WSP06609

• File Number: 8141
• Description: Fryingpan-Arkansas Project
• State: CO
• Basin: Arkansas
• Date: 1/1/1981
• Author: Wright Water Enginee
• Title: Operational Study of Ruedi Reservoir Releases For The Municipal Water Study of Battlement Mesa
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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With full use of Ruedi storage, releases in a dry year like 1977 would
approach the minimum inflow bypass (i.e. virgin flow) or the minimum fish
bypass, whichever is least, plus releases required for sales of water. This
is the situation depicted in Table 5 which details flows in the Fryingpan
and Roaring Fork with and without sales to Battlement Mesa Inc. Results in
the table are based on the assumptions of: (1) full diversions, to the
Arkansas River and (2) minimum releases for fish. The flows presented in
Columns 9, and 10 of Table 5 provide a good indication of the impact of the
proposed water sale under future development condit ions when fu 11 di vers ions
to the Fryingpan-Arkansas project are being made. Comparison of Columns 9a
and 9b in Table 5 indicates the effect of water sales to Battlement Mesa
would be to increase minimum flows to more closely approach the desired
minimum fish flows. This relationship is illustrated in Figure 2.

The effect of the proposed sale of Ruedi Reservoir water on flows in the
Colorado River would be slight. The major control on the river at the Dow
Pumping Plant is the "Cameo Demand," which is a group of water rights that
total about 2000 cfs in the summer and about 800 cfs in the winter and which
can preempt junior rights above the Cameo gaging station. Under these
conditions, if water were released from Ruedi Reservoir to allow out of
priority diversions by Battlement Mesa, flow on the Colorado River would be
increased at most 0.7 percent between Glenwood Springs (the confluence of
the Roaring Fork) and Battlement Mesa. Below Battlement Mesa the proposed
sale would have no net effect on flows when replacement releases are made
from Ruedi Reservoir. When Battlement Mesa is diverting in priority with no
releases from Ruedi Reservoir, the downstream flow would be reduced less
than 0.5 percent of the 2000 cfs minimum summer flow at Cameo by depletions
from Battlement Mesa.

Water released from Ruedi Reservoir has lower total dissolved solids levels
than the Colorado River below Glenwood Springs during low flow periods.
Therefore, additional releases of Ruedi water during low flow periods will
lower total dissolved solids between Glenwood Springs and Battlement Mesa.

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