WSP07002

• File Number: 8449
• Description: Platte River Studies
• State: CO
• Basin: South Platte
• Date: 2/1/1991
• Author: City of Greeley
• Title: Feasibility Study for Rehabilitation of Hourglass Dam and Reservoir Vol. 1
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

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3.0 LAND

The water stored in Hourglass Reservoir is used to meet Greeley's municipal requirements. However,
over the years the City of Greeley and the North Poudre Irrigation Company have developed an informal
water exchange plan, which allows use of stored reservoir waler by the Irrigation company In exchange
for Colorado-Big Thompson (CBT) Project water owned by the company. The CBT water is transferred
to the City for municipal use.

The North Poudre Irrigation Company currently irrigales about 31,000 a~~es north. northeast. and east
of Fort Collins. The predominant crops grown Include alfalfa, corn, sugar beels, small grains, pinlo
beans, and grasses. The irrigation company owns CBT water but Is physically unable to divert tt. The
North Poudre Supply Canal is 6.5 stream miles upstream of the Charies Hansen Canal, which conveys
CBT water to the Cache la Poudre River from Horsetooth Reservoir. Waler, when exchanged, Is
released from Hourglass Reservoir for diversion by Ihe North Poudre Irrigation Company Supply Canal.
Releases are usually scheduled for August and Seplember during the peak of Ihe irrigalion season, In
exchange for these deliveries, North Poudre credtts the City of Greeley with CBT water. The City is
required to pay a 5 percent charge for Ihe river for conveyance losses from the reservoir to the point
of diversion. The CBT credtt Is 95 percenl of the releases made at Hourglass Reservoir.

The waler exchange plan is beneficial to both entttles. The North Poudre Irrigation Company can
augment and divert the natural stream flows during the late summer months when irrigalion demand Is
greatest. The availability of upstream reservoir storage Is particulariy valuable during drought condttions.
The City of Greeley benefrts by increasing treatment system flexibility. Water released from Hourglass
Reservoir and diverted for use by Ihe City can only be treated al the Bellvue Waler Treatment Plant.
CBT water can be delivered to and treated at etther the Bellvue or Boyd Lake Waler Treatmenl Plants.
Currenlly, the irrigation company exchanges water wtth Greeley, Fort Collins, and the Divide Reservoir
and Canal Company, owners of Worster Reservoir.

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