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Water Providers Present New Plan

A recent newspaper headline declared an end to the “water war” between Grand County and water providers whoCO River.jpg propose to pump a significant amount of water from the upper Colorado River over the Great Divide to the Front Range. But the “peace treaty” is actually a big picture proposal that is still being evaluated, and the description of a “war” is a bit much.

 Here’s the deal.

 Denver Water and the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District decided to work together, which hasn’t always been the case, and developed a proposal to mitigate the effects two major water projects would have had on the upper Colorado.

 The idea behind Northern’s Windy Gap Firming Project is to pull out the maximum amount of water they’re entitled to under a water court decree and store it in a yet-to-be-built reservoir on the east slope. Denver’s Moffat Expansion would involve expanding its storage capacity on the east slope to allow the diversion of more water from the Fraser and Williams Fork, both of which feed the Colorado.

 Those proposed projects should be viewed in this context: More than 60% of the Upper Colorado

is already diverted to the Front Range. At times, these new projects could leave as little as 15% of the natural flow of the river, which will likely result in severely reduced riparian habitat, increased water temperatures and degraded water quality. Naturally, the west slope would like to keep as much water as possible to support a tourism and recreation-based economy unforeseen when these water rights were granted decades ago.

 So, a proposal with concessions received a warm welcome from Grand County and other river advocates. But the devil is in the details. “What’s most significant about this proposal”, says Mely Whiting of Trout Unlimited’s Colorado Water Project, “is that it sets a different tone for the discussions. The coordinated effort between Denver and Northern is good news. It represents a more comprehensive approach to managing the river.”

 The next step is for the concerned parties to meet over the next several months and iron out details such as these:

  • What measures will there be to maintain and measure water quality?
  •  What steps might be taken if river temperatures reach levels dangerous for fish?
  •  Will the volumes of water mentioned in the proposal meet the needs of the stream?
  •  How will monitoring be implemented to measure the potential impacts of these additional
  • diversions?
  •  What will be done if the fishery declines?

Mely Whiting and TU fisheries expert Greg Espegren have been invited to take part in the talks.

We’ll report more as they progress.

Stay tuned.
Hot Topics: Proposed Projects Put Colorado and Fraser Rivers at Risk

The Upper Colorado and Fraser Rivers and their trout populations have been impacted since the 1930s by trans-basin water diversions for the Front Range. Water taken for the Colorado Big-Thompson Project, Denver’s Moffat Collection System Project and Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District’s Windy Gap Project have decreased and altered water flows leading to a decrease and change in trout populations through altered stream channels, loss of trout habitat, an increase in water temperatures and increased sedimentation of  spawning grounds.  As reflected in the historic flow data for the upper Colorado, the river has been dramatically reduced as these transbasin diversions have come online over the past century.

upper colorado flows.jpg

 

Denver Water and the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District are currently proposing expansion of their systems and removing more water from the Upper Colorado River Basin to be sent to the Front Range for future population growth and the watering of bluegrass lawns.

 

Colorado Trout Unlimited is working to ensure that before these projects proceed that Denver and Northern follow strategies that prioritize water conservation and efficiency, and that they design the projects in a way that protects and restores the health of the Upper Colorado and Fraser Rivers and their trout populations.

 

Moffat Collection System Project.  Denver Water sends over 15 billion gallons of water a year to the Front Range collected from the 287 square mile Fraser River Watershed. Since 1950 Denver Water has diverted water to the Moffat Tunnel using 40 diversion points on mountain tributaries that feed the 28 mile Fraser River, including Ranch, Tenmile, Saint Louis,  and Vasquez Creeks.

 

Now Denver Water is proposing to send an additional 5 billion gallons of water to the Front Range through the expansion of its Moffat Collection System. Colorado Trout Unlimited, the Town of Fraser, and Grand County civic organizations and businesses have been working to restore the habitat of the Fraser River. However, without an adequate supply of water in the river – trout populations will not recover.

 

      J CK 3.jpg                    Jim Creek Diversion 2.jpg

Jim Creek in the Fraser watershed, above and below the existing Denver Water diversion.

 

Windy Gap Firming Project.  The Northern Water Conservancy District has been shipping over 3 billion gallons of water a year from the Upper Colorado River to the Front Range since 1985. The water is collected at the Windy Gap Reservoir on the Colorado River (just west of Granby), pumped to Lake Granby & then Shadow Mountain Reservoir before being shipped to the Adams Tunnel to the Front Range.

 

The Northern Water Conservancy District now wants to transfer another 6 million gallons a year to supply the water needs for Broomfield, Greeley, Lafayette, Louisville, Loveland Superior, and Westminster.

 
Get involved!

Both the Moffat Collection Expansion and the Windy Gap Firming Projects must pass national environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act. The Bureau of Reclamation will be releasing a draft environmental impact statement on the Windy Gap Firming Project for public comment as soon as May 2008, and the Army Corps of Engineers will be releasing a draft environmental impact statement on the Moffat Project early this summer.  At that time, both agencies will solicit public comments and hold public hearings – and it will be vital that those who care about the health of the Upper Colorado watershed make their voice heard.

 One important piece of information for these processes is a river management study that has been funded by Grand County (TU also contributed to their effort).  The study will look at what flows are needed to support river values in the Colorado headwaters.  Look for more information on this study once it is completed and released.

 Colorado Trout Unlimited staff will be reviewing and commenting on both of these projects. We will also alert our members on how to get involved in the public hearings and public comment process.  To be added to our e-mail list for the Colorado headwaters issues please contact us at CTUAdmin@tu.org or call (303) 440-2937.

Learn more:

CTU joined other conservationists in a report, Facing Our Future, that offers cost-effective alternatives for Front Range water supply - including princinples on how to make new projects like Moffat and Windy Gap expansion fish-friendly.  Click here to read the report.

The Northwest Colorado Council of Governmments commissioned an assessment and report on water quality (including flows) in the Upper Colorado and Fraser River watersheds.  Click here to read their report. 

American Rivers named the Fraser River the nation's 3rd most endangered river in 2005.  Click here to learn more!
Copyright 2007 by Colorado Trout Unlimited