Future Water NEWS FROM THE COLORADO RIVER DISTRICT The Colorado River District: Protecting the River Why Irrigated Ag Defines Water in the West The Link Between Lake Powell and Local Water Use How the ‘Law of the River’ Governs the Colorado Meet the Colorado River District Board of Directors Future Water NEWS FROM THE COLORADO RIVER DISTRICT Adapting to the new realities in the Colorado River Basin. April 2018 Inside this Issue Welcome to this new style of an annual report from the Colorado River District. It is designed to be a comprehensive overview of Colorado River water issues and the District’s work to address them. As always, details of our programs, financials and more can be found at ColoradoRiverDistrict.org. Tom Alvey discusses the importance of agriculture in the new era of growing population, drought and increased water Black Canyon of the Gunnison River demands in the West. PAGE Our mission: To lead in the protection, conservation, use and 4 development of the water resources of the Colorado River Basin for the welfare of the District, and to safeguard for Colorado all waters of the Colorado River to which the state is entitled. Ag & Shoshone Hydro Water Rights Why they are important for western 201 Centennial St., Glenwood Springs, CO 81601 Colorado River District Staff (970) 945-8522 Colorado. Wyoming PAGE The Colorado River District Colorado. We own and operate Hunter Causey Don Meyer protects western Colorado Wolford Mountain Reservoir in 6 Water Resources Engineer Senior Water Resources Engineer water resources on behalf of Grand County in conjunction Sonja Chavez Martha Moore Utah the 500,000 people in northwest with our partner, Denver Water. Water Resources Specialist Public Affairs Specialist and west central Colorado west In 2006, we completed expansion of the Continental Divide. The of Elkhead Reservoir in north- Big River Issues How close are we to the John Currier Andy Mueller Nevada Colorado impending Drought Contingency Plans? Chief Engineer General Manager Colorado River District was west Colorado. founded in 1937, in part, to be Kem Davidson Lorra Nichols PAGE Project Caretaker Paralegal the watchdog of Colorado River Additionally, the Colorado River diversions across the Rocky District controls water in various Laurie DePaolo Ian Philips California Arizona New Mexico Mountains to the east. other reservoirs to support 8 Executive Assistant Chief Accountant West Slope people, industry, Jack DeSanti Jim Pokrandt Today our role continues with agriculture, recreation and the Project Caretaker Community Affairs Director an urgency surpassing the days environment. We are a public, Looking toward the sky The Colorado Mike Eytel David Smith of our founding. Population governmental entity governed River District runs a cloud-seeding program Senior Water Resources Specialist Engineer Tech growth, drought and climate by a Board of Directors, one Mexico to improve snowpack. Peter Fleming Meredith Spyker change promise the coming years Director from each of our 15 General Counsel Administrative Assistant will bear many more ideas to counties. PAGE move water. Alesha Frederick Ray Tenney Visit our website to learn more about Business Support Specialist Deputy Chief Engineer Property owners within the our work and current water issues. 15 The Colorado River District also District pay a small property Denise Hussain Chris Treese watches to the west, to Lake tax to support our mission. Our Records Administrator/ External Affairs Manager www.ColoradoRiverDistrict.org Information Specialist Powell, Lake Mead and how six District includes all of the lands Eric Kuhn explains how we govern the Audrey Turner other states and the Republic of of Moffat, Rio Blanco, Mesa, Dave Kanzer Administrative Chief mighty Colorado in his historical view of Deputy Chief Engineer Mexico compete to use Colorado Delta, Ouray, Garfield, Gunnison, the ‘Law of the River.’ Jason Turner River water. Pitkin, Summit, Eagle, Grand Zane Kessler PAGE Senior Counsel and Routt Counties as well as Communications Director Luci Wilson The Colorado River District portions of Hinsdale, Montrose 20 Eric Kuhn Accountant holds and develops water rights and Saguache Counties. Former General Manager for the benefit of western 2 3 Tom Alvey Q&A President of the Colorado River District (CRD) Board and Director for 11 years What are the top threats to western Colorado water? world we live in has been created by the efforts of those who put Western Colorado’s agricultural importance in the era of population Upstream, downstream and decay in the middle. The Front Range water to beneficial use. It’s a pretty admirable world. growth, drought and new demands on our water supplies remains convinced that there is more water available on the West Slope for their use. The Lower Basin still uses more water than What are the top opportunities? All these threats create Where do you live? For 40 years, I’ve lived with Reclamation’s salinity-control grants to achieve some spectac- it its entitlement under the Colorado River Compact. Our water opportunities for greater understanding and collaboration. This is a and worked on Rogers Mesa in Delta County. ular infrastructure improvement projects. Throughout Delta County, infrastructure is aging and needs modernization. Another threat critical time in western water management and the River District is the River District has provided leadership in creatively improving is the lack of understanding from our own residents about the well constituted to provide continued leadership and guidance to the What do you do? I operate an orchard growing organic apri- our water-delivery systems. And that does not include the huge inter-relation between water and community. When the Colora- development of new paradigms. cots, peaches and apples, and manage a packing shed for myself benefits and influence the District has in terms of “Big River” issues do Water Plan calls for and other growers. We sell fruit to most of the major retailers on that impact us all on the West Slope in regard to Lake Powell and Stream Management What will western Colorado look like in 50 years? the Front Range – King Soopers, Whole Foods, Natural Grocers relations with the other six states in the Colorado River basin. I hope it will look something like it does today. I am a conservative and Sprouts. in the old sense – I want to conserve that which we have and pre- What are the CRD’s top priorities? Maintaining our serve the qualities of life in western Colorado. If in 50 years we still Other affiliations in water? I am President of the North historic water uses and the community of activities and interests have viable irrigated agriculture and a similar mix of small towns, Fork Water Conservancy District (Paonia Reservoir is our main that have grown up around them — irrigated agriculture, towns and recreational uses and a healthy environment and economy, the River responsibility), Vice President of the Leroux Creek Water Users As- communities, recreation and the environment. To this end, I want District will have done its job. sociation (small reservoirs and irrigation/municipal distribution) and to mention the River District’s 2017 top priority, which was to do President of Ellington Ditch Company (mutual ditch and irrigation the impossible — replace the irreplaceable Eric Kuhn as General What else would you like CRD constituents to distribution). Manager. Eric shaped the River know? The River District Board is composed of representatives District into the respected authority from each of the 15 counties in the District and each Board member How did you get involved on Colorado Basin issues that it is takes their position seriously. This is a hard-working Board that val- with western water? and provided a great environment for ues input from the citizens of the District. So we’d like to hear from You can’t farm in western Colorado the development of a top-level staff. Plans (SMP) and then focuses on only the environmental and rec- you if there’s something you think needs our attention. without being involved with water. We thank him for all he has done. We reational parts of stream management, this is a problem. Human It is not optional. In small irrigation are now welcoming his replacement, use of streams is part of the environment and irrigators and water companies there is always the need Andy Mueller, who we think is a rights must be considered in any management plan. There is a for new help (fresh meat!), so the great addition and a great advocate tendency to separate the needs of the environment from the needs first year we started growing fruit for West Slope water. of the people who live there, a tendency to create an “either-or” I also became part of “reservoir confrontation between water users and environmental bene- management 101” for our local water Moving forward, the River Dis- fits — to see irrigators as the enemy company. I’ve been involved ever trict will continue to protect our of healthy streams. SMPs can’t look since and always intrigued by the interplay between community and water rights and streamflows, balancing the need for development at only environment and recreation- water. Water users are the most self-reliant people I’ve ever known. against the threat of overuse. The River District must try to develop al values — they must also consider consensus on methods for sharing any risk from water shortages the ownership of water rights and the What role does the CRD play in your operations/ caused by either climate change or diversions. It is vital that West value and community that has grown community? The River District has had a huge influence on our Slope agriculture not be the target for any plan to ensure municipal up around these uses. The stream is not community through the efforts of staff, namely Dave Kanzer and water supply or safety from compact curtailment threats.