunnel The Pole Hill Canal IS a major link between lake Estes and PlOewood Reservo!r and as such IS an essential part of the C-BT system. Workers replaced 89 sections ot worn canal. Sediment build-up had limited the storage capacity of the Pole Hill atterbay and the water shutdown provided an opportunity to clean the afterbay, The Hells Canyon diversion dam was cleaned as well. Reservoir levels 10 both lake Estes and Pinewood Reservoir were drawn down to allow local users to make needed Improvements. lake Estes was lowered approximately 15 feet to allow the Estes Valley Recreation and Park District to remove silt trom the lake bed lor use as fill at the nearby Estes Park gaIt course. Over 45.000 cubic yards of material were removed by the Recreation District at no cost to the C-BT Project. Relinmg of canal sections above Pole Hill Power Plant Plnewood ReservOir was lowered 27 feet to allow local domestic water users, whose water supply comes from the reservOIr, to construct intake structures at lower elevallons. This will allow these users to get water even dunng major elevation fluctuations due to power demands. By lowenng their Intake structures, these residents have Improved their ability 10 get water. With completion at the maintenance activities. the reservoirs were refilled back to their normal operatmg levels and power operatIons were once agam begun. WATERNEWS SUMMER 1990 7