WSP06337 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

.~'" ('\, (., ,OJ t:..Ju,J Hvdrolo!!v Affected Environment Pueblo West Water Use and Arkansas River Conveyance - Pueblo West uses several sources of water to meet their water demands, These sources range from water rights at Twin Lakes Reservoir near the upstream end of the Arkansas River to wells near Pueblo Reservoir (See Table 3.2). Water from each of the sources is conveyed to Pueblo West in a similar manner. Water moves from its source down the Arkansas River to Pueblo Reservoir where ilis then released through the South Outlet Works and pumped through Pueblo West's 24 inch pipeline to their water treatment plant. All of Pueblo West's water is conveyed through the 24 inch pipeline, Table 3.2 Sources of Pueblo West's Water and Total Decreed Amount by WaterSource. Water Source Twin Lakes Com an Colorado Canal & Reservoir Com an Wheel Ranch water for golf course use Non-tributary wells Exchan es from Wastewater Effluent mil Ranch (in the courts for decree) TOTAL Decreed AF 6,285 122 14.6 5,392 1,095 1,780 14,678.6 Pueblo West's maximum historic water use occurred in 2001 with a total of 4,179 acre-feet (AF) used for the year, for <l monthly average of 360,1 AF. Pueblo West's water use was down slightly in 2002 (drought conditions) with a total annual usage of 3,745,1 AF or a monthly average of 325,8 AF, These monthly averages equate to approximately 6 cfs of average daily flows for 2001 and 5 cfs for 2002, Annually. the St<lte of Colorado - Department of Natural Resources (State) provides Reclamation with recommendations for Arkansas River flows above Pueblo Reservoir to achieve desired target flows. These flows are primarily targeted at optimizing health of the fishery, fishing opportunities and white water rafting experience, Reclamation makes efforts to achieve these recommended flows by operating the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project (Project) to increase or reduce net flows in the Arkansas River as appropriate and as sufficient water and storage is available to do so. Consequently, Pr\>ject operation adjustments made by Reclamation to meet the target flows tend to regulate the river at specified quantities. For example, the State has in the past recommended a target flow of 700 cfs in the Arkansas River between July 1 and August 15, as measured at the Wellsville water gauge. If the sum flows by all other entities are 450 cfs, Reclamation would attempt to make 250 cfs of Project water available to meet the target. When there is sufficient water in the upper Arkansas Basin, this essentially results in somewhat regulated flows throughout the year on the Arkansas River.