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CRDSS <br />TASK MEMORANDUM 1.15-21 <br />Water Rights Planning Model <br />Operations of Taylor Park and Blue Mesa Reservoirs <br />1.0 ISSUE <br />This task memorandum describes the Taylor Park/Blue Mesa exchange agreement. Taylor Park <br />Reservoir is operated and maintained by the Uncompahgre Valley Water Users Association (UVWUA). <br />Blue Mesa Reservoir is owned by the United States, operated and maintained by the U. S. Bureau of <br />Reclamation (USBR), and is part of the Aspinall Unit. Pursuant to a 1975 exchange agreement, <br />cooperative operation of Taylor Park Reservoir and Blue Mesa Reservoir has provided stabilization of <br />the Taylor and Gunnison River streamflows for enhanced fishing and recreation interests; it has also <br />mitigated destructive icing problems at Blue Mesa. <br />2.0 DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS <br />General Description of Taylor Park Reservoir <br />Taylor Park Reservoir was constructed by the USBR as part of the Uncompahgre Project to store and <br />deliver supplemental irrigation water to irrigable lands in the Uncompahgre Valley. The reservoir was <br />decreed in 1941, with a priority date of August 3, 1904, for irrigation and other purposes. The decreed <br />capacity of Taylor Park Reservoir is 111,260 acre-feet, with an active capacity of 106,230 acre-feet. The <br />reservoir is owned by the United States and is operated by the UVWUA. His torically, releases were <br />made from Taylor Park Reservoir to provide a supplemental supply for the Gunnison Tunnel when its <br />direct flow right was not fully satisfied. Water rights for Taylor Park Reservoir are shown in Table 1. <br />TABLE 1 <br />TAYLOR PARK RESERVOIR WATER RIGHTS <br />DECREED AMOUNT <br />ACRE-FEET <br />STRUCTURE STRUCTURE APPROPRIATION ADMINISTRATION <br />ABSO- CONDI- <br />LUTE TIONAL <br />NAME ID DATE NUMBER <br />Taylor Park 36668/03/190430667.19938111,260 <br />Reservoir <br />8/28/197549673.4589544,70061,530 <br />The Upper Gunnison River Conservancy District obtained a decree in Case No. 86CW203 for the right to <br />refill Taylor Park Reservoir for a total amount of 106,230 acre-feet with the appropriation date of August <br />28, 1975. Water is typically stored pursuant to the refill decree after the UVWUA has s atisfied it annual <br />fill on the senior storage right. Table 2 summarizes the adjudication of the refill decree. <br />1 <br />A275 01.09.95 1.15-21 Fosha, Hyre <br />