Uncompahgre Watershed Plan DRAFT UNCOMPAHGRE WATERSHED PLAN Uncompahgre Watershed Partnership 2012 uncompahgrewaterrshed.org ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The Uncompahgre Watershed Plan would not be possible without generous and substantial support by our m any partners. Funding sources for the project include the Colorado Healthy Rivers Fund, the Colorado Nonpoint Source Pollution Program, and the Blue Water Project from the Royal Bank of Canada. This project would not be possible without the help of the Western Hardrock Watershed Team and their OSM/AmeriCorps VISTA* Program. The UWP VISTA program was supported by TriCounty Water Conservancy District, the GMUG National Forest, Telluride Foundation, the Western Mining Action Network, and Trust for Land Restoration. Thank you Andrew Madison, Rachel Boothby, and Matthew Jurjonas for joining us in this adventure! We also wish to thank partners and supporters of the UWP and Uncompahgre community for providing the necessary energy and encouragement to engage in this process. Thank you to the Shavano Conservation District, Ridgway Ouray Community Council, Uncompahgre Valley Association, Selenium Task Force, Painted Sky RC&D, Uncompahgre Valley Water Users Association, Tri-County Water Conservancy District, Mosaic Community Project, City and County of Montrose, Ouray County, Town of Ridgway, City of Ouray, Delta County, City of Delta, Friends of the River Uncompahgre, Colorado River District, Uncompahgre Plateau Project, Trust for Land Reclamation, Red Mountain Project, CSU Extension ,Black Canyon Land Trust, BLM, USFS, USGS, CDPHE WQCD, BOR, NRCS, Division of Wildlife, DRMS, WHWT, San Juan Corridors Coalition, Gunnison Gorge Anglers, Ridgway State Park, RIGGS, Bio-Logic Inc., Western Stream Works LLC.., City of Ouray Library, Mountain Studies Institute, Idarado M ining. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS i EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A. The Watershed The Uncompahgre River Watershed (HUC 14020006) drains 1,115 square miles (713,876 acres) of the Gunnison Basin in southwestern Colorado, including parts of Delta, Montrose, Ouray, Gunnison, Hinsdale, San Juan and San Miguel Counties in southwest Colorado (Figure 2.1, Table 2.1). The elevation ranges from 14,158 feet at the peak of Mt. Sneffels to 4,915 ft at the mouth in Delta. The Uncompahgre River originates in Lake Como at 12,215 ft (3723m) in the Uncompahgre National Forest. It flows approximately 75 miles northwest past the City of Ouray, Town of Ridgway, City of Montrose, and Town of Olathe and joins the Gunnison River at Confluence Park in the City of Delta. B. Problems • State water planners have forecast gaps in water supplies which may impact existing water uses • Accelerated snowmelt can cause flooding and threaten storage efficiencies • Seasonal low flows in the Uncompahgre River can temporarily reduce in-stream habitat and dilution potential. • Segments of the Uncompahgre River and its tributaries are on the impaired water list for heavy metals • Segments of the Uncompahgre River and its tributaries are on the impaired water list for selenium • Segments of the Uncompahgre River and its tributaries will likely be listed as nutrient impaired when standards are adopted. • The current regulatory water quality framework does not reflect ambient conditions in the Uncompahgre River and its tributaries. • Lack of connectivity and trespass issues has potential to create recreation hazards and conflicts. • Rapid development creates new resource demands • Lack of formal stormwater management planning • Flood damage in the valley has increased. • The river is structurally unstable. C. Goals and Objectives Goal 1) Improve water quality • Meet TMDLs and remove segments off the 303d list for heavy metals • Meet TMDLs and remove segments off the 303d list for selenium • Reduce salt loads • Reduce nutrient loads • Reduce sediment loads Goal 2) Improve riverine ecosystem function • Understand the factors that lead to instability and unpredictability of the river channel • Protect environmentally sensitive and recently restored areas. • Improve flood management within the Uncompahgre Valley EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ii • Encourage development of riparian buffers and new wetlands. Goal 3) Improve seasonal low flows • Identify long-term strategies to augment flows Goal 4) Improve recreation opportunities • Educate the public about rights, responsibilities and safety hazards Goal 5) Create a stable stakeholder group • Increase participation in UWP meetings • Secure funding for implementation and future watershed coordinator EXECUTIVE SUMMARY iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .................................................................................................... i EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................. ii A. The Watershed......................................................................................................... ii B. Problems .................................................................................................................. ii C. Goals and Objectives ............................................................................................... ii EPA NINE ELEMENTS .................................................................................................... vi ACRONYMS .................................................................................................................... vii 1.0 BACKGROUND .................................................................................................. 1-1 1.1 Uncompahgre Watershed Partnership .............................................................. 1-1 1.2 Purpose of watershed plan................................................................................ 1-1 1.3 Stakeholder Concerns ....................................................................................... 1-1 2.0 WATERSHSED CHARACTERIZATION.......................................................... 2-1 2.1 Location ............................................................................................................ 2-1 2.2 Physiography and Geology .............................................................................. 2-1 2.3 Climate and Hydrology .................................................................................... 2-3 2.4 Environmental Resources ................................................................................. 2-5 2.5 Land Use and Growth Trends .......................................................................... 2-7 3.0 REGULATORY SETTING ................................................................................. 3-1 3.1 Water Quantity ................................................................................................. 3-1 3.2 Water Quality ................................................................................................... 3-3 3.3 Agricultural Programs ...................................................................................... 3-6 3.4 Wildlife and Wetlands Programs ..................................................................... 3-7 4.0 WATER INFRASTRUCTURE ........................................................................... 4-1 4.1 Wastewater Treatment...................................................................................... 4-1 4.2 Stormwater ....................................................................................................... 4-2 4.3 Drinking Water ................................................................................................. 4-2 4.4 Reservoirs ......................................................................................................... 4-2 4.5 Irrigation Network ............................................................................................ 4-3 5.0 WATER USE ....................................................................................................... 5-1 5.1 Consumptive Use ............................................................................................. 5-1 5.2 Non-Consumptive Water Use .......................................................................... 5-2 6.0 RIVER CONDITION ........................................................................................... 6-1 7.0 WATER QUALITY ............................................................................................. 7-1 7.1 State Water Quality Standards ......................................................................... 7-1 7.2 Outstanding Waters .......................................................................................... 7-2 7.3 Impaired and Use Limited Waters ................................................................... 7-2 7.4 Total Maximum Daily Loads ........................................................................... 7-3 7.5 Reports and Scientific Studies.......................................................................... 7-4 8.0 ISSUES OF CONCERN ...................................................................................... 8-1 9.0 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES .............................................................................. 9-1 9.1 Goals: ............................................................................................................... 9-1 9.2 Objectives: ........................................................................................................ 9-1 9.3 Critical Areas.................................................................................................... 9-4 10.0 MANAGEMENT MEASURES