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MINUTES <br /> THIRD QUARTERLY MEETING <br /> COLORADO GROUND WATER COMMISSION <br /> AUGUST 14th Et 15th, 2025 <br /> The Third Quarterly Meeting of the Colorado Ground Water Commission took place on <br /> August 14 Et 15, 2025 in Leadville, Colorado. <br /> On Thursday, August 14, 2025 the Commission, Staff, and guests visited the Fryingpan- <br /> Arkansas ("Fry-Ark") transmountain diversion infrastructure near Leadville, Colorado <br /> for a tour of the project facilities. The purpose of the tour was to see and learn more <br /> about the Fry-Ark water rights administration, water infrastructure, electrical power <br /> generation, and project history. <br /> The tour began with a short presentation by Mr. Chris Woodka (Senior Policy and <br /> Issues Manager) with the Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District <br /> ("District") and his Staff at Twin Lakes near Leadville, Colorado. Mr. Woodka and his <br /> Staff began their presentation with an overview of the Arkansas River Basin. The <br /> headwaters for the Arkansas River are located near Leadville, and the river itself <br /> eventually leaves the state at the Kansas border east of Lamar. Mr. Woodka explained <br /> that the Fry-Ark project was authorized by Congress in 1962, and completed by the <br /> Bureau of Reclamation 20 years later to provide additional water supplies to users in <br /> the Arkansas River Basin. The Fry-Ark project begins with a collection system in the <br /> Fryingpan River basin on the west side of the Continental Divide, which diverts water <br /> to the east side of the divide through the Boustead Tunnel into Turquoise Lake. Water <br /> is then released from Turquoise Lake to the Mt. Elbert Power Plant forebay and Twin <br /> Lakes. Water from Twin Lakes is subsequently released into Lake Creek and the <br /> Arkansas River for downstream uses and storage in other reservoirs. Mr. Woodka <br /> explained that Twin Lakes and Turquois Lakes both had to be enlarged as part of the <br /> project, and Pueblo Reservoir was also constructed downstream for water storage and <br /> flood control purposes. The District owns the water rights and administers water <br /> distribution under the Fry-Ark Project, while much of the project infrastructure is <br /> owned by the US Bureau of Reclamation ("USBR"). <br /> The tour then moved to the nearby Mt. Elbert Power Plant where a tour was provided <br /> by Mr. Chris Longaker (Mt. Elbert Power Plant Facility Manager) and Ms. Anna Perea <br /> (USBR Public Affairs). Mr. Longaker explained that the Plant has two generators (each <br /> rated at 100 MW at 180 RPM) and each unit can act as either a turbine or pump. When <br /> the plant is producing power (typically during peak daytime use) water is released <br /> from the forebay through the underground penstocks to drive the turbines. At night <br /> (when electricity is cheaper) the units operate in reverse and pump water from Twin <br /> Lakes to the forebay through the underground penstocks. Mr. Longaker highlighted <br /> that the penstocks and power cables were placed underground to preserve the natural <br />