Interbasin Compact Committee water transfer meeting recap



From The Pueblo Chieftain (Chris Woodka):

“We’ve been given a pop quiz,” Chips Barry, former director of Denver Water told the Interbasin Compact Committee. “If the reaction to Denver’s [Moffat Collection System Project] and Northern’s [Northern Integrated Supply Project] proposals are any indication, the IBCC has not fixed anything yet. We’ve got a ways to go.”[...]

Now, Denver faces the same sort of opposition to the enlargement that it experienced with Two Forks, even though it has done more than it was asked on the other two points. “We don’t oppose (Gross Reservoir enlargement),” said Drew Peternell, of Western Resource Advocates, who attended the IBCC meeting. “We want to see more documentation for conservation and reuse to make sure everything that can be done is being done.”

Barry, however, said the Gross Reservoir enlargement has every aspect the IBCC has talked about, with increased water and cash payments for Grand County concerns on the Western Slope and environmental flows on Boulder Creek in the South Platte. “We’ve done everything that we’ve been talking about,” Barry said. Barry acknowledged that basin roundtables and the IBCC have served to make Denver aware of concerns in the state, but said if the IBCC is going to succeed, it needs to address wider concerns. “If we take care of agriculture and recreation, what’s left?” Barry said. “There needs to be an economic test for the area from which the water was moved.”[...]

Other members of the IBCC see more sharing of water as the best solution for preserving agriculture while meeting the needs of cities. The roundtable’s central task Thursday was to begin talking about how “fairness” in water transfers can be measured. The IBCC began last year looking at factoring agricultural demands in with municipal demands to determine the future of the state…

While it was suggested that the amount of irrigated acreage could be a standard, [Jeris] Danielson suggested more profitable crops could be grown — cantaloupes and peppers rather than alfalfa and corn, for example — allowing water to become an additional “crop.”

Peter Nichols, a water lawyer appointed by Gov. Bill Ritter to the IBCC, said there has to be more bargaining in the process. “There has to be a willingness to give up something to get something,” Nichols said. He cited the example of the Palo Verde Irrigation District in Blythe, Calif., which he visited with a group of farmers in 2007 as a step in forming the Arkansas Valley Super Ditch. The Metro District paid more for the water than it was worth to lease from farmers as a way of mitigating economic impacts. “As a result, Blythe is thriving,” Nichols said…

IBCC Director Alex Davis also answered concerns raised by state Rep. Sal Pace, D-Pueblo, about how the IBCC is dealing with the question of water transfer mitigation. Pace said his legislation on empowering conservancy districts to work out mitigation plans was killed because some claimed the IBCC was already doing the work. “Mitigation is a narrow question that applies to the basin of origin. We need to meet all of the environmental and economic needs of each basin,” Davis said. “If we’re successful, we’ll answer those questions.”

More IBCC — Basin Roundtables coverage here.

Third annual Ridgway River Festival June 26



From The Telluride Watch:

One of the festival’s most popular events is the whimsical Junk of the Unc race. Sure to inspire shoreline laughter, this competition invites novice and experienced boaters alike to launch homemade vessels into the water and demonstrate their river-worthiness. Boaters will attempt to successfully float one quarter of a mile from the Rollans Park foot bridge to the eddy just south of the railroad bridge. Most any vessel is acceptable and awards are given for creativity. Start designing and building your vessels now…

A variety of river events will round out the rest of the River Festival, including boat races in three categories (racing kayaks, inflatable crafts and whitewater kayaks), as well as a whitewater rodeo. Registration for all events will take place at the event, at a well-marked picnic bench in Rollans Park from 9 to 11 a.m. Participants can also register before the festival by downloading the River Event Form online at www.ridgwayriverfestival.org. Contestants are encouraged to bring their American Canoe Association card with them to receive discounts on registration fees.

For more information or to volunteer, visit the official Ridgway River Festival website, ridgwayriverfestival.org.

Flaming Gorge pipeline: Aaron Million pitches the project to the Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District



From The Pueblo Chieftain (Chris Woodka):

“We have a fairly short window to get other users into the project before the train leaves the station,” Million told the board at its monthly meeting. The Lower Ark board agreed to consider Million’s proposal at its May meeting. The district is only being asked to declare an intent to participate, and would not pay any money at this time, Million said…

Million’s company would not own the pipeline if it is built, but instead turn it over to a special district made up of cities or agricultural districts interested in using the water. Million did not provide details on what kind of financial investment that would take or how much water would cost under the plan, but said the pipeline would have obvious benefits to Colorado by providing an additional source of clean water, improving water quality and relieving pressure on agricultural water rights. The project also fits in with both the Colorado River Compact and the Upper Colorado River Compact by developing the state’s share of water, Million said…

A second group, the Colorado-Wyoming Coalition, a coalition of water users that was organized by the South Metro Water Supply Authority that includes Donala Water and Sanitation District in the Arkansas River basin, along with major players in the South Platte basin, wants to develop the pipeline as well. Million said his plan differs substantially because he would provide some water for agriculture — “at ag prices” — that would be protected by conservation easements. He proposes cost-plus pricing for municipalities. The projected price of water could be between $15,000 to $20,000 per acre-foot at the high end of the scale, Million said.

