Municipal Subdistrict: Windy Gap WINDY GAP FIRMING PROJECT 2015 chimneyhollow.org THE WINDY GAP FIRMING PROJECT is a collaboration between 13 Northeastern Colorado providers to improve the reliability of, or Ƥrm, water supplies from the Windy ap Project, which started delivering water in 1985 and is operated by Northern Water’s Municipal Subdistrict. The Ƥrming project proposes to build a new East Slope reservoir called Chimney Hollow to provide dedicated storage, which would supply a reliable 30,000 acre feet of water a year for future generations. WHO ARE THE PARTICIPATING WATER PROVIDERS, AND WHY DO THEY NEED THE PROJECT? There are 13 participants: 10 municipalities, two water districts and one power provider. Northern Water’s Municipal Subdistrict is coordinating the permitting process for them. WHY IS BUILDING CHIMNEY HOLLOW RESERVOIR By 2050, the water providers’ combined population will have THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE? far more than doubled what it was in 2005, to about 800,000. Water demand projections show a shortage in supply of Participants reviewed 170 potential alternatives to provide the 64,000 acre feet in 2030 and 110,000 acre feet by 2050. supply they need. Constructing the 90,000-acre-foot Chimney Hollow Reservoir southