BOARD01529

• Board Meeting Date: 7/24/2000
• Description: WSP Section - Colorado River Basin Issues - Ruedi Reservoir - Proposed 1-Year Contract for the Release of 10,825 AF to Endangered Fish in the 15-Mile Reach
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

.

.

.

. STATE OF COLORADO

Colorado Water Conservation Board

Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman StTeet, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone, [phone]
FAX, [phone]

~

MEMORANDUM

Bill Owens
Governor

TO:

Colorado Water Conservation Board Members

Greg E. Walcher
Executive Director

FROM:

Randy Seaholm \~
Chief, Interstate Streams Investigations

Peter H. Evans
ewes Director

DATE:

July 14,2000

Dan McAuliffe
Deputy Director

SUBJECT: Agenda Item 21g, July 24-25, 2000, Board Meeting-
Colorado River Basin Issues -
Ruedi Reservoir - Proposed I-Year Contract for the Release of
10,825 AF to Endangered Fish in the IS-Mile Reach

Backe:round

The Recovery Implementation Program for Endangered Fish Species in the Upper
Colorado River Basin (Recovery Program) committed to entering into an interim long-
term contract for the unsold portion of the regulatory capacity remaining in Ruedi
Reservoir following Round II water sales. This Recovery Program action is also a
component of the reasonable and prudent alternative identified by the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (Service) in the amended Ruedi Round II water sales Biological Opinion
dated January 6, 1999. Following the Round II sales, the remaining unsold regulatory
capacity was 21,650 AF (total regulatory capacity is 51,500 AF). This 21,650 AF is
provided in addition to the existing 40-year Memorandum of Agreement for 10,000 AF
(5,000 from storage and 5,000 available on average in four out of five years through
modified operations of Ruedi) for endangered fish purposes. Thus, through December
31, 1999 the total amount of water that could have been delivered from Ruedi Reservoir
for endangered fish purposes was 31,650 AF. However, pursuant to the Final
Programmatic Biological Opinion for the Upper Colorado River, dated December 1999,
the 21,650 AF from Ruedi may be reduced by one-half when water users provide the
other 10,825 AF from other sources. The water users have approved interim agreements
with the Service and this Board for providing that 10,825 AF. Thus, the amount of this
year's Ruedi water contract is limited to 10,825 AF.

Discussion

The proposed contract (Attachment 1) is identical to the 1999 I-year contract for
21,650 AF with the following exceptions and necessary date changes:
I. The amount has been reduced from 21,650 AF down to 10,825 AF.
2. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) will cover the Operation and
Maintenance costs for the use of the 10,825 AF this year as described in
Article 4. Last year the Recovery Program paid these costs.