Buena Vista fifth annual Paddlefest May 28
May 22, 2010
From the Salida Citizen:
Paddlefest acts as the “Kick Off” to the Arkansas River paddling season, drawing hundreds of river enthusiasts to Chaffee County for a weekend filled with boating, on water instruction, kayak competitions, river education, seminars, sales and entertainment. Paddlefest is a unique event that offers educational opportunities for folks with a variety of interests – there will be something for everyone – families, individuals just learning about water sports to hard core professional kayakers. Free demos and basic instruction on Stand Up Paddle boards and recreational kayaks will be offered on the Buena Vista Town Pond. As well as, free whitewater demos on the river.
More whitewater coverage here.
Wiggins: Residents warned that nitrates in supply are too high for infants under 6 months old
May 22, 2010
From The Fort Morgan Times (Dan Barker):
The Northeast Colorado Health Department gave the town notice that its water had nitrates at an unacceptable level for such young children to be drinking, Mayor Mike Bates said. Water nitrate levels reached 13.98 milligrams per liter, which is above the standard of 10 milligrams, a notice to the town said. According to health officials, healthy adults generally excrete nitrates, but infants younger than six months are sensitive to nitrate poisoning, which may result in serious illness or death. Nitrates are converted into nitrites, which reduce oxygen in the child’s blood, causing shortness of breath and blueness of the skin. This has given the condition the name of “blue baby syndrome.” A child’s health can deteriorate over a period of days in extreme cases. The notice sent to the town said people should not give Wiggins water to infants under six months or use it to make infant formula, juice or cereal.
More water treatment coverage here.
From the Greeley Tribune (Dan England):
The idea for Ducks Unlimited is to recharge and in some cases recreate wetlands, and while the idea isn’t entirely new, it has water officials wondering whether it’s the wave — no pun intended — of the future. The organization siphons off excess flows from rivers in the spring through a diversion or a pump installed at the river. It then runs the water off either right next to the river or maybe as far as a few miles away. The water creates wetlands duck habitat. The water then sinks into the ground, where it eventually returns to the river in the summer, when water is needed the most. Underground pipelines carry the water to the location if it’s far away. “We prefer to do restorations,” said Greg Kernohan, manager of conservation programs in Colorado and Wyoming, “but on occasion we can basically create these wetlands out of nowhere.” Areas that seem to fit best include naturally occurring sandhills and basins, flood plain meadows from irrigation and marginal farmland, Kernohan said. Ducks Unlimited sees unlimited potential along the South Platte in Weld because marginal farmland tends to work fairly well. The organization has done several projects in Weld, including the relatively new Centennial State Wildlife Area, but really is just now taking a hard look at the county to see what else it can accomplish.
Part of the reason for that is the organization believes the best way to create wetlands is to appeal to farmers in the area to get them to “fowl” a portion of their property. They agree not to irrigate as much land and use those credits to flood another area to create the wetlands habitat, Kernohan said. Ducks Unlimited will help with this and in some cases helps cover the costs associated with it as long as the farmer maintains the land once it’s been “fowled.” Those decisions can be profitable for farmers, who discover they can charge up to $3,500 per gun to hunt on their new waterfowl habitat.
More restoration coverage here.
Energy policy — nuclear: Colorado orders Cotter to start treating the water at the Schwartzwalder mine
May 22, 2010
From the Associated Press via The Durango Herald:
The Colorado Division of Reclamation Mining and Safety said Thursday it doesn’t believe the plan would prevent uranium from contaminating Ralston Reservoir, which supplies some of the Denver area’s drinking water. Loretta Pineda, the agency’s director said Cotter has been directed to resume treating the water and submit a new plan within two weeks.
From The Denver Post:
The state Division of Reclamation Mining and Safety rejected the protection plan Cotter submitted last month and instructed the Denver-based company to submit a water-treatment plan within two weeks, the agency said in a news release…Cotter had proposed a man-made wetland and a chemical filter to capture uranium leaking from the mine.
H.R. 2288, The Endangered Fish Recovery Programs Improvement Act of 2010 passes U.S. House of Representatives
May 22, 2010
From The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel (Gary Harmon):
The Endangered Fish Recovery Programs Improvement Act of 2010, H.R. 2288, is intended to authorize annual base funding for the upper Colorado and San Juan fish recovery programs through fiscal year 2023. A Congressional Budget Office report estimated annual costs of the program will be about $3 million a year through 2015 and $3 million to $4 million a year from 2016 to 2023. The budget office based its estimates on reports from the Bureau of Reclamation and the Western Area Power Administration. Passage of the bill “will help ensure that the vital restoration work these programs have started can be accomplished,” said the bill’s sponsor, U.S. Rep. John Salazar, D-Colo. The program aimed at recovering the Colorado pikeminnow, humpback chub, bonytail and razorback sucker is scheduled for funding reduction in 2011.
More endangered species coverage here.
From the Glenwood Springs Post Independent (Scott Condon):
The Healthy Rivers and Streams program is in the process of hiring a consultant to determine the appropriate flow for each of the seasons, said Pitkin County Attorney John Ely. The study will concentrate on the stretch of river from the intake to Salvation Ditch, just east of Aspen, to its confluence with Castle Creek. That stretch can be heavily stressed because of numerous diversions. A minimum streamflow of 32 cubic feet per second was established on the Roaring Fork in the mid-1980s by the Colorado Water Conservation Board, Ely said. That legal decree often isn’t met during dry times. Diverters with senior rights are still entitled to take their fair share of water, so the river flow can drop below 32 cfs…
The 32 cfs in-stream flow reflects a level where fish can survive, but it doesn’t necessarily accommodate a healthy river, Ely said. The Healthy Rivers and Streams Citizen Advisory Board wants to determine what the healthy flows would be, keeping in mind the natural seasonal fluctuations. The board put out a request for proposals for the study this spring and will likely select a consultant by the end of June. Conditions on the river will be studied throughout one full year. Once complete, the goal will be to find ways to achieve what are determined to be the healthy flows, Ely said. He wouldn’t speculate on what those methods might be.
Pitkin County set a precedent last year by becoming the first holder of water rights to donate water to a river to augment the flow. The Colorado Water Conservation Board approved the county’s request to donate 4.2 cfs it can divert from Maroon Creek back to the Roaring Fork River. The water trust agreement was the first big accomplishment of the Healthy Rivers and Streams program. Pitkin County voters authorized the program in November 2008 and approved a 0.1 percent sales to fund the effort. Those revenues will fund the study of healthy river flows.
Ely said the goal of the effort isn’t to restore historic flows of the river. That’s impractical because it would flood out much of the riverside development. It is also impractical because there are 20 “decent-sized” diverters between the headwaters of the Roaring Fork River and its confluence with Maroon Creek, Ely said. About 37 percent of the headwaters of the Roaring Fork is diverted to the Eastern Slope, according to the Roaring Fork Conservancy, a Basalt-based nonprofit that monitors water quality and quantity issues in the Roaring Fork watershed. Numerous smaller diversions are made to supply ditches within the valley.
More Roaring Fork coverage here.
Adiós Chips
May 22, 2010
From The Denver Post (Yesenia Robles):
Instead of roasting Chips Barry on Friday night at a farewell banquet, nearly a thousand people gathered to pay their last respects. The memorial event at the Wells Fargo Theater at the Colorado Convention Center was originally scheduled to celebrate and joke about Barry’s retirement, and many of the speakers had a head start on their speeches. Some admitted they were instructed by Barry on which stories to tell.
From the Denver Business Journal (Kathy Proctor):
During Barry’s tenure at Denver Water, the utility implemented a water conservation program, built a recycled water distribution system, invested millions of dollars in improvements at its treatment facilitieis, monitored recovery from devasting wildfires in the utility’s watershed and led the work to recover from one of the worst droughts in the state’s history.
On Friday, Barry was lauded for his humor, his golf and squash game, and the empathy he felt for the people he worked with and befriended.
Stories were told, including his idea for pushing water conservation by sitting on a new, low-flow toilet for newspaper and TV cameras. Laughter was shared over Barry’s ties, described as “so loud they could talk.” Proclamations in his honor came from Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper and Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter.
More Denver Water coverage here.
Flaming Gorge pipeline: Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District looks favorably on the project
May 22, 2010
From The Pueblo Chieftain (Chris Woodka):
The [Lower Ark] district board voted to back a plan by Fort Collins entrepreneur Aaron Million to build a 560-mile pipeline that could bring water into the Arkansas River basin. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is evaluating the project under the National Environmental Policy Act. “This is a letter indicating interest, and there is no commitment to the project,” said Pete Moore, chairman of the Lower Ark board…
Million came to the board seeking endorsement at its April meeting. Million Resource Conservation Group is raising $18 million to finance permits for the project, and has already put $2 million into the effort. Investors are being lined up for the second phase of the project, which would begin in 2013, if the environmental impact statement is complete at that time. Million’s plan is to build a project that would deliver 165,000-250,000 acre-feet of water from the Green River and Flaming Gorge at a cost of $2.5 billion-$3.4 billion.
A request for a water supply contract was made to the Bureau of Reclamation, which operates Flaming Gorge, in 2006. Million filed for a water rights permit in Wyoming in 2007.
Meanwhile, Steve Witte, Water Division 2 engineer briefed the Lower Ark on the proposed Arkansas Valley irrigation efficiency rules water court case on Wednesday. Here’s a report from Chris Woodka writing for The Pueblo Chieftain. From the article:
After the consumptive use rules were filed in September, more than 20 statements of opposition were filed in Division 2 Water Court at Pueblo. That resulted in a case management order to attempt to work out issues identified in the objections, Witte said. The state met with attorneys in the case on April 29, and with technical advisers of the objectors on May 3 to sort through the issues. “The discussion was good, and helped to resolve the misunderstanding of the rules by some of those who were not on the advisory committee,” Witte said. The committee changed the rules as Witte originally proposed them in 2006, more closely defining which on-farm or canal changes would be addressed.
Basically, surface-fed sprinklers or drip irrigation systems on farms are regulated, while canal lining or pipes ditchwide are subject to regulation. The rules are meant to avoid violation of the Arkansas River Compact with Kansas as well as to protect senior water rights in Colorado, Witte said.
At the meetings, Witte also explained how compliance plans outlined in the rules would work, and clarified that the state’s model of consumptive use, called the Irrigation Systems Analysis Model, would only be one way by which use is calculated.
More Flaming Gorge pipeline coverage here and here. More Arkansas Valley consumptive use rules coverage here and here
Energy policy — nuclear: Colorado orders Cotter to start treating the water at the Schwartzwalder mine
May 21, 2010
From the Colorado Independent (David O. Williams):
The mining division required Cotter to begin water treatment at its Schwartzwalder uranium mine west of Arvada by July 31.
“The mining division took bold and decisive action to protect our drinking water,” Jefferson County Commissioner Kathy Hartman said in a release. “I am pleased to see immediate action to protect Ralston Reservoir.”
Uranium levels at the mine itself exceeded 1,400 times Colorado water quality standards.
“Thousands of people depend on clean water from Ralston Reservoir, and we can’t afford for Cotter to drag its feet cleaning up their mess,” said Matt Garrington, program advocate with Environment Colorado and a Jefferson County resident. “The mining division deserves praise for taking strong action.”
CWCB: Water Availability Task Force meeting recap
May 21, 2010
Below are my notes from today’s meeting:
Flood risk
Tom Brown (CWCB) said that there is a new timeline for the proposed floodplain rules. The new timeline and the current proposed rules are available at:
http://cwcb.state.co.us/WatershedProtectionFloodMitigation/FloodRulesRegs.htm
Mr. Brown says that they are not too worried about flooding from snowmelt. He took the opportunity to remind everyone that most Colorado flood damage is the result of heavy rain and flash flooding.
The CWCB has some federal funding available to help local communities update their floodplain maps. This is in cooperation with FEMA.
State Drought Plan
CWCB staff expects to have a draft of their revised drought plan available by early July.
The Colorado River Water Availability Study comments have been extended through July 15.
Jeff Brislawn said that the CWCB is shooting for submitting their updates to the state emergency management office by the end of September. Updates to the plan are mandated by federal authorities and can affect funding. The revisions to the plan are to make the plan more in line with the national framework. They are planning a future table top exercise when the drought plan revisions are made
They are also revising the state Impact Task Forces. The current plans call for a Water Availability Task Force, Agricultural Impact Task Force, Tourism Impact Task Force, Energy Impact Task Force, Municipal Water Impact Task Force, Wildfire Impact Task Force and Wildlife Impact Task Force. All proposed task forces will include economic impact analysis.
They now have a guidance framework for local government drought planners.
State Climatologist’s report
Wendy Ryan said that most areas in Colorado have experienced below average temperatures over the past month. There was good April moisture across the state. The Upper Colorado Basin and Northwestern Colorado are in D1 drought. The plains are doing really well for precipitation. May, so far, “has been really wet,” she said.
Grand Lake’s precipitation is below their historical minimum for the water year. The northeastern plains range from average (Akron area) to, “really good precipitation,” in Burlington, she said. Fort Collins is above average with Boulder well above average.
Snowpack and streamflow forecast
Mike Gillespie (NRCS) said that there has been a shift in moisture the last couple of months from south to north but that, “it could be too little too late,” for the northwestern part of Colorado. The cool temperatures and moisture have, “dragged out the snowmelt almost a month.” Most snowpack charts are showing 3 snowpack peaks for the water year. He also told the group that, “The percent of average snowpack is not the best measure this time of year.”
The Colorado River Basin snowpack is melting out and they currently have about half the annual year snowpack on the ground. Reservoir storage is at 116% of average in the basin and is the best since 2001. Streamflow forecast for the Colorado Basin is below average everywhere. At the end of the session Karen Rademacher from the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District reported that they will not have to bring water from the Colorado Basin via the Adams Tunnel to fill Horsetooth Reservoir. Their Front Range reservoirs are going to fill with their east slope water rights.
Snowpack in the South Platte Basin was below average on May 1 (81%) according to Gillespie. By May 16 it was sitting at 91%. April precipitation in the basin was good and May is already at average. “Things have really turned around in the South Platte Basin,” he said. Reservoir storage is at 106% — not quite as good as last year. The forecast is looking at below average streamflow in the basin.
In the Gunnison Basin Gillespie said that there was a, “pretty rapid melt out,” over April and May due to warmer temperatures and dust on snow events. April precipitation was good. Reservoir storage in the basin is at 129% of average. Streamflow forecasts call for below average runoff consistently across the basin.
The southwestern Colorado basins are similar to the Gunnison, said Gillespie. The same dust conditions and warmer temperatures have combined to reduce what was a great snowpack earlier in the year to 77% of average on May 1. April precipitation was below average and May has been, “very dry,” he said. Reservoir storage in the area is at 100% of average. Streamflow forecasts are for below average conditions with the exception of the San Juan River (91% of average).
The Rio Grande Basin snowpack was at 90% on May1. It peaked at 112% of average on April 3. They’ve had a very dry May. Reservoir storage is at 89% of average. Streamflow forecasts for the basin are amongst the best in the state.
Gillespie said that the Arkansas Basin snowpack peaked at 104% of average on April 5. They are at 96% of average for precipitation for the water year. The reservoir storage is the best since 2001. Streamflow in the headwaters should be average with many of the tributaries below Pueblo Reservoir expected to have above average runoff.
Weather forecast
Klaus Wolter (NOAA) told the task force that we can say, “goodbye to El Niño and hello to La Niña.” He said, “Enjoy the spring weather,” for the next two weeks as temperatures are forecast to be near normal adding that Colorado, “will dry out a bit.” He expects daytime temps in most of the lower elevations to get to the 80s and stay there. He forecasts a dry summer in the South Platte Basin.
Tamarisk control: The Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District ponies up $36,000 for herbicide operations
May 21, 2010
From The Pueblo Chieftain (Chris Woodka):
One of the largest tamarisk removal projects in the Arkansas River basin apparently was successful last year and sponsors are ready to go after some more. The Lower Arkansas River Water Conservancy District board voted unanimously Wednesday to contribute $36,000 toward this year’s $130,000 project to use helicopter spraying to kill tamarisk in Prowers County. Last year, 1,414 acres of mostly private land was sprayed at a cost of $117,000 in the Arkansas River flood plain, said Nolan Daskam, of the Natural Resources Conservation Service. The estimate for the cost of the project was $200 per acre, but was completed for $84 per acre. The price of the chemical used, Habitat, dropped because of competition from a generic brand, Daskam explained. The project also pinpointed spraying through use of global positioning system technology, he added. “I think if we get a handle on this, we can keep it in control,” Daskam said. “We can make progress up to the county line and into Bent County…
The project’s goals include restoring native vegetation, improving wildlife habitat and reducing the flood hazard from clogged river and stream channels, Daskam said. There are other methods of tamarisk removal in Prowers County as well, including grinding and bulldozing, with follow-up hand spraying to kill plants that regenerate. “Mechanical control still has its place,” Daskam said. “For some landowners, it’s the only option.”
About 45,000 beetles that eat tamarisk leaves have been released in Prowers County. “In October, we found them (beetles released earlier in the year), and they were thriving,” Daskam said. “We’re waiting to see how they over-wintered. It’s the cheapest method, so we’re hoping they’re successful.”
Evergreen: Flushing the pipes
May 21, 2010
From the Canyon Courier:
The Evergreen Metropolitan District will begin the annual water-main flushing program the first week of June and continue through the summer. Affected areas will be Tanoa, El Pinal, Wah Keeney Park, Hiwan Hills and Hiwan. The purpose of water-main flushing is to remove fine particles that settle in the water mains that cause color, taste and odor issues. If you have any questions, contact the Evergreen Metropolitan District at 303-674-4112.
More infrastructure coverage here.
From the Associated Press via The Durango Herald:
U.S. District Court Judge John Kane granted the request last week, extending the deadline to July 16. But Kane said he’s not inclined to approve any more delays, noting that the two lawsuits were filed nearly 17 months ago. Federal officials made the latest request because of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Kane said while he is sympathetic to the “existence of factors beyond Defendants’ control which have contributed to the delay of this proceeding,” settlement negotiations have been under way for nearly eight months. “I strongly urge the parties to either resolve this controversy or prepare to litigate,” Kane said.
The lawsuits by conservation groups claim the Interior Department and Bureau of Land Management violated environmental laws by curtailing public comment and failing to consider impacts on wildlife or the potential effects on climate change. The 13 groups suing also argue that regulations setting the royalty rates for oil shale violate federal law requiring fair-market value for public resources.
Endangered Species Day
May 21, 2010
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has set today as endangered species day, so take a whooping crane or humpback chub to lunch. Here’s a report from Julie Sutor writing for the Summit Daily News. From the article:
The Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association share responsibility for administering the Endangered Species Act. In its 37 years, the law has helped prevent the extinction of hundreds of species. “The Endangered Species Act is the nation’s premier law protecting biodiversity today,” said Rowan Gould, acting FWS director. “The bald eagle, the American alligator and the gray wolf are all species which once found themselves on the list, facing the brink of extinction, but have successfully rebounded.” The Fish and Wildlife Service works with other federal agencies, state, local and tribal governments, environmental organizations, industry groups, academia, the scientific community and members of the public to help conserve the nation’s imperiled fish, wildlife and plants.
More endangered species coverage here.
Fryingpan-Arkansas Project 2010 allocations
May 21, 2010
From The Pueblo Chieftain (Chris Woodka):
The Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District board voted Thursday to allocate 48,276 acre-feet from the project, based on its anticipated yield. Municipal allocations will be 17,606 acre-feet, with 30,670 acre-feet for agriculture. Another 10,114 acre-feet of agricultural return flows will be allocated, mostly to well owners associations. Total revenues from both allocations are about $400,000…
In particular, Colorado Springs requested far less water than it would be entitled to under the principles, just 2,000 acre-feet. Its partners in the Fountain Valley Authority — Fountain, Security, Stratmoor Hills and Widefield — have requested another 3,200 acre-feet. Colorado Springs also will receive a repayment of 700 acre-feet for water it “loaned” to the district to lower the elevation of Lake Pueblo in the Safety of Dams program. The Fountain Valley Authority would be entitled to about 12,000 acre-feet under the principles. In contrast, the Pueblo Board of Water Works requested 5,000 acre-feet, a little more than its 10 percent allocation…
The water will come in two allocations, 80 percent as soon as water begins moving and another 20 percent in July. While the district has made two allocations in previous years, this setup will give water users a guarantee of most of the water, with a provision for a cash refund if supplies fall short. “The two-allocation procedure is a new process because it’s very difficult to predict what imports are going to be,” said board member Greg Johnson, a member of the allocations committee. “Allocations would be simpler if we knew up front what the water supply will be.” Monthly forecasts on the available water by the Bureau of Reclamation have fluctuated each month as weather conditions changed from heavy snow early, to dry conditions in April, to renewed snowpack this month. Reclamation estimates that 54,700 acre-feet will be brought over. Of that, 3,000 acre-feet is owed to Twin Lakes through an exchange of West Slope water. Another 500 acre-feet goes to the Pueblo Fish Hatchery, and 15 percent is set aside for transit loss and evaporation. That leaves 43,776 acre-feet for allocation.
El Jebel: Taylor River rafting rift sufaces at the Colorado River District’s ‘State of the River’ meeting
May 21, 2010
From the Aspen Daily News (David Frey):
State Rep. Kathleen Curry said she “didn’t get it right” in trying to craft a right-to-float bill on Colorado rivers, but strong emotions on both sides of the issue suggest crafting any kind of bill to address the issue will be tricky. “It creates a situation with not a lot of room or even motivation for middle ground,” said Curry, speaking at a State of the River conference hosted by the Colorado River Water Conservation District on Tuesday night…
“We met a great deal of opposition, really from all sides,” Curry said. “I didn’t get it right. We thought we had basically gone down a path of trying to create a compromise.” With no legislation passed, 20 proposed ballot initiatives are pending to resolve the issue on the November ballot. Sixteen were proposed by landowners. Four were proposed by river outfitters. Two of those include language for anglers. Two don’t…
Glenwood Springs water attorney Scott Balcomb argued that if the state wants access through landowners’ properties, it should pay for rights of way, much as governments do for roads. “I’m not against the boating industry. You can tell,” Balcomb said, pointing to a boating logo on his shirt. “I am for respecting the constitutional rights of landowners and getting it done in a proper organized way. Both sides of this controversy badly need to know what the rules are so that the incidents that Ken brought out stop.”[...]
Sitting in the audience, Frying Pan Anglers’ Warrick Mobray said he understood both sides of the argument. As an angler, he wants floating rights. As a landowner, he wants protections. The two sides should sit down and hammer out a compromise, Mobray said, but he admitted, that’s not very likely. “Both sides are nuts,” he said…
Water experts said Tuesday night that Ruedi Reservoir will fill completely, thanks to spring showers which have helped maintain the snowpack.
Meanwhile, here’s an update on the agreement between Wilder on the Taylor and the two outfitters that will allow them to run the river this season, from Seth Mensing writing for the Crested Butte News. From the article:
The offer: follow six rules ranging from timing of the trips to respecting water levels in the Taylor, and take a few trips through the property this summer. Then the two sides can take time to talk about the future…
…Gunnison Rep. Kathleen Curry, who championed the bill in the state house, said she probably will not pursue a similar bill next year, if she is re-elected. “I don’t plan to run legislation next year because … the issue was so contentious the personal toll this bill took was too high. I don’t see the point in working on a ‘compromise’ proposal just to have it killed next year in the legislature by the big money landowner interests,” she says. “If both sides were willing to agree to a solution and then stick by their word when the time came, then I think it would be worth pursuing this issue further. But, based on what happened this year, I have little hope for that.”
Now, outside of ongoing mediation, Shaw is saying he won’t press trespass charges against either Three Rivers or Scenic River Tours if the rafters limit the timing and number of trips, cover Wilder’s liability in the event of an injury and keep their angling flies out of the water. In a statement Shaw said, “While mediation between Jackson-Shaw and the two Taylor River rafting companies continues, Jackson-Shaw recognizes that Three Rivers and Scenic are at the threshold of their commercial rafting season and that it will take time to finalize any formal agreement. Accordingly, as a show of good faith, Jackson-Shaw has decided to give Three Rivers and Scenic permission to float through Wilder on the Taylor this summer.”
As long as boaters have been running the Taylor freely, they have had to take out and portage around a bridge on the Wilder property. Shaw’s offer gives them the permission to continue doing that. The two rafting companies will have to decide how to share the four commercial trips that will be allowed through the property each day, with two going through between 9:30 and 11 a.m., followed by the others between 1:30 and 3 p.m. And even inside the three-month window, Shaw says the rafters shouldn’t float through Wilder when the water level is below 200 cubic feet per second below the Taylor Dam…
According to the release, scheduling conflicts have delayed a second mediation meeting at the Judicial Arbiters Group in Denver, which was started at Governor Bill Ritter’s request. The two groups will meet again May 26. “So long as Three Rivers and Scenic are willing to accept Jackson-Shaw’s permission and follow these simple terms, Jackson-Shaw will allow the rafting companies to conduct rafting trips through the property this summer,” Shaw concluded. “Acceptance by these two rafting companies of these terms will not prevent mediation from continuing. However, it will give the two companies some certainty as the rafting season begins.”
More Colorado River Basin coverage here. More whitewater coverage here.
From the Montrose Daily Press:
During the 24-hour release, up to 4,300 cubic feet per second poured out of the lake and into the river…The water was released by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation under a 2008 court decree that provides Black Canyon National Park with a federal reserve water right to protect riparian resources. The release is beneficial to river life downstream and helps the Gunnison to revert to flows and conditions more in keeping with the natural environment before construction of the Aspinall Unit, which encompasses Crystal Reservoir, Blue Mesa Reservoir and Morrow Point Reservoir.
Check out this very cool video of the event from William Woody and The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel.
More Aspinall Unit coverage here.
From the Pagosa Sun (Kathy Sherer):
The San Juan River Workgroup will meet at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, May 27, at the Ross Aragon Community Center cafeteria. Everyone is welcome. The meeting will focus on discussing and editing a values statement; starting to develop a list of “Issues, Concerns and Opportunities,” planning a summer field trip; and a beginning review of river and watershed protection tools. To learn more and to find all the meeting handouts, schedule and minutes, go to: http://ocs.fortlewis.edu/riverprotection/ (click on San Juan River Workgroup on the left side) or call the Southwestern Water Conservation District at 247-1302 or call the San Juan Citizens Alliance at 259-3583.
More San Juan Basin coverage here.
Pueblo Conservancy District fee structure revamp
May 20, 2010
From The Pueblo Chieftain (Chris Woodka):
The Pueblo Conservancy District is raising funds to maintain Pueblo’s levees through fees, but still needs to figure out its fee structure.
The district petitioned for reinstating fees in district court two years ago as a plan to generate $300,000 a year. “The problem we ran into was that the land use has changed over the years,” said Gus Sandstrom, president of the district.
More Arkansas Basin coverage here.
Grand County ‘State of the River’ meeting recap
May 20, 2010
From the Sky-Hi Daily News (Tonya Bina):
Colorado River Basin snowpack levels are at 77 percent of average, in line with statewide averages this year, according to information shared at the annual State of the River Meeting. “It’s been a poor year until recently,” said Senior Water Resources Engineer Don Meyer of the Colorado River District to a roomful of water stakeholders Tuesday at the Mountain Parks Electric meeting room in Granby…
Forecasted elevation of Lake Granby is expected to be at 8,268 feet, according to Andrew Gilmore, hydraulic engineer with the Bureau of Reclamation, the agency that operates the Colorado-Big Thompson project. That level equates to about 12 feet from full. But Don Carlson of the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District, the agency that delivers water to Northeastern municipalities, water districts, industries and farms, had a slightly less conservative prediction for Granby Reservoir. Because of moisture on the East Slope, Northern may be able to use some of its low priority rights for water, he said, which will take some pressure off of West Slope supplies this year. Granby Reservoir may be closer to 4 to 5 feet below full, he said…
Snowpack has “been behind all year, although did make a nice recovery recently,” said Bob Steger, Denver Water’s manager of raw water supply. “The good news is, we think we’re going to fill all of our reservoirs anyway, despite the low snowpack.”[...]
State of the River
The Colorado River District, which operates Wolford Mountain Reservoir is extending its offering of bounty for anglers who catch northern pike, a predator to native species. Anglers will be awarded $20 for each Pike caught.
• Northern and the Bureau of Reclamation are planning to replace the dam structure between Shadow Mountain Reservoir and Grand Lake this year. The dam/bridge at the eastern end of the canal is old, doesn’t perform well and poses safety concerns to boaters, said Northern’s Don Carlson. To avoid Grand Lake’s heavy summer traffic season during which many boaters use the canal, work on the dam project is planned for 30 days during the month of October.
• Pumping started at Windy Gap near Granby on April 29 to send 15,000 acre feet for storage to partners in northeastern Colorado, with another 40,000 acre feet from Lake Granby for their use.
• During the 25-year anniversary of the Windy Gap Reservoir, water will be taken down in mid-July through the end of September to address sediment build-up. Although sediment has been building up through the years, the reservoir was further impacted by a pond breach last year at the Orvis Shorefox property, which added silt to the reservoir.
• Denver Water customers are conserving more water due to a tiered rate structure that increases with increased water use per gallon. Graphs show that since Denver Water implemented its new rate structure, water use has plateaued even though the utility’s customer base has increased.
• Denver Water is redoing the outlet works at Williams Fork Reservoir and constructing a new auxiliary power plant at a cost of $17 million. The new outlet works should increase the capacity from 275 cfs to 750 cfs when completed. In the meantime, this summer the dam will operate with temporary outlet works with limited release capabilities, at 125 cfs. “We’ll get through this year as best we can with the limited release capabilities,” said Denver Water’s Steger.
• At the Vasquez Canal, Denver Water is replacing 1,500 feet of covered canal with pipe.
• There were several temperature exceedances in the Fraser River last year, according to the Grand County Water Information Network. They were upstream from Windy Gap and at the conjunction of Ranch Creek, she said. As many as 32 temperature monitoring sites will be in place again this year. Through partnerships, algae toxin monitoring and gathering of water clarity data will also continue at reservoirs and lakes this summer.
More Colorado River Basin coverage here.
Vail kayak park open for the season
May 20, 2010
From the Vail Daily:
ade in Vail Village is ready for action. Although water levels have not yet reached the preferred 400 cubic feet per second, the town has activated the park to take advantage of rising water levels. Free demos at the park will begin Tuesday and continue Tuesday evenings from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. through June 22. The demos are run by Alpine Quest Sports and instructors will be on hand to demonstrate their skills and to show kayakers how to freestyle. The park has an adjustable whitewater wave that allows kayakers to experience maximum conditions during peak flows. The system will operate into late-June or as runoff allows…
The park’s computer controlled system is being programmed to read the water level each morning, and then automatic adjustments will be triggered to produce the best wave possible throughout the day. Kayakers are asked to leave feedback for the town about any additional adjustments that can be made to the park throughout the season. Feedback forms are available on site or by e-mail at whitewater@vailgov.com.
More whitewater coverage here.
From The Colorado Springs Gazette (Eileen Welsome):
Mayor Lionel Rivera and Utilities CEO Jerry Forte hailed the decision as a historic vote, saying it would benefit not only the utility’s ratepayers, but other water consumers throughout the county. “It’s a win-win for everybody,” Forte said…
Under the new policy, which still has many details to be worked out, the regional partners would be charged a premium for water service that would be higher than what the utility’s current customers pay. A portion of that would go to the city’s general fund and another portion to Utilities.
The Utilities board, which consists of members of the City Council, voted 6-2 to move ahead with the regional partnerships. Councilmen Randy Purvis and Tom Gallagher cast dissenting votes. “I’m opposed to using our water,” Gallagher said, questioning whether Utilities would have an adequate water supply to meet demand during times of drought. Gallagher said he was also concerned about whether the utility would be able to accurately assess the hidden costs associated with delivering the water — such as electricity used to drive pumps — to the regional partners.
But Rivera insisted that the regional partnerships will be a good deal for the city and the utility. “If we have excess capacity that we’re not using, then we’re not being good stewards of our resources,” he said. “It will be a huge benefit to be able to sell water that we don’t need.”
More infrastructure coverage here.
Snowpack/runoff news: Recent storms help the outlook
May 20, 2010
From the Boulder Daily Camera (Jenn Fields):
In the South Platte River basin — which is basically the Front Range — the snowpack is at 113 percent of average as of Tuesday, said Matthew Kelsch, a hydrometeorologist with University Corporation for Atmospheric Research. “The storms we had last week definitely helped catch us up to average,” Kelsch said. It was a welcome boost at higher elevations, said Dan Gottas, a Boulder meteorologist who writes the mountain forecast for climbinglife.com. “Before the storminess set back in during late April, the snowpack water content over the higher elevations along the northern Front Range was around 75 percent of normal for that time of the year,” Gottas said. Now, he said, snow-water content measurements at some sub-alpine locations along the Front Range are at anywhere from 100 percent to 130 percent of average for this time of the year. The snowpack typically declines rapidly after peaking in late April, he said, but the combination of cooler temperatures preventing the spring run-off and more snow are now keeping the snowpack at or above average.
From the Longmont Ledger:
“River flows can increase dramatically, without warning. Flooding is the number one weather-related killer in the United States,” said a press release from the city. “Citizens are advised to not play in or near the Saint Vrain Creek, and especially do not allow any pets or small children near the water.” Due to the recent drought, it has been a number of years since there has been a significant streamflow through Longmont, the release said. Rivers and creeks therefore may be more dangerous than normal as logs and other material that have accumulated over the past few years break loose and become part of the flow. Nearly all area reservoirs are currently full. Therefore, with the exception of area ditches diverting water for irrigation purposes, all snowmelt and future rainfall events will flow through Longmont via the Saint Vrain and Left Hand Creeks.
From email from Reclamation (Vern Harrell):
The mid month forecast decreased by 20,000 acre-feet from the May 1 forecast. With the current forecast, it doesn’t look like McPhee Reservoir will fill this year.
From The Pueblo Chieftain (Chris Woodka):
The Arkansas River basin has the highest number of acres infested with tamarisk in Colorado, and much of it is in the upland areas, Edelmann said. “The [recent U.S. Geological Survey scientific assessment] doesn’t mean there weren’t water savings from tamarisk removal, just that they couldn’t be detected,” Edelmann said. “That’s not to say there could be some savings in the upland areas of the Arkansas River basin.”
Tamarisk consumptive use was reported as high as 9 feet per year in studies from the 1940s-70s, but the scientific methods did not take into account weather factors. Newer studies show the probable consumptive use is closer to 3-4 feet per year…
There could be a savings to the river by increasing the amount of water available to the Arkansas River, but any measurement would have to look at all components of the water budget — the water table, canal leakage and weather factors. “The river is a drain, so you should be able to see a net difference,” Edelmann said. “A lot of variables come into play.” So far, there have not been comprehensive studies showing the water-saving benefits of tamarisk removal in the Arkansas River basin. There is some anecdotal evidence,” Edelmann said. “The wetlands returned at Bent’s Fort when the tamarisk was cleared.” There are other benefits, such as improved flood protection in the river channel and improved wildlife habitat, Edelmann said.
From The Denver Post (Bruce Finley):
The latest water-quality tests showed that Ralston Creek below Schwartzwalder mine carried as much as 390 parts per billion of uranium, which is 13 times higher than the 30 ppb health standard. Contamination of groundwater at the source — inside the mine — exceeded the standard by 1,000 times. Drinking water remains safe, Denver Water and Arvada authorities said, because uranium is removed from Ralston Reservoir water by municipal water treatment plants. Still, even after treatment, uranium levels appear to be rising in some systems. In Arvada, reservoir water tested at 7.2 ppb before treatment. Uranium in drinking water sent to the city’s household customers increased to 1.2 ppb in April from 0.9 ppb in January.
“We’re urging the state to take immediate action,” said James McCarthy, Arvada’s chief of regulatory and environmental compliance. “We’re not retooling for uranium removal. That’s not just something you can turn a switch and do. That’s why Cotter has to do something about this. Why didn’t they make it known sooner?”
Jefferson County officials said they’ve been in regular contact with state regulators. The reservoir’s owner, Denver Water, “would like to see immediate and aggressive steps to ensure that reclamation of the mine is completed in a timely manner,” spokeswoman Stacy Chesney said.
Colorado’s top water-quality overseer sent a memo May 10 to the mining regulators recommending swift action. “If a permanent solution cannot be implemented in a very short time frame, then an interim solution, such as pumping and treating as much contaminated water as possible, should be launched immediately,” wrote Steve Gunderson, director of water quality control for the state health department. Cotter’s mine “is causing a violation of stream standards. That’s the thing we’re waiting to get addressed. They cannot have a discharge that is violating stream standards,” Gunderson said Wednesday.
More Schwartzwalder coverage here. More nuclear coverage here and here.