The Arkansas Basin and Denver Metro water roundtables are studying whether to form a task force to study both Million’s proposal and the Colorado-Wyoming Coalition plan.

More Flaming Gorge Pipeline coverage here and here.

Energy policy — oil and gas: Veolia Water Solutions and Technologies divsion pitching new treatment system for produced water



From the Glenwood Springs Post Independent (John Colson):

Called the “OPUS II,” the system is made by VWS Oil & Gas, a global division of Veolia Water Solutions and Technologies. It involves sending produced water, as well as “flowback water” from the hydraulic fracturing process, through a series of ceramic membranes and other filtration devices. Once the treated water has made it through the process, what comes out is “high-quality water suitable for reuse” and “very low volumes of waste” in the form of bricks that can be dumped in a landfill, according to Patrick Ryan and LNSP Nagghappan of Veolia, who gave the presentation to the board of county commissioners.

The OPUS II system, according to Nagghappan, is a step up from current disposal options, which include deep-well injection — which he said has a limited capacity — and evaporative ponds, which have the potential to emit volatile organic compounds into the atmosphere and ground water. Or, said Nagghappan, the liquids can be hauled away for disposal, which creates traffic impacts, is expensive, and relocates rather than eliminates the problem of ultimate disposal.

The process is undergoing pilot testing at a Chevron oil drilling operation in San Ardo, California, and Nagghappan said that it is able to remove up to 99 percent of the contaminants in the water to be treated. The two men told the board of county commissioners that they are hoping to sign up companies working the Piceance Basin gas patch, noting that the use of the OPUS system reduces truck traffic, because the water is treated and reused on site rather than being hauled in and then hauled away after it is used.

More oil and gas coverage here and here.

40th Earth Day



Don’t forget to celebrate Earth Day today. Take a bike ride around North Denver for example. The saucer magnolias on Wolfe St. just south of Berkeley Park are in their glory as are pears all over the neighborhood. Redbuds are just starting to bloom and of course you have the early bulbs like tulips, daffodils and hyacinths to gawk at.

Here are some tips for making every day earth day from the Summit Daily News.

Colorado Science and Engineering Fair recap



From the Fort Collins Coloradoan:

Rocky Mountain High School sophomore Kelli Lynch won five first-place awards, a $3,000 scholarship to the school of her choice, $800 in prizes and a second-place award during the fair. Lynch will represent Colorado at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in San Jose, Calif., on May 9-14.

Currently attending the International Sustainable World Project Olympiad, or ISWEEEP, in Houston, Texas, Lynch is the first student from PSD asked to compete at both international competitions.

Pete Justice, a Colorado State University professor, mentored Lynch as she developed her two-year project, “Irradiation Extermination: A Portable System to Eliminate Water-Borne Microorganisms Part II.”

Her project and research won first place in the Microbiology Division. Special awards include first place, Water Environment Federation; first place, Colorado Environmental Health Association; first place, Society of Women Engineers; first place, SPIE-The Inter-national Society for Optics and Photonics; second place, American Water Works Assoc-iation and Rocky Mountain Water Environment Association.

Other high school and middle school students also earned recognition, including Poudre High School freshmen Gerri Roberts and Jessica Constant. Roberts took second place in the Chemistry Division; and Constant earned an honorable mention in the Math and Computer Sciences Division and a special award from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Blevins Middle School eighth-graders who earned recognition for their projects include Evan Hummel, first-place special award from Hands and Minds Inc.; Grant Wray, honorable mention for the Animal Sciences Division; and Kaitlyn Nagel, third place in the Medicine and Health Division. Preston Middle School seventh-grader Kaily Adair earned first place in the Behavioral and Social Sciences Division and second place for the Junior Division Best Individual Project Award.

Preston Middle School science teacher Mary Klass received a PACE Teacher Award.

CWCB: Combined Water Availability and Flood Task Force Meeting



Below are my notes from yesterday’s meeting:

Water Supply

Nolan Doesken (Colorado State Climatologist) reported that, “Warm weather has kicked in.” There was an early heat wave in March which resulted in some minor flooding in the Wet Mountain Valley. Runoff has started and the, “green up is well underway,” he said. A heavy wet snow in early March really helped the Yampa Valley in Routt and Moffat counties.

The eastern slope and Sangre de Cristo Mountains have been wetter than average. He added that, “Grand Lake is the poster child for dry conditions in Colorado…No matter what happens across the state it seems to miss Grand Lake.”

Reports by weather station: Burlington still tracking at near record moisture; Akron is close to average; Fort Collins has had good moisture; and Kassler was tracking at near record moisture but is now at the average; Boulder is down to near average moisture for the water year.

Mike Gillespie (NRCS) reported that snowpack in the South Platte Basin is well below average at 75% of average on April 20. The peak was 89% of average on April 9. Storage in the basin is at 102% of average.

Clear Creek and the Poudre River are expected to have below average runoff this season.

Klaus Wolter (University of Colorado) reported that, “El Nino is starting to founder…It probably peaked in January.” He said that Colorado can expect 1-2 inches of moisture over the next two weeks from two storms. The cool temperatures over the next two weeks, “will slow snowmelt.”

Thomas Ley (Colorado Division of Water Resources) reported that streamflow in the Poudre is dropping as is the South Platte at Kersey. He felt that the reason was probably an increase in diversions with the start of irrigation season.

Flood Risk

As at the March meeting the National Weather Service representative rates the risk of flooding from snowmelt as very low. Conditions, “are not indicating any flooding due to snowpack.”

A representative from the Colorado Water Conservation Board asked all municipalities to send comments on the proposed new floodplain rules. Here’s the link: http://cwcb.state.co.us/NR/rdonlyres/98D13420-A1B5-4910-8EA2-345D2C53853A/0/FINALDRAFT2010Rules.pdf

Doesken took the opportunity to remind people that flooding does not always depend on high runoff in the streams. He said that Colorado’s largest flood occurred in 1999 (Pueblo County?) on April 30 in what had been a very dry year.

The CWCB flood threat webpage (http://www.hdrwebprojects.com/COSWP/) is still not active but CWCB staff indicated it would be up and running by May 1.

More CWCB coverage here.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson announces President Barack Obama’s selection of James B. Martin to be the Agency’s Regional Administrator for EPA’s Region 8



Here’s the release from EPA Region 8:

Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson announced President Barack Obama’s selection of James B. Martin to be the Agency’s Regional Administrator for EPA’s Region 8. This region encompasses Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming and 27 Tribal Nations.

“I look forward to working closely with James Martin on the range of urgent environmental issues we face, in Region 8 and across the nation,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “At this moment of great challenge and even greater opportunity, I’m thrilled that James will be part of our leadership team at EPA. He will certainly play an instrumental role in our Agency’s mission to protect our health and the environment.”

Regional Administrators are responsible for managing the Agency’s regional activities under the direction of the EPA Administrator. They promote state and local environmental protection efforts and serve as a liaison to state and local government officials. Regional Administrators are tasked with ensuring EPA’s efforts to address the environmental crises of today are rooted in three fundamental values: science-based policies and programs, adherence to the rule of law, and transparency.

James B. Martin has worked in the environmental field for more than 20 years, most of them spent in Colorado. He most recently was the Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, managing and administering a department of more than 2,000 employees that oversee the state’s environmental protection policies. He was also the Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. There he managed an organization of 1,225 employees with a budget of $470 million, with responsibility over both state environmental and public health programs. From 2005 to 2007, he managed a non-profit organization that focuses on energy, public lands, and water issues. In 2004, he headed the Natural Resources Law Center at the University of Colorado School of Law where he managed an interdisciplinary public policy think tank with a staff of lawyers, economists and scientists. He also taught advanced seminars on energy law and policy and land use planning. Martin spent a decade as the senior attorney for the Environmental Defense Fund in Boulder, Colorado and Oakland, California. Earlier in his career, he was State Director for then U.S. Senator Tim Wirth. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Knox College and his J.D. from Northwestern Law School, Lewis and Clark College.

Reclamation: Stimulus funds to pay for Flatiron Powerplant penstocks maintenance



Here’s the release from Reclamation (Kara Lamb):

The Department of the Interior announced today that the Bureau of Reclamation has awarded $12.2 million to contractor Abhe & Svoboda for the recoating of the Flatiron penstocks above Flatiron Powerplant in Loveland, Colo.

The work is being conducted under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act as part of the package awarded to the Department of the Interior, including the Bureau of Reclamation. Reclamation received $1 billion of ARRA funding to restore aging infrastructure, repair aging dams, provide drought relief, and improve conservation of water across its five-region service area of the 17 Western United States.

“This contract will improve power plant efficiencies at the Colorado-Big Thompson Project,” Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar said. “Recovery Act dollars are making a difference, not only updating aging infrastructures, but also putting Americans to work.”

The Flatiron Penstocks are an integral part of Reclamation’s Colorado-Big Thompson Project, in the Great Plains Region. The C-BT provides supplemental water to approximately 720,000 people in northeastern Colorado and generates hydroelectric power though a series of six power plants.

The protective coating on the penstocks is over 50 years old and in need of replacement. Recoating the penstocks includes removing the old paint from the exterior and interior of the pipes. In addition, new ultrasonic flow meters will be installed that will improve power plant efficiency.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act passed in 2009 gave $3 billion to the Department of the Interior.

The ARRA funds represent an important component of the President’s plan to jumpstart the economy and put a down payment on addressing long-neglected challenges so the country can thrive in the 21st century. Under the ARRA, Interior is making an investment in conserving America’s timeless treasures – our stunning natural landscapes, our monuments to liberty, the icons of our culture and heritage – while helping American families and their communities prosper again. Interior is also focusing on renewable energy projects, the needs of American Indians, employing youth and promoting community service.
“With its investments of Recovery Act funds, the Department of the Interior and its bureaus are putting people to work today to make improvements that will benefit the environment and the region for many years to come,” Secretary Salazar said.

Secretary Salazar has pledged unprecedented levels of transparency and accountability in the implementation of the Department’s economic recovery projects. The public will be able to follow the progress of each project on www.recovery.gov and on www.interior.gov/recovery. Secretary Salazar has appointed a Senior Advisor for Economic Recovery, Chris Henderson, and an Interior Economic Recovery Task Force to work closely with Interior’s Inspector General and ensure the recovery program is meeting the high standards for accountability, responsibility, and transparency set by President Obama.

More coverage from the Loveland Reporter-Herald. From the article:

The penstocks are large pipes that carry water from Pinewood Reservoir to the power plant behind Carter Lake, as part of the Colorado-Big Thompson water project, which provides water and power in northeastern Colorado. Lamb said the protective coating on the penstocks is more than 50 years old and in need of replacement. The contractor will remove the old paint from the exterior and interior of the penstock pipes, repaint them and install new ultrasonic flow meters to measure water flow and improve power plant efficiency.

More Colorado-Big Thompson Project coverage here.

Centennial Water & Sanitation District names Tim Gotheer as Director of Operations



Here’s the release from the district:

Centennial Water & Sanitation District has named Tim Grotheer as Director of Operations. Grotheer will oversee operations of the water and wastewater plants that serve Highlands Ranch.

Grotheer brings 21 years of responsibility for all aspects of operations, maintenance, and administration of the Plum Creek Wastewater Authority (PCWA) in Douglas County. Duringhis tenure, PCWA received the Environmental Protection Agency’s Region VIII award for Excellence in Operations and Maintenance in 1994, and the National Award for Excellence in Operations and Maintenance from the EPA in 2000.

“Tim brings a long history of plant operations through his prior role as manager of the PCWA. He has been active in several regional organizations focused on water quality. His most recent role was managing a major construction contract for the Aurora Reservoir Water Purification Facility as an employee of Carollo Engineers,” said Centennial Water General Manager John Hendrick.

Grotheer gained familiarity with Centennial Water through his leadership in the Pankake Ranch land application project. He will be responsible for both water and wastewater plant operations in addition to other department leadership and administrative functions.

Grotheer is a graduate of Southern Illinois University with a BS in Industrial Technology. He earned an MS in Management from Regis University, and holds certifications in water and wastewater treatment, and water distribution and collection systems. Grotheer has been a member of the board and is also a past chair of the Chatfield Watershed Authority, and for four years chaired the Colorado Wastewater Utility Council. He served 10 years on the Colorado Water and Wastewater Plant Operator’s Certification Board and is involved in a number of water and wastewater organizations.

Over the past 30 years, Centennial Water has built a reliable and highly-respected water portfolio, based on a conjunctive use system, to serve its customers. Its major water source is surface water from the South Platte River, supplemented with groundwater from deep aquifer wells throughout Highlands Ranch.

For more information about Centennial Water & Sanitation District, which serves Highlands Ranch, please visit www.highlandsranch.org, or call 303-791-0430.

More South Platte River Basin coverage here.

Marty Richardson named executive director of Friends of the Lower Blue River



From the Summit Daily News (Julie Sutor):

Richardson took over as the local conservation organization’s executive director on March 30. In her new role, she will represent the nonprofit’s 150 dues-paying members in their efforts to protect the rural character and environmental values of the Lower Blue Valley, which stretches from Dillon Reservoir to the Colorado River near Kremmling…

Now among FLBR’s top issues is a proposal for improvements to Green Mountain Reservoir’s campground and boating facilities by the U.S. Forest Service. “We are really wanting to watch that whatever improvements are made at the reservoir are consistent with the Lower Blue Planning Commission and Friends of the Lower Blue objectives to preserve the rural character of the valley,” Richardson said.

More Blue River watershed coverage here.

State Representative Sal Pace may introduce another basin mitigation bill



From The Pueblo Chieftain (Chris Woodka):

Last month, Pace queried the IBCC about what efforts it has undertaken to assure districts of origin aren’t harmed in water transfers. Last week, Eric Hecox, section chief for water supply planning of the Colorado Water Conservation Board, answered.

Hecox’s letter cited two examples of how the IBCC is addressing the transfer issue. One was a discussion of issues surrounding movement of water between basins and between uses. The other was a transfer committee of the Arkansas Basin Roundtable, which produced a report on the concerns associated with transfers of water from agricultural to urban uses, particularly in municipalities outside the basin. “The work of the Interbasin Compact Committee and Basin Roundtables is creating trust between parties and identifying solutions to our state’s water supply challenges,” Hecox’s letter stated.

“I was disappointed in their response,” [state Rep. Sal Pace] said. “They’re nowhere close, by their own admission, to brokering substantial mitigation for water transfers…

Pace said the roundtables’ work on transfer mitigation was the key to his bill’s defeat, because lawmakers had the impression that the matter was in hand. If it’s not, he said, another run at legislation may be in order next session. “I would consider bringing the bill back because so many legislators thought work was being done, that we now know clearly isn’t,” Pace said.

More IBCC — Basin roundtable coverage here. More HB 1-=1159 coverage here.

Colorado’s water efficient appliances rebate website swamped on first day



From the Boulder Daily Camera (John Aguilar):

An enthusiastic response Monday to the beginning of Colorado’s energy-efficient appliances rebate program spurred some complaints from Boulder County consumers who had trouble getting through on the state’s Web site and toll-free line to claim the popular rebate…

Todd Hartman, spokesman for the Governor’s Energy Office, said there had been “hiccups” throughout the day with spiking traffic on the state’s site — rechargecolorado.com — bogging it down since it opened for business at 8 a.m. But he said the site never crashed. Periodically throughout the day, the Governor’s Energy Office stripped its site of its usual content and dedicated it solely to the rebate program to expedite the flow of traffic, Hartman said.

The state’s program, dubbed Recharge Colorado, was created from federal economic stimulus money and aims to give Colorado $18 million in rebate funds, the bulk of which is earmarked for the larger-scale energy-efficiency projects like solar and wind installations. It is loosely modeled after the popular Cash for Clunkers automobile rebate program that ran last year, except that it doesn’t require that people trade in their old appliances. The most popular part of the program, which amounts to $4.5 million of the total Colorado received, is dedicated to the appliance rebates. Of that, 14,000 rebates worth $1.25 million were made available for the purchase of common household appliances — fridges, washing machines and dishwashers — that meet a certain energy-efficiency standard. Around 9,000 rebates worth $3.25 million cover energy-efficient boilers, hot-water tanks and furnaces. Hartman said about 8,500 rebates for all appliances were claimed by Monday evening, leaving around 14,000 rebates still available. He said the rebates would probably all be claimed by Wednesday. “They will go fast,” he said.

More conservation coverage here.

Snowpack news: Dust covers accelerates runoff



From The Denver Post (Scott Willoughby):

As the Aspen/Snowmass director of community and environmental responsibility, Schendler’s concerns for the disconcerting dust and dirt layers that have blanketed the slopes of his local ski areas along with mountains throughout the state this spring are considerably more comprehensive. And like so many observers of the reddish-brown dust layers that seem to be playing a more prominent — if not permanent — role in Colorado’s precious spring snowpack, he has more questions than answers. “There’s no question that it’s happening. But there’s always been dust out there, so has this always happened? Is it getting worse? All we know for sure is that it’s really bad,” Schendler said. “Our CEO has come into my office after these storms very agitated and said, ‘Auden, climate change may put us out of business eventually, but this is right now and this is a serious problem.’ Essentially your product is damaged.”

Along with its spectacular mountain scenery, Colorado’s most prized commodity arguably is its snow. Skiers and snowboarders are drawn by the millions annually to sample the celebrated snows of the Colorado Rockies, followed in spring and summer months by whitewater rafters, kayakers and fishermen savoring the snowmelt-fed rivers and streams. That’s not to mention the millions who depend upon the fresh water supply simply for survival…

Thanks to scientific studies conducted by former Coloradan Tom Painter at the Snow Optics Laboratory at the University of Utah, this much is known: In 2005 and 2006, dust-covered snow melted up to 35 days earlier than a purely clean snowpack would have in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains. Last year — which included 12 measurable winter/spring dust storms — snow melted 48 days earlier in the same area…

[Jeff Deems, a research scientist at the NOAA Western Water Assessment and the National Snow and Ice Data Center at the University of Colorado in Boulder said,] “…the biggest impact is hydrologic. We’re seeing earlier and faster runoff, which makes it harder to manage resources. In the West, we depend on the snowpack as a reservoir. We can store a lot more water in the snowpack than in our surface reservoirs. If you melt everything off a month early and melt it off faster, that’s a big challenge for water managers.”[...]

As for the origin of the dust episodes impacting the Colorado snowpack, the scientists have that one figured out. Collaborating with Chris Landry at the Center for Snow and Avalanche Studies in Silverton, Painter and Deems examine the effects of the dust events on the snowpack. Using satellite observations and weather modeling tools, they have traced the origin of the dust to the Colorado Plateau in the Four Corners region, where impacts of years of disturbance of the fragile desert topsoil have created large quantities of dust just waiting for a strong wind to carry it away. “Basically any activity that disturbs the soil crust and vegetation in the desert causes dust,” Deems said. “When we go out and disturb it — whether by drilling, plowing, driving, cow’s hooves, mountain bikes or feet — then all of the sudden the dust is ready to be blown away by the next wind storm.”[...]

For Schendler and those who depend on snow, the ultimate question remains: What can be done to stop it? “Recognizing the driving mechanism, that topsoil disturbance, is the key. Looking for solutions that minimize and reduce the disturbance to desert dust-emitting regions, that’s the overarching goal,” Deems said. “As recreationists enjoying the desert, it’s a matter of awareness, paying attention to public land use issues, as well as being careful about where we camp and how we travel, minimizing our impact on the land. Just some common sense.”

Gunnison Tunnel update



From email from Reclamation (Dan Crabtree):

Spring is officially here. The East Portal Road was officially opened for public access today, April 19th.

More Gunnison River Basin coverage here. More Uncompahgre River watershed coverage here.

Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District: Four board seats up for grabs June 1



From The Mountain Mail:

Applications are being accepted for potential directors representing Division 2 and Division 3, (areas encompassed by School District R-32-J and R-31, both in Chaffee County, Division 4 (Custer County) and Division 5 (Fremont County School District RE-1). Any person 18 years or older owning property within the appropriate division of Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District and residing within the division for which appointment is sought, is eligible. Applicants should have backgrounds reflecting agricultural, municipal, industrial and other interests in the beneficial use of water within the district.

Terms of office will commence June 1 for a four-year term expiring June 1, 2014…

Applicants should submit letters in writing describing desire and qualifications to be on the board. Application deadline will be May 2. Applications should be made to all of the following:

• The Honorable Charles M. Barton, Chief District Judge, 11th Judicial District, P.O. Box 279, Salida, CO 81201.

• The Honorable O. John Kuenhold, Chief District Judge, 12th Judicial District, Alamosa County Courthouse, 702 Fourth St., Alamosa, CO 81101.

• The Honorable Kirk S. Samelson, Chief District Judge, 4th Judicial District, P.O. Box 2980, Colorado Springs, CO 80903.

More Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District coverage here and here.

Snowpack news: Runoff starting early?

From The Pueblo Chieftain (Chris Woodka):

“The runoff started Friday (April 9) and some sites are melting off,” said Roy Vaughan, manager of the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project for the Bureau of Reclamation…

Runoff has occurred earlier than historic records indicate for the past decade, and sometimes in an unusual way. Last year, there were three distinct runoffs through mid-June. The patterns — or lack of them — have required Reclamation to stay on top of imports into the Arkansas River basin from the Western Slope. “Our guys are setting up the system and should be ready to start sending water through the (Boustead) Tunnel shortly,” Vaughan said…

“There was a drastic warm-up in the Wet Mountain Valley, and the flow on Grape Creek went from 20 cubic feet per second to 700 cfs overnight,” said Steve Witte, Water Division 2 engineer…

…this year’s weather patterns look like other years where Reclamation has brought over an average amount of water — between 50,000 and 55,000 acre-feet — so there should be ample water to bring over. There is plenty of space to store the water in Turquoise and Twin Lakes as water was moved to Lake Pueblo over the winter months, Vaughan said. Reclamation was granted a waiver Thursday by the Army Corps of Engineers to continue storing water in Lake Pueblo because snowpack is below average. The waiver allows for storage of up to 10,000 acre-feet in the portion of the reservoir normally reserved for flood control after April 15. The move allowed storage of more than 6,400 acre-feet that otherwise would have been evacuated, Vaughan said. By May 1, as more water is stored, used and evaporates, the current level in Lake Pueblo, 263,000 acre-feet should drop by about 10,000 acre-feet.

Yampa River: Rusty crayfish invade headwaters

From the Summit Daily News (Julie Sutor):

[Colorado Division of Wildlife] officials have identified rusty crayfish (Orconectes rusticus) in the headwaters of the Yampa River, prompting an immediate closure to the take of live crayfish from the waters in the Yampa River basin. Crayfish, also known as “crawdads,” are a popular bait and food item. It is not uncommon to find people collecting the animals from Colorado waters. Rusty crayfish are an aggressive species native to the Ohio River basin in the upper Midwest, but human activity has moved them throughout the northeast and into southern Canada. The discovery of rusty crayfish in the Yampa basin is a first in Colorado. Because of their large size and aggressive nature, rusty crayfish can impact fish populations by consuming small fish and fish eggs. The species can also negatively impact fish and spread unwanted aquatic plants by aggressively harvesting underwater plant beds. “They’re not selective in their feeding, so they’ll eat whatever fish eggs are there and whatever plants are there,” said Elizabeth Brown, Division of Wildlife aquatic nuisance species coordinator. “Any native species is at risk for food-web disruption from these critters.”

More invasive species coverage here.

CWCB: The board postpones new floodplain rulemaking session until November

From The Greeley Tribune (Bill Jackson):

The Colorado Water Conservation Board had planned a rulemaking session on the plan to expand flood plains in the state from 100-year-flood to 500-year-flood level next month. But Tom Browning, chief for the board’s watershed protection and flood mitigation section, said that has been put off until November because of concerns expressed by officials statewide. And while he confirmed that there are some “proposed rules” for the state’s flood plains, he did not offer details.

Development may suffer in Severance if the new rules are drawn as planned, according to a report from Sherrie Peif writing for The Greeley Tribune. From the article:

For the past 18 months, Severance has dealt with a flood plain expansion from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. That expansion cut a path through town, essentially throwing its comprehensive growth plan in the trash. Now, with the additional proposed regulations from the Colorado Water Conservation Board, Severance may not be able to be developed at all.

More CWCB coverage here.

Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District water court update

From The Pueblo Chieftain (Chris Woodka):

“The district has concerns about the use of winter water and the Fryingpan-Arkansas facilities,” said Bob Hamilton, engineering supervisor. The district also wants to protect its own exchange application in connection with the Arkansas Valley Conduit, Hamilton said. The board voted unanimously to oppose the application…

A filing in Water Court does not necessarily mean complete opposition to an application, but is often used as a stepping stone to a negotiated settlement between parties to prevent injury to existing water rights.

The board also voted unanimously to oppose an application by Pioneer Natural Gas and other companies drilling for coal-bed methane in the Raton Basin near Trinidad. The application seeks to settle issues surrounding produced water from drilling. Methane is trapped in coal seams below the ground and in the first stages of drilling water is produced…

Southeastern has filed to make sure the determination of non-tributary wells listed in the application is accurate and that the new water rights would not violate the Arkansas River Compact with Kansas, Hamilton said.

The district will settle with applicants in two other cases, in lieu of obtaining conditions applied to past court decrees settled by the district. Those involved Stratmoor Hills and Rocky Ford conversion of former ditch water rights to municipal use.

The board also took action to shore up its own water rights, agreeing to file for due diligence on conditional Eastern Slope rights. Last year, the district filed a due-diligence application on its Western Slope water rights, said attorney Steve Leonhardt.

More Arkansas River Basin coverage here.

Energy policy — nuclear: Schwartzwalder Mine uranium tainted water threatens Ralston Creek/Ralston Reservoir

From the Cañon City Daily Record (Rachel Alexander):

Groundwater near the Schwartzwalder Mine contains uranium levels that are 1,000 times higher than the human health standards, according to an Associated Press article. The contaminated groundwater is near Ralston Creek, which flows into Ralston Resevoir. The resevoir supplies water to Denver and Arvada.

John Hamrick, Cotter’s vice president of milling, said the company had been working with the Department of Reclamation and Mining Safety to address the issue. “We have a plan that is due to them Monday about different remedial alternatives,” Hamrick said. The mine is located north and west of Golden. Hamrick said it started operations in the 1950s and was closed in 2000.

He said there were three parts to the mine when it was in operation: the underground mine, an ore sorter and a water treatment plant for water used in the mining operation. The company has a license through the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment for the ore sorter and water treatment plant. “We’re in the final process of terminating that license,” he said…

Hamrick said the groundwater flow from the creek goes through waste rock from the mine and that is probably where it is picking up uranium. While the mine itself has water in it, that water level is steady. “We do not think that the mine water is getting into the creek,” he said.

Here’s some history for the mine from Wikipedia:

In 1949 janitor and weekend prospector Fred Schwartzwalder discovered uranium at an abandoned copper prospect in Jefferson County about ten miles northeast of Central City and eight miles north of Golden. The deposit consists of Tertiary hydrothermal veins filling fracture zones oriented predominantly NNW-SSE in gneiss, schist, and quartzite of the Precambrian Idaho Springs Formation. The chief ore mineral is pitchblende, which occurs with adularia and ankerite. Schwartzwalder could interest no one in his discovery, so he drove the first adit of the Schwartzwalder mine by himself, made the first ore shipment in 1953, and sold the mine in 1955. The Schwartzwalder mine was the source of more than 99% of the uranium produced from the Front Range province. The mine operated until 1995, producing 17 million pounds (7700 metric tons) of uranium oxide. The mine is owned by General Atomics subsidiary the Cotter Corporation, which estimates that there are an additional 16 million pounds (7300 metric tons) of uranium oxide resource remaining in the mine.

More coverage from The Denver Post (Bruce Finley):

Uranium concentrations in groundwater 30 feet beneath the brim of the Schwartzwalder Mine exceed the human health standard for uranium by more than 1,000 times, according to state records reviewed Thursday. Unhealthy concentrations also were detected in Ralston Creek, which eventually enters Denver Water’s Ralston Reservoir. The reservoir supplies water to Denver and Arvada.

Denver Water managers say no uranium contamination has entered the drinking-water supply…

Neither Cotter nor the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, which is responsible for water quality, notified Denver Water. “It would have been nice to know,” said Brian Good, Denver Water’s manager of operations and maintenance. Denver Water now will increase testing for uranium, Good said, calling on Cotter to clean it up. Because Denver’s Moffat water- treatment plant is closed for maintenance, no Ralston Reservoir water currently enters Denver’s drinking-water system, Good said. “Our water is safe,” he said, “but it’s a little bit troubling that (uranium) is coming into our reservoir in those concentrations.”[...]

Colorado’s Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety “does not believe conditions requiring an emergency response currently exist. If they should arise, (the state) can require Cotter to pump and treat mine water to bring down levels and ensure groundwater is not jeopardized,” state spokesman Theo Stein said.

From the Associated Press via the Sky-Hi Daily News:

Cotter vice president John Hamrick says they’re considering several methods to deal with the contamination, including creating a wetland.

More nuclear coverage here and here.

Craig: Water treatment plant upgrades detailed

From the Craig Daily Press (Brian Smith):

…what [Craig Water and Wastewater Director Mark Sollenberger] is most proud of is not so much the advanced technology the plant uses to turn Yampa River water in to drinking water, but that he and his staff of four operators, one maintenance technician and Craig Public Works Director Bill Earley brainstormed and designed the upgrades they wanted. “We picked the technology ourselves because we knew how much funding we had,” Sollenberger said. “We came up with what we felt would be the best design and then we went to the engineers and said, ‘Here is what we think. Can you do it for us?’”[...]

The top upgrades the plant received include a new dissolved air flotation pretreatment system, an ultraviolet ray supplemental treatment process and increased water storage capacity. With the new upgrades, the water plant meets or exceeds all state standards and guidelines for necessary water capacity and sanitation. All told, the new upgrades have made the plant’s water much safer and faster in processing water, Sollenberger said. A gallon of water from the Yampa River once took up to eight hours to be processed. Now the plant can treat the same gallon in less than two hours. And the water hitting sinks in Craig is cleaner and safer than most bottled water, Sollenberger said…

…the new dissolved air floatation pretreatment system is the only one of its kind on the Western Slope and one of four in the state.

Sollenberger and his staff chose the system because of the unique nature of the water in the Yampa River. It works by introducing chemicals, which, when combined with the water, electrically charge and bond with dirt particles. Microbubbles of air then are pushed through the water and the particles float to the top of the tank and are slowly scraped away. The new air flotation system is an improvement from the old system, which relied on dirt particles sinking to the bottom of the tank because the water in the Yampa River is cold most of the year making it harder for particles to sink. The new upgrades also increased water storage capacities from six million gallons per day to 12 million gallons per day. The “extremely high powered” ultraviolet treatment serves as a supplemental treatment process and has a “higher kill rate” on parasites such as giardia. It also cuts down on some of the chlorine used to treat the water, which helps with the end taste, while still meeting state and federal sanitary guidelines.

More water treatment coverage here.

Snowpack news: Runoff starting early?

From The Colorado Springs Gazette (R. Scott Rappold):

For the second year in a row, heavy winds out of the south and west have coated the mountains – the source of Colorado Springs’ water – with a layer of reddish-brown dust from the deserts of Utah, Arizona and New Mexico. The dust absorbs heat from sunlight and melts the snow more quickly.

Snowpack in the Arkansas River Basin, 107 percent of average three weeks ago, was at 87 percent Friday. The Upper Colorado River Basin dropped from 78 to 73 percent of average in the same period. At the same time, river levels are rising. The flow of the Arkansas River near the mouth of the Royal Gorge doubled in the past week, from 400 cubic feet per second to 800. In southwest Colorado, melting snow combined with a fresh storm caused flooding fears for this weekend.

“The combination of the dust being on the surface (of the snow) and the warm air temperatures, we’re getting a pretty good surge,” said Kimberly Buck, assistant to the director of the Center for Snow and Avalanche Studies in Silverton…

[Colorado Springs] Utilities has reservoir space available to capture the runoff, he said. Utilities’ storage was at 79 percent of capacity at the end of March…

…there was good news in the forecast. A spring snowstorm Friday was expected to drop up to a foot in southwest Colorado and a few inches in the central mountains, enough to cover the dust.

Animas-La Plata Project: Colorado lawmakers give initial approval for state to buy project water

From the Cortez Journal (Joe Hanel):

The $36 million idea would give the state up to 10,460 acre-feet in the reservoir, which it could then sell or lease to other water districts. The state could also keep the water as a hedge against a future legal demand from downstream states, said Jennifer Gimbel, director of the Colorado Water Conservation Board.

The Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee unanimously accepted the idea as an amendment to House Bill 1250, the annual bill that authorizes water projects. The amendment gives the CWCB the power to buy into Animas-La Plata if it decides the move would make sense. “We want to make sure we have legitimate reasons before buying the water,” Gimbel said…

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which built the dam, is willing to sell the water to the state in return for a share of the construction costs. The price works out to less than $3,400 an acre-foot. The Legislature has authorized projects for six times the cost per acre-foot, Whitehead said.

The CWCB is waiting on the results of a market study to see what it could do with the water. “What it’s worth is probably a lot more than what it costs,” Gimbel said.

From the Associated Press via the Sky-Hi Daily News:

Lawmakers gave intial approval to a plan for the state to buy up to 10,460 acre feet of water for $36 million from the Animas-La Plata project. The plan given the intial approval Thursday now goes to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

More Animas River watershed coverage here.

Southern Delivery System: Colorado Springs Utilities names some contractors

From The Pueblo Chieftain (Chris Woodka):

ASI Constructors of Pueblo West has been chosen as the primary contractor for the North Outlet Works connection to Pueblo Dam as part of the Southern Delivery System. The contract will be for roughly $6 million, but negotiations are still continuing, according to Colorado Springs Utilities. Other area subcontractors were also chosen, including High Country Pipeline of Fremont County, Transit Mix of Pueblo and Springs Fabrication and Rocky Mountain Crane Service of Colorado Springs…

Construction cannot begin until the Bureau of Reclamation approves a contract to use the dam for SDS. Pueblo Dam was constructed in the early 1970s as part of the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project and Colorado Springs must get approval to hook up to the dam and build a pumping station on federal property. Contracts also are needed for conveyance and exchange for Lake Pueblo in order for SDS construction to begin…

Once Colorado Springs obtains contracts, it would take about one year to complete the dam connection. [Lee Schermerhorn, vice president of ASI Constructors] said the first step in the project would be to use a crane on a barge and divers to install a bulkhead upstream of Pueblo Dam on the river outlet. Water would be diverted through another outlet on the face of the dam during construction. “That will provide extra safety to the workers in the tunnel during construction,” Schermerhorn said.

After that, a 30-foot cube of concrete would be installed upstream of the dam, where releases over the past 35 years have cut a deep pool by the face of the dam. Finally, a manifold that could direct flows to the river, the SDS pumping station and a future cross-connection to the joint use manifold would be built. “It’s a neat job,” Schermerhorn said.

More Southern Delivery System coverage here and here.