WSP06204

• File Number: 8220.102.01.G.I
• Description: Colorado River Water Projects - Aspinall Unit - Water Rights - 60k AF Subordination Water Rights
• State: CO
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 10/1/2001
• Author: Helton - Williamsen
• Title: Subordination of the Wayne N Aspinall Unit Water Rights Within the Upper Gunnison Basin - 2000 Annual Report - 10-01-2001
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

OQ2389

1.0 INTRODUCTION

This report is prepared by Helton & Williamsen, P.C, on behalf of the Colorado River
Water Conservation District (River District) and the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy
District (Upper Gunnison District). On June 1, 2000, the United States of America, the Colorado
State Engineer, the River District, and the Upper Gunnison District entered into an agreement
entitled "Aspinall Unit Colorado River Storage Project - Agreement Among the United States of
America, The Colorado State Engineer, The Colorado River Water Conservation District, and
the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District- For the Administration of Water
Pursuant to the Subordination of Wayne N. Aspinall Unit Water Rights Within the Upper
Gunnison River Basin", The above agreement (referred to in this report as the "Subordination
Agreement") states in Paragraph 2 the following:

The United States agrees to subordinate the Aspinall Unit Rights up to
10,000 af of annual water depletions in the Gunnison River Basin
drainage between Crystal Dam and Morrow Point Dam, and 10,000 af
of such depletions in the drainage between Blue Mesa Dam and
Morrow Point Dam to the water users represented by the River
District, and to subordinate the Aspinall Unit Rights to up to 40,000 af
of annual water depletions in the drainage above Blue Mesa Dam to
the water users represented by the Upper Gunnison District under
conditions described in paragraph 5, By subordinating to the rights of
such water users, the United States agrees that such water users may
continue to divert when a call is placed on the Gunnison River by the
United States under the Aspinall Rights, subject to the limits of the
stated subordination in the separate drainages.

As part of the Subordination Agreement, the River District and the Upper Gunnison District
are required to submit a report describing the uses under the agreement. The reporting
requirements for the period November 1, 1999 through October 31, 2000 are outlined in
Paragraph 8 of the Subordination Agreement as follows:

Within one year after the date of this Agreement, the River District and
the Upper Gunnison District shall provide to the Bureau of
Reclamation in Grand Junction, Colorado, or any other location
designated by the United States, and to the Colorado State Engineer
and Division 4 Engineer, an initial Report listing the names of the
diversion or storage structures and priority or administration numbers
of the diversions in the areas represented by them which qualify for
subordination of Aspinall Unit Rights under the Depletion Allowance
described in this Agreement, together with an estimate of the total
amount of annual diversions (in af) and an estimate of the total
amount of related annual depletions (in af) by the listed structures.
The estimates of diversions and depletions contained in the Report
shall be derived from information compiled by the Division 4 Engineer
in the ordinary course of his duties.