eagle county town hall meeting
TRANSCRIPT
Colorado Water PlanEagle County Town Hall
Public MeetingMarch 27, 2014
AgendaEagle County Water HistoryBackground
Colorado Basin RoundtableColorado Water PlanBasin Implementation Plan (BIP)
BIP Project StatusWhere have we been?Where are we going?
Breakout StationsThis is your planInput
Eagle County Water HistoryValue of water locally
Environment and habitatRanching/AgricultureFishing/boatingWater supplySkiing
ImpactsMining Transmountain diversionCommunity growth
Eagle County Water History
Early developmentMunicipal use – small townsAgriculture, ranchingMining
Later developmentRecreationResort EconomyGrowing Towns
Eagle County Developed WaterLEDE Reservoir (1931)Homestake Project (1967)Black LakesSnowmakingEagle River Memorandum of Understanding
(1998)Eagle Park ReservoirVail & Avon Whitewater Parks (RICDs)Denver Settlement (2007)Colorado River Cooperative Agreement (CRCA)
Background Basin Roundtables
HB 1177 (2005)9 Roundtables in Colorado (8 watersheds plus 1
additional for the Metro)Colorado Water Plan
Executive Order May 2013Plan has to show how we meet the GapPlanning horizon is 2050
Basin Implementation PlanGrassroots documentProjects, policies and processes on how to meet the
Gap
Colorado Water Plan Overview – Governor’s Executive
OrderCompilation of 9 Basin
Roundtables PlansHow can we meet the
“Gap”?Planning horizon-2050Draft due July 2014
Governor’s Executive Order-Why?The “Gap” between future demand and
future projects is real….500,000 acre-feet per year
PopulationDrought Transfer of water rights from agriculture
is unacceptableWater qualityInterstate issues pressingFront Range new supply project
Your OpportunityCWP is an opportunity to transition from an
individual perspective to a regional perspective.
Colorado Basin Population Projections County
2000 Population
2030
Population
Increase in Population
2000 to 2030
Percent Change 2000 to
2030
Percent Annual Growth
Rate
Eagle 43,300 86,900 43,600 101 2.3
Garfield 43,800 119,900 76,100 274 5.2
Grand 12,900 28,800 15,900 123 2.7
Mesa 116,250 220,600 104,350 190 3.8
Pitkin 15,900 27,200 11,300 71 1.8
Summit 25,700 50,400 24,700 96 2.3
TOTAL 248,000 492,600 244,600 99 2.3
Population doubling
Ref: SWSI and AGNC
Conservation Ag to Urban
Transfers
New Projects(Colorado Basin development)
How can we Fill the Gap? Already planned projects (Windy Gap firming, Moffat Collection System) +
Graphics provided by the Colorado Foundation for Water Education
Existing StressesHeadwaters: Low, Flat Flows
Flows reduced by transmountain diversions.Ecosystem impacts: degraded habitat for fish,
riparian vegetationEconomic impacts: impediment to growth,
tourismMiddle section: Flows depend on Shoshone Call
Water quality concerns: natural gas drilling, saline springs
Rapid population growthLower section: Flows depend on Cameo, Shoshone
Salts and selenium leach into river when water percolates through soils
Less high-mountain water makes river saltier
Threats, Challenges, Issues Compact CallsTransbasin diversionsEndangered SpeciesGrowth separation of land use and water
planningEnergyShoshone Call Loss of agricultureClimate change
Imbalances between Supply and Demand (US BOR) - Exacerbate Current Stresses
Lake Powell Elevations
Figures from report “Water and its Relationship to the Economies of the Headwaters Counties,” commissioned by the Northwest Colorado Council of governments.
BIP Project Status –Where Have we Been?
Visioning document White Paper, West Slope PrincipalsDeveloped themes from PLT’s, public, and interviewsGoals and Measureable outcomes (3 PLT’s)
Actions Short term actions Long term actions Constraints and opportunities
Main-stem administration and management issues GIS maps of each region/county/watershedPublic outreach activitiesWater provider interviewsAll of this is iterative and subject to your input!
Project Status –Where are we Going?Continuation of Public OutreachApril Implementation StrategiesMay and June finalize report, feedback,
reviews, resolutions?July 15 Draft BIP due to CWCB (July 16..go
fishing)
December 2014 Draft to GovernorBuilding off existing SWSI information and
other sourcesNonconsumptive Needs Assessment (NCNA)
Roundtable ThemesLocal controlLand use - connection with water useHealthy rivers
Not just flat, but supporting healthy biologyMulti-purpose projects
Existing reservoirs, restricted, better cooperation of review Why reliance upon stream – vulnerable no redundancy
Save agricultureNo water to support other basinsProtect Mainstem water rights operationsRegional cooperationThemes change and evolve
Estimates flow-related ecological RISK at a regional scale.Hydrologic foundation – used Colorado's StateMod to model
daily natural/current flows. Classify stream segments by hydrogeomorphic setting.Using existing studies and data, developed quantitative
models of flow alteration and ecological response.Utilized Indicators of Hydrologic Alteration (IHA) software
to analyze hydrologic data.Developed mapping showing areas that may be at risk due
to changes in flow regime.
Watershed Flow Evaluation Tool (WFET) -
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
10/1 11/1 12/1 1/1 2/1 3/1 4/1 5/1 6/1 7/1 8/1 9/1
Spring> create and maintain channel features for spawning and seed establishment> provide cues for initiation of spawning migration
Summer and autumn> temp cues for spawning> off-channel habitats for young> steady water level decline supports root establishment
Winter> minimal fluctuations enhance survival of fishes.> ice scour regulates woody riparian plants.
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Colorado pikeminnow
Narrowleaf cottonwood
Understanding Flow Patterns & Ecological Response
Nonconsumptive Needs Assessment (NCNA)Part of the Statewide Water Supply Initiative
(SWSI) 2010Environmental and recreational mapping –
focus areas and projects and methodsHabitat restoration (bank stabilization or
instream habitat restoration)Flow protection [voluntary flow agreements,
instream flow (ISF) donations, voluntary re-operation of reservoirs for environmental and recreational benefit]
Nonconsumptive Needs Assessment (NCNA)Attributes at risk
Water qualityGeomorphic functionRiparian/wetlands ecological functionAquatic ecological functionRecreational boating
#1 Factor affecting attributes - FLOWQuantification of “at-risk” reaches = 64+
5 reaches within Blue River
Public Outreach Nonconsumptive
Recovery Program, Conservation Rep. for the Recovery Program Implementation Team Bureau of Reclamation Colorado Parks and Wildlife Denver Water Bureau of Land Management United States Forest Service Nonconsumptive Roundtable Representatives Trout Unlimited
Consumptive Water provider interviews
Agricultural NRCS Ag Days (January 29) Rancher/Farmer individual meetings Colorado River District-Colorado River Water Supply and Demand Study
Misc AGNC NWCOG Rotary and Kiwanis Clubs Colleges County Commissioners
Upcoming MeetingsTown Hall Meetings
Thursday, April 3, 6-8 p.m., Grand Junction (Grand Junction City Hall)
Thursday, April 10, 6-8 p.m., Aspen (Rio Grande Building/Conference Room)
Colorado Basin Roundtable MeetingApril 14, 2014, Glenwood Springs Community Center, noon – 4 p.m.
Have you Checked Out the Website? http://coloradobip.sgm-inc.com/
Thank YouThis is your plan and project….we
want to hear from You! You are driving this plan!
Breakout stationsConsumptiveNon ConsumptiveAgriculturePolicy