Colorado Water PlanPitkin County Town Hall

Public MeetingApril 10, 2014

AgendaPitkin County/Roaring Fork WatershedBackground

Colorado Basin RoundtableColorado Water PlanBasin Implementation Plan (BIP)

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

Questions/Breakout Sessions

Pitkin County/Roaring Fork Watershed Water Supply (vulnerable to drought/forest health/FryArk)

FryArk “PSOP” - Preferred Storage Options Plan Drought Forest health

Nonconsumptive critical reaches (low flow) Roaring Fork – City of Aspen Roaring Fork – above confluence with the Fryingpan River Crystal River

Federal lands/permitting Ruedi Reservoir Pre 1922 water rights Conditional water rights RICD’s (Recreational In-Channel Diversion)

Pitkin County/Roaring Fork Watershed – Moving ForwardMore regional cooperation is needed

Roaring Fork River WatershedRoaring Fork Efficiency Plan

(conservation focus will increase)Prepare for Compact Call and drought

Background Basin RoundtablesColorado Water PlanBasin Implementation Plan (BIP)

Governor’s Executive Order - What?Executive Order signed in May of 2013Prepared by the 9 Roundtables (BIP)Plan has to show how we meet the

consumptive and nonconsumptive Gap48,000 AFY Consumptive Gap64 Critical Reaches Nonconsumptive Gap

Planning horizon is 2050Draft BIPs to State by July 2014

Yampa/White

Gunnison

Southwest

Rio Grande

Arkansas

South Platte

Metro

North Platte

Colorado

Governor’s Executive Order-Why?Population

Statewide growth to double from 5 to 10 million

Fastest growth will be in the Colorado Basin Counties, more than 240%

Pitkin County growth projected to be 71%

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

Population – Increasing, No “New” Water….Reallocation of existing use.

Many uses compete for a scarce and limited water supply

Municipal & Industrial9%

Agriculture86%

Recreation

Environment

16

Graphics provided by the Colorado Foundation for Water Education.

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

real….500,000 acre-feet per yearAlready planned projects (Windy Gap Firming, Moffat

Collection ++)How can we fill the “Gap”?

Conservation Ag to Urban Transfers

New Projects(Colorado Basin development)

Graphics provided by the Colorado Foundation for Water Education

Governor’s Executive Order-Why?Threats, Challenges, and Issues

Compact CallsTransbasin diversions (new supply)Endangered SpeciesGrowth separation of land use and water

planningEnergy/Conditional Water Rights Shoshone Call Loss of agriculture (transfer of water rights)Climate changeWater quality degradation

Interstate issues

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

Lake Powell Elevations

Your OpportunityCWP is an opportunity to transition from an

individual perspective to a regional perspective.

Colorado Basin Roundtable TasksAssess internal needs & identify projects to meet

themNegotiate how to meet state needs

BIP Project Status –Where Have we Been?

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 quality/TemperatureGeomorphic functionRiparian/wetlands ecological functionAquatic ecological functionRecreational boating

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

Nonconsumptive Needs Focus Map

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 agricultureProtect mainstem water rights operationsRegional cooperationThemes change and evolveBottom line…No water to support other basins

No Water to Support Other Basins

Colorado Basin already has 100,000 AFY ag shortageSWSI - our basin will lose addl 80,000 acresWater Providers vulnerable to drought and compact callBOR study indicates shortage of 3.2 Million AFY with current

hydrology (Lake Powell and Mead)64 critical reaches already (headwater streams impaired)Uncertain futureRisk is non starterFirming and IPP’s and growing into existing water rights will

divert addl 150,000 AFYWater quality problems in middle and lower basinWe already contribute 400,000 – 600,000 AFY

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

Project Status –Where are we Going?

Upcoming MeetingsColorado Basin Roundtable Meetings

April 14, 2014, Glenwood Springs Community Center, noon – 4 p.m.April 28, 2014, Glenwood Springs Community Center, noon – 4 p.m.

State of the River MeetingsMay 6, Summit County, (more info TBD)  May 13, Grand County, 321 West Agate Avenue, Granby, CO, 6:00pmMay 14, Middle Colorado State River meeting, Garfield County Library, 815 Cooper Ave., Glenwood Springs, CO, 6:00pmMay 15, Mesa County State of the River meeting, Mesa County City Hall, 250 North 5th Street, Grand Junction, CO, 6:00pm June 2, Gunnison County State of the River meeting (more info TBD) Eagle River Valley (more info TBD)

http://coloradobip.sgm-inc.com/

Thank YouThis is your plan and project….we

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

Breakout stationsConsumptiveNonconsumptive (Enviro. and Rec.)AgriculturePolicy