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WIVG03802.Pdf (6.642Mb) UPPER GUNNISON-UNCOMPAHGRE BASIN STUDY PUBLIC MEETING PRESENTATION DECEMBER 14, 1988 ✓✓✓ ^1/. At H D R STUDY OBJECTIVES 1. TO IDENTIFY IN-BASIN OPPORTUNITIES FOR STREAMFLOW ENHANCEMENT SUCH AS LOW FLOW OR LATE SEASON FLOW AUGMENTATION TO IMPROVE EXISTING FISHERIES; 2. TO EXAMINE THE PHYSICAL AND LEGAL AVAILABILITY OF WATER IN THE BASIN AS WELL AS FUTURE IN-BASIN WATER DEMANDS (INCLUDING WATER FOR STREAMFLOW ENHANCEMENT). 3. TO EXAMINE POTENTIAL WATER AND HYDROPOWER COMPONENTS IN THE GUNNISON AND UNCOMPAHGRE BASINS: 4. TO DETERMINE ANNUAL WATER YIELD, COST AND TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY OF BOTH STRUCTURAL AND NON-STRUCTURAL ALTERNATIVES AVAILABLE FOR DEVELOPMENT: 5. TO MAKE A PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT OF THE ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY OF WATER DEVELOPMENT ALTERNATIVES: 6. EXAMINE THE TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY OF USING HYDROPOWER AND POTENTIAL OUT-OF-BASIN SALE OF WATER (THAT IS IN EXCESS OF IN-BASIN DEMANDS) TO FUND IN-BASIN WATER DEVELOPMENT COMPONENTS OF THE PROJECT: AND 7. SELECT ALTERNATIVE WATER DEVELOPMENT PLANS FOR PHASE II INVESTIGATION. UPPER GUNNISON-UNCOMPAHGRE BASIN STUDY APPROACH TO PRESENTATION OF RESULTS The alternative plans formulated to meet projected future demands within the study area will be presented in ranked format; that is, they will be listed in order from the most attractive to the least attractive based on the results of plan evaluation. An economic analysis will be prepared fcr the recommended plan and possibly for the next most attractive. The results will be presented in a manner that will indicate the excess or shortfall of revenue to cover expenses associated with development of the pian{s). The results of an economic evaluation fcr each potential financing mechanism will be presented in a manner that will indicate whether they have the potential to generate revenue in excess of their implementation costs. A discussion of project implementation will be presented which will include: benefits of the recommended plan; economic feasibility of the plan; environmental impacts, both positive and negative, of implementation; and finally, the economic and environmental impacts of adding one or more financing mechanisms to the recommended plan. TARGET OBJECTIVES • SATISFY PROJECTED FUTURE MUNICIPAL AND INDUSTRIAL WATER DEMANDS WITHIN THE STUDY AREA. • PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES THAT WILL RESULT IN INCREASED ECONOMIC BENEFITS TO THE STUDY AREA. ASSURE THAT AN ADEQUATE WATER SUPPLY WILL BE AVAIUBLE TO SUPPORT THE RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES PROPOSED IN THE STUDY AREA. • SATISFY PROJECTED FUTURE AGRICULTURAL WATER DEMANDS IN THE STUDY AREA. ♦ PRESERVE THE CRITICAL ASPECTS OF THE STUDY AREA ENVIRONMENT, SUCH AS WATER QUALITY, TO THE MAXIMUM PRACTICABLE DEGREE CONSISTENT WITH THE OTHER TARGET OBJECTIVES. • PROVIDE MECHANISMS, IF NEEDED, TO ENHANCE THE FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY OF THE PREFERRED BASIN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN. WATER SHORTAGES AND DEFICIENCIES ♦ MUNICIPAL AND INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY: NONE IDENTIFIED » AGRICULTURAL SUPPLY: NUMBER OF MAXIMUM AVERAGE YEARS W/ ANNUAL ANNUAL SUB-BASIN SHORTAGE SHORTAGE SHORTAGE (af) (af) COCHETOPA CREEK 721 469 OHIO CREEK 1,831 793 TOMICHI CREEK 3,145 1,413 COW CREEK 756 394 HAPPY CANYON CREEK 143 89 HORSEFLY CREEK 118 53 UPPER SPRING CREEK 167 72 BLUE RIVER 920 243 ♦ STREAMFLOW: SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCIES ON OHIO, TOMICHI AND COCHETOPA CREEKS. MINOR DEFICIENCIES ON MANY OTHER STREAMS. Summary of Screening Results Water Hanagement and Conservation Measures Component Remarks Pheatophyte Control Eliminated Adverse Environmental impact and high cost. Ditch Lining Eliminated High cost relative to benefit. On-farm Efficiency Improvements Eliminated High cost relative to benefit. Reservoir Evaporation Suppression Eliminated Technically and financially not feasible. M&I Water Conservation Eliminated Potential savings minor on basinwide basis. Water Rights Purchase, Exchange Retained Potential benefit for and Transfer instream flows and transmountain diversions. Drought Insurance Retained Potential benefit for instream flows and transmountain diversions. Conjunction Use of Ground Eliminated Technically not and Surface Water Supplies feasible. Recreation Components Recommended For Inclusion In Alternative Flans W.fr Body Gunnison Rivar - Alnont Trophy-siza, wild Hanaga instraaa flows, improva to Blu« Masa Raaarvoir rainbow trout straan access on public sections and fishery improve irrigation diversions Taylor River Trophy-siza, wild Manage instreaa flows, institute rainbow trout stream special regulations and provide fishery public access to 1/4 mile reach below the dam. Blue Mesa Reservoir Study potential for Research the desirability of introduction of large- introducing Xamloops trout on a size trout species trial basis and implement if results warrant. Uncompahgre River below Develop trout fishery Monitor conditions and implement Ridgvay Reservoir appropriate plan when conditions warrant. water Body East River Provide public access Arrange for public access to 3 miles of present private property through short term leases. Tomichi Creeic (Marshall Provide public access Arrange for public access to 8 Creek to Gunnison River) miles of present private property through short term leases Quartz Creek Provide public access Arrange for public access to 3 miles of presently private property through short term leases. Water Body Component Proposed Aotion Taylor River Improve put-in and Provide 2 raft and boat access take-out points points. Taylor River Improve low flow rafting Modify selected reaches of potential streambed and manage Taylor Reservoir releases to improve rafting. Gunnison River - Almont Improve put-in and Provide 3 raft and boat access to Blue Mesa Reservoir take-out points points. WaterbodT Gunnison River - Almont to Provide campgrounds Develop 25 campsites Blue Mesa Reservoir East River Provide campgrounds and Develop 10 campsites and 18 miles trails of trail between Almont and Crested Butte. Taylor River Provide campgrounds Develop 25 campsites. Taylor Park Reservoir Provide campgrounds Develop 30 RV campsites. Develop 4 miles of streamside Tomichi Creek Provide trail trail through City of Gunnison, 3-acre park and 20 picnic sites. Cochatopa Creek within Improva existing Improve 32 existing primitive Cochatopa Canyon campgrounds campsites. Uncompahgre River Provide trails Develop 17 mile trail from Montrose to Ridgway Reservoir. Alternative Storage Sitea Retained For Further Study MAP ID NAME OF STREAM NUMBER PROPOSED RESERVOIR NAME COCHETOPA CREEK SUBBASIN 77 Lower Los Pinos Los Pinos Creek 126 Pauline Pauline Creek OHIO CREEK SUBBASIN 120 Castleton Castle Creek TOMICHI CREEK SUBBASIN Sargents #1 Tomichi Creek Sargents #2 Tomichi Creek Sargents #4 Tomichi Creek Sargents #3 Tomichi Creek Elko Tomichi Creek OFFW OUNHWON-UNCOWWOee (TUDY STORAGE SITES RETAINED FOR FURTHER STUDY ■ATI: Nov. 1988 DEFINITION OF ALTERNATIVE PLANS ♦ ALTERNATIVE NO. 1 ~ NON-STRUCTURAL PLAN COMPOSED EXCLUSIVELY OF SEVENTEEN RECREATION COMPONENTS. ♦ ALTERNATIVE NO. 2 - STRUCTURAL PLAN COMPOSED EXCLUSIVELY OF MULTIPURPOSE STORAGE RESERVOIRS; ONE EACH IN UPPER TOMICHI, COCHETOPA AND OHIO CREEK BASINS. ♦ ALTERNATIVE NO. 3 - COMBINATION OF ALTERNATIVES 1 AND 2. ♦ ALTERNATIVE NO. 4 - COMBINATION OF ALTERNATIVE NO. 2 AND TEN SELECTED RECREATION COMPONENTS. ♦ ALTERNATIVE NO. 5 - UPPER TOMICHI AND UPPER OHIO CREEK RESERVOIRS WITH TEN SELECTED RECREATION COMPONENTS. ♦ ALTERNATIVE NO. 6 - UPPER TOMICHI RESERVOIR WITH TEN SELECTED RECREATION COMPONENTS. Dtflnltlon of AUornitlvo No. I. Coapontnt 0 Hinago Instraaa f1oMS, Improvt acctss on public sactions and improvt Irrigation divtrslons on Gunnlson Rivar to davalop a trophy-slza. wild rainbow trout fishary. 0 Manago instraaa flows, instltuta spaclal ragulatlons and provlda public accass on 1/4 mila of straaa balow Taylor Park Oaa to davalop a trophy-slza, wild rainbow trout fishary In tha Uppar Taylor Rivar. 0 Study tha potential for introducing large size trout In Blue Mesa Reservoir. 0 Monitor conditions in tha Uncompahgra Rivar balow Ridgway Oam to assess potential of developing a trout fishery. 0 Provide public access to 3 miles of private property on tha East River (short-term leases). 0 Provide public access to 8 miles of private property on Tomichl Creek between Marshall Creek and the Gunnison River (short term leases). 0 Provide public access to 3 miles of private property on Quartz Creek, (short term leases). 0 Provlda two raft and boat access points on the Taylor Rivar. 0 Modify selected stream reaches and manage Taylor Reservoir releases to improve Taylor River rafting during low flow periods. 0 Provide three raft and boat accass points on tha Gunnison River. 0 Develop 25 campsites on tha Gunnison River below Almont. 0 Develop 10 campsites and 13 miles of streamsida trail on tha East River between Almont and Crested Butta. 0 Davalop 25 campsites on tha Taylor Rivar. 0 Develop 30 RV campsites at Taylor Park. 0 Develop 4 miles of streamside trail along Tomichl Creek through the City of Gunnison including a 3-acre park and 20 picnic sites. 0 Improve 32 existing primitive campsites along Cochetopa Creek within Cochetopa Canyon. 0 Develop 17 miles of Uncompahgre River trail from Montrosa to Ridgway Reservoir. Definition of Alternative No. 2 This alternative consists of three multi-purpose water storage reservoirs to serve irrigation demands, provide instreara flow enhancement, provide flatwater recreation, and to provide some measure of flood control. These reservoirs are as follows: Ohio Creek Basin Reservoir. A 20,000 af capacity
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