2015-08-21_HYDROLOGY - M1998014 - Laserfiche WebLink

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uypsum Nancn Hit 5vv5H Page 3 of 6 August 11, 2015 The dry -up credit from the C M Stremme and Gates Ditch is 30.6 acre-feet from May through October. Augmentation water will also be provided from CRWCD leases outlined in the decree in Case No. 2002CW211, which are for a total of 15.3 acre-feet of reservoir releases from October through April. The Applicant holds Contract No. CW03004 for 3.0 acre-feet for replacement water on the Eagle River (Eagle Park Reservoir) and Contract No. CW03001 for 12.3 acre-feet of replacement water on the Colorado River (Wolford Mountain Reservoir). In order to make replacements for the additional depletions under this SWSP, United has amended Contract No. CW03001 to increase the total releases from 12.3 acre-feet per year to 30.6 acre-feet per year. A copy of the amended contract with the CRWCD was provided to this office and is attached to this letter. The CRWCD will make releases from Wolford Mountain Reservoir to make replacements for the Gypsum Ranch Pit. Wolford Mountain Reservoir is located on the Muddy Creek drainage in Section 25, Township 2 North, Range 81 West of the 6th P.M. and it was decreed by the Division 5 Water Court in Case Nos. 87CW283, 95CW281 and 98CW237. The point of replacement is at the confluence of Muddy Creek and the Colorado River on the border of Section 18 and 19, Township 1 North, Range 80 West of the 6th P.M. There is one water right located in the reach of the Eagle River between Gypsum Ranch Pit and the confluence with the Colorado River that may be impacted during drought periods. The Colorado Water Conservation Board ("CWCB") has an in -stream flow right on the Eagle River from its confluence with Brush Creek to its confluence with the Colorado River for 130 cfs from May through September and 50 cfs from October through April. According to the information from the previous SWSP approval, it was reported by the Water Commissioner, Mr. Bill McEwen, that during 2002, a call was placed to satisfy the 130 cfs in -stream flow right. A more recent call was placed on the Eagle River from August 31 through September 30, 2010 to satisfy this right. Mr. McEwen also indicated the only time the flow in the Eagle River is expected to potentially drop near the in -stream flow requirement is in late July, August, or September. You indicated that in order to replace the additional depletions at the Gypsum Ranch Pit in the event the CWCB places a call on its instream flow water right, United dried-up the remaining acreage under its ownership in the C M Stremme and Gates Ditch to provide additional consumptive use credits on the Eagle River. According to the information you provided, this additional dry -up involves the junior priorities of the C M Stremme and Gates Ditch water rights. However, United's junior water right in the C M Stremme and Gates Ditch (priorities 206, 381 and 407) were historically called out by the Shoshone Power Plant water right. Historically the water rights within the Colorado River Basin that are junior to the Shoshone Power Plant water rights have been allowed to divert without curtailment because of releases of water from the Historic Users Pool ("HUP") in Green Mountain Reservoir. Once the junior water rights in the C M Stremme and Gates Ditch Ditch are changed for augmentation purposes they will no longer benefit from the Green Mountain Reservoir releases under the HUP. The junior water rights in the C M Stremme and Gates Ditch cannot be used as a replacement source in this SWSP. In the event a water right call is placed on the Eagle River downstream of the Gypsum Ranch Pit, United must cease all out -of -priority diversions under this SWSP unless replacement water is delivered to the calling reach in the amount needed to replace all out -of -priority depletions. Applicant's existing lease for 3.0 acre-feet of replacement water on the Eagle River (Contract No. CW03004) may be used to make replacements in the event of a call by CWCB on the Eagle River.