|
<br />Compact Facts
<br />
<br />Colorado River Compact of 1922
<br />Allocates 7.5 million AF of consumptive use annually to (I) the Upper Colorado River Basin (those parts of Arizona,
<br />Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming above Lee Ferry, Arizona), and (2) the Lower Colorado River Basin
<br />(those parts of Arizona, California, and Nevada below Lee Ferry, Arizona). This Compact requires the Upper
<br />Colorado River Basin to deliver an average of 75 million AF to the Lower Basin during any consecutive I a-year
<br />period. The Lower Basin is allowed an additional 1.0 million AF of consumptive use from the Colorado River system.
<br />
<br />Rio Grande, Colorado, and Tijuana Treaty of 1944 between the United States and Mexico
<br />Guarantees delivery of 1.5 million AF of Colorado River water per year to Mexico. If there is not adequate surplus
<br />water to satisfy the obligation, the Upper and Lower Basins are to equally share the burden of reducing uses to
<br />make up any deficiencies.
<br />
<br />Upper Colorado River Basin Compact of 1948
<br />Allocates the 7.5 million AF apportionment of consumptive uses available to the Upper Basin as follows:
<br />
<br />Arizona
<br />Colorado
<br />Utah
<br />Wyoming
<br />New Mexico
<br />
<br />50,000 AF/year
<br />51.750/0
<br />23%
<br />14%
<br />11.25%
<br />
<br />Statewide Water Supply Initiative
<br />Fact Sheet
<br />
<br />
<br />Colorado Basin
<br />
<br />
<br />....O;:~.u
<br />
<br />/
<br />,~_/
<br />
<br />Colorado Basin Overview
<br />
<br />The Colorado Basin encompasses approximately
<br />9,830 square miles. The largest cities in the basin are
<br />Grand Junction (population 45,669) and Glenwood
<br />Springs (population 8,30 I).
<br />
<br />Major Imports into the Basin
<br />None
<br />
<br />Elevations in the basin range from greater than
<br />13,000 feet in the headwater areas to about
<br />4,300 feet where the Colorado River exits the state.
<br />The basin's mountainous headwaters areas
<br />gradually give way to a series of canyons and gentler
<br />terrain as the river follows along the Interstate 70
<br />corridor toward Grand Junction, the Grand Mesa,
<br />and the Utah border.
<br />
<br />Additionally, the State of Colorado may not deplete the flow in the Yampa River below an aggregate of 5 million
<br />AF over any I a-year period.
<br />
<br />Depending upon the interpretation of the Compacts, other laws, and the amount of water in the river, Colorado's
<br />right to the consumptive use of water under the Compacts may range from 3.079 million AF to 3.855 million AF
<br />per year. Colorado currently consumes an average of 2.3 million AF per year with facilities in place capable of using
<br />up to 2.6 million AF. Colorado's apportionment has not been divided among the various subbasins within the state.
<br />The Yampa and La Plata River Basins have specific delivery obligations under the Compacts. The allocation and
<br />administration of Compact waters within Colorado remains open to discussion but ultimately will be subject to
<br />rules and regulations for administration by the State Engineer.
<br />
<br />Major Storage Projects
<br />
<br /> Normal Storage
<br />ReseNoir IAF)
<br />Granby ReseNoir 539,800
<br />Dillon ReseNoir 254,036
<br />Green Mountain ReseNoir 154,600
<br />Ruedi ReseNoir 102,369
<br />Williams Fork ReseNoir 90,640
<br />Wolford Mountain ReseNoir 66,000
<br />Homestake ReseNoir 43,600
<br />Vega ReseNoir 33,800
<br />Shadow Mountain ReseNoir 18,400
<br />Rifle Gap ReseNoir 13,602
<br />Willow Creek ReseNoir 10,600
<br />Grass Valley Reservoir 5,806
<br />Clinton Gulch ReseNoir 4,372
<br />Eagle Park ReseNoir 3,148
<br />
<br />Source: Colorado Division of Water Resources Office of Dam Safety Database
<br />
<br />Major Exports from the Basin
<br />
<br /> Average
<br /> Annual
<br /> Diversions
<br />Name IAF)
<br />1 Adams Tunnel 218,142
<br />2 Roberts Tunnel 53,676
<br />3 Moffat Tunnel 52,155
<br />4 Boustead Tunnel 49,706
<br />5 Twin Lakes Tunnel 39,204
<br />6 Homestake Tunnel 24,764
<br />7 Grand River Ditch 17,685
<br />8 Continental Hoosier Tunnell 8,747
<br />9 Busk-/vanhoe Tunnel 5,484
<br />10 Wurtz Ditch 2,858
<br />TOTAL 472,424
<br />
<br />A substantial portion of the basin is comprised of
<br />federally owned land. Rangeland and forest are the
<br />predominant land uses in the Upper Colorado Basin
<br />(about 85 percent). Forested land is present
<br />throughout many parts of the basin. Livestock
<br />grazing, recreation, and timber harvest are the
<br />predominant uses of the federal lands. Active and
<br />inactive mines can be found in the basin. Coal
<br />mining occurs in the central portion of the Roaring
<br />Fork Valley and in the lower Colorado Valley.
<br />
<br />1 Continental Hoosier Tunnel exports from the Colorado Basin to the Arkansas
<br />Basin through a portion of the South Platte Basin.
<br />Source: Division 5 1998 Annual Report, 1 O-year average
<br />
<br />Major Water Organizations
<br />
<br />Water ConseNation District
<br />Colorado River
<br />
<br />Water ConseNancy Districts
<br />Collbran Battlement Mesa
<br />Ute Basalt
<br />West Divide Bluestone
<br />
<br />Silt
<br />Middle Park
<br />
<br />Bill Owens
<br />Governor
<br />
<br />Colorado Basin Water
<br />Management Issues
<br />
<br />Russell George
<br />Department of Natural
<br />Resources
<br />Executive Director
<br />
<br />The Colorado Basin will face several
<br />key points and challenges with
<br />respect to water management
<br />issues and needs over the next
<br />30 years. The following provides an
<br />overview of some of the points and challenges that
<br />have been identified.
<br />
<br />Rod Kuharich
<br />Colorado Water
<br />Conservation Board
<br />Director
<br />
<br />. Rapid growth in the headwaters areas and lack of
<br />available supplies and storage are significant
<br />challenges to meeting future water needs.
<br />
<br />. Recreation and the environment are key drivers in
<br />the basin and are important for economic health
<br />and quality of life.
<br />
<br />. Agriculture is important in the basin, especially in
<br />the lower basin (Grand Valley).
<br />
<br />. The success of the Upper Colorado Recovery
<br />Implementation Program for Colorado River
<br />Endangered Fish is important. The Recovery
<br />Program is designed to address the recovery
<br />needs of the Colorado River endangered fish
<br />while protecting existing water uses and allowing
<br />for the future use of Colorado River water in
<br />compliance with Interstate Compacts, Treaties,
<br />and applicable federal and state law "the Law of
<br />the Colorado River."
<br />
<br />. There is concern over the potential for a compact
<br />shortage during severe and sustained drought
<br />and potential impacts to in-basin supplies.
<br />
<br />. The development of water rights associated with
<br />transbasin projects are a concern and their effect
<br />on in-basin supplies must be considered.
<br />
<br />\
<br />
<br />
<br />Dillon Reservoir (Photo courtesy of Linda Strand)
<br />
<br />Additional information on this River Basin is available at http://www.cwcb.state.co.us
<br />
<br />February 2006
<br />
|