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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REPLACEMENT WATER
At t~e present time administration of the Colorado River by the State
Engineer is such that the subject direct flow water right would normally not
be called out by senior water rights. In the future this condition will
change so that there will be periods when Battlement Mesa cannot divert
under the priority of its Dow Pumping Plant and Pipeline water right.
During these periods, replacement water will be needed.

Replacement water will be released to the river at such rates to cause the
flow of the Colorado River at Parachute to be increased by the amount
diverted by Battlement Mesa. This will keep the senior rights whole and
thereby avoid injury to them when Battlement Mesa diverts out of priority.

Under the proposed contract sought with the Water and Power Resources Ser-
vice, the required replacement water would be released from Ruedi Reservoir
on the Fryingpan River.

RUEDI RESERVOIR
Ruedi Reservoir, completed in 1968, is a part of the Fryingpan-Arkansas Pro-
ject. The reservoir is located on the Fryingpan River approximately 13
miles upstream from Basalt, Colorado in Pitkin and Eagle Counties. (See
general location map, Figure 1.) Ruedi Dam and Reservoir was authorized by
the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project Authorizing Act of August 16, 1962 (76 Stat.
389). The primary purposes of Ruedi are: (1) to satisfy the demands of
senior diversions in western Colorado when Fryingpan-Arkansas Project
diversions are made to the Arkansas Basin in eastern Colorado, and (2) to
provide water for future users in western Colorado, in particular the
municipal and industrial water needs associated with the shale oil industry.
In addition to the above primary purposes, recreation, flood control, and
the preservation of fish and wildlife resources are incidental purposes of
Ruedi Reservoir.

RESERVOIR CAPACITY AND YIELD
Ruedi Reservior has an active storage capacity of 101,280 acre feet and
1,087 acre feet of inactive and dead storage. As set forth in the Federal

(2)