Colorado Water PlanSummit County Town Hall Meeting

March 26, 2014

AgendaSummit County Water HistoryBackground

Colorado Basin RoundtableColorado Water PlanBasin Implementation Plan (BIP)

BIP Project StatusWhere have we been?Where are we going?

Breakout StationsThis is your planInput

Summit County Water HistoryValue of water locally

Environment and habitatFishing/boatingWater supplySkiing

ImpactsMining Transmountain diversionCommunity growth

Colorado River Cooperative Agreement BenefitsEnvironmental Enhancement Project Funds - $1M/

$9MWastewater Treatment Upgrades Fund - $1MWest Slope Fund – watershed enhancementSummit and Grand – watershed and forest health –

20%Denver commitment to conservation and reuse –

29,000 Acre-FeetDenver commitment to lake levels and lower Blue

river flowsNo future development of water or use of Denver’s

transbasin infrastructure without agreement

Summit County Water History -ProjectsMine site remediation (multiple efforts within

French Gulch; Peru Creek; St. John's Creek) Dillon Reservoir and Dam

Low flow channelWetlands mitigationStream restorationWater treatment plant improvementsForest health and watershed improvements

Background Basin Roundtables

HB 1177 (2005)9 Roundtables in Colorado (8 watersheds plus 1

additional for the Metro)Colorado Water Plan

Executive Order May 2013Plan has to show how we meet the GapPlanning horizon is 2050

Basin Implementation PlanGrassroots documentProjects, policies and processes on how to meet the

Gap

Colorado Water Plan Overview – Governor’s Executive

OrderCompilation of 9 Basin

Roundtables PlansHow can we meet the

“Gap”?Planning horizon-2050Draft due July 2014

Governor’s Executive Order-Why?The “Gap” between future demand and

future projects is real….500,000 acre-feet per year

PopulationDrought Transfer of water rights from agriculture

is unacceptableWater qualityInterstate issues pressingFront Range new supply project

Your OpportunityCWP is an opportunity to transition from an

individual perspective to a regional perspective.

Colorado Basin Population Projections County

2000 Population

2030

Population

Increase in Population

2000 to 2030

Percent Change 2000 to

2030

Percent Annual Growth

Rate

Eagle 43,300 86,900 43,600 101 2.3

Garfield 43,800 119,900 76,100 274 5.2

Grand 12,900 28,800 15,900 123 2.7

Mesa 116,250 220,600 104,350 190 3.8

Pitkin 15,900 27,200 11,300 71 1.8

Summit 25,700 50,400 24,700 96 2.3

TOTAL 248,000 492,600 244,600 99 2.3

Population doubling

Ref: SWSI and AGNC

Conservation Ag to Urban

Transfers

New Projects(Colorado Basin development)

How can we Fill the Gap? Already planned projects (Windy Gap firming, Moffat Collection System) +

Graphics provided by the Colorado Foundation for Water Education

Existing StressesHeadwaters: Low, Flat Flows

Flows reduced by transmountain diversions.Ecosystem impacts: degraded habitat for fish,

riparian vegetationEconomic impacts: impediment to growth,

tourismMiddle section: Flows depend on Shoshone Call

Water quality concerns: natural gas drilling, saline springs

Rapid population growthLower section: Flows depend on Cameo, Shoshone

Salts and selenium leach into river when water percolates through soils

Less high-mountain water makes river saltier

Threats, Challenges, Issues Compact CallsTransbasin diversionsEndangered SpeciesGrowth separation of land use and water

planningEnergyShoshone Call Loss of agricultureClimate change

Imbalances between Supply and Demand (US BOR) - Exacerbate Current Stresses

Lake Powell Elevations

Figures from report “Water and its Relationship to the Economies of the Headwaters Counties,” commissioned by the Northwest Colorado Council of governments.

BIP Project Status –Where Have we Been?

Visioning document White Paper, West Slope PrincipalsDeveloped themes from PLT’s, public, and interviewsGoals and Measureable outcomes (3 PLT’s)

Actions Short term actions Long term actions Constraints and opportunities

Main-stem administration and management issues GIS maps of each region/county/watershedPublic outreach activitiesWater provider interviewsAll of this is iterative and subject to your input!

Project Status –Where are we Going?Continuation of Public OutreachApril Implementation StrategiesMay and June finalize report, feedback,

reviews, resolutions?July 15 Draft BIP due to CWCB (July 16..go

fishing)

December 2014 Draft to GovernorBuilding off existing SWSI information and

other sourcesNonconsumptive Needs Assessment (NCNA)

Roundtable ThemesLocal controlLand use - connection with water useHealthy rivers

Not just flat, but supporting healthy biologyMulti-purpose projects

Existing reservoirs, restricted, better cooperation of review Why reliance upon stream – vulnerable no redundancy

Save agricultureNo water to support other basinsProtect Mainstem water rights operationsRegional cooperationThemes change and evolve

Nonconsumptive Needs Assessment (NCNA)Part of the Statewide Water Supply Initiative

(SWSI) 2010Environmental and recreational mapping –

focus areas and projects and methodsHabitat restoration (bank stabilization or

instream habitat restoration)Flow protection [voluntary flow agreements,

instream flow (ISF) donations, voluntary re-operation of reservoirs for environmental and recreational benefit]

Nonconsumptive Needs Assessment (NCNA)Attributes at risk

Water qualityGeomorphic functionRiparian/wetlands ecological functionAquatic ecological functionRecreational boating

#1 Factor affecting attributes - FLOWQuantification of “at-risk” reaches = 64+

5 reaches within Blue River

Public Outreach Nonconsumptive

Recovery Program, Conservation Rep. for the Recovery Program Implementation Team

Bureau of Reclamation Colorado Parks and Wildlife Denver Water Bureau of Land Management United States Forest Service Nonconsumptive Roundtable Representatives Trout Unlimited

Consumptive Water provider interviews

Agricultural NRCS Ag Days (January 29) Rancher/Farmer individual meetings Colorado River District-Colorado River Water Supply and Demand Study

Upcoming MeetingsTown Hall Meetings

Thursday, March 27, 6-8 p.m., Avon (Walking Mountains Science Center)

Thursday, April 3, 6-8 p.m., Grand Junction (Grand Junction City Hall)

Thursday, April 10, 6-8 p.m., Aspen (Rio Grande Building/Conference Room)

Colorado Basin Roundtable MeetingApril 14, 2014, Glenwood Springs Community Center, noon – 4 p.m.

Have you Checked Out the Website? http://coloradobip.sgm-inc.com/

Thank YouThis is your plan and project….we

want to hear from You! You are driving this plan!

Breakout stationsGapsNeedsProjectsConcerns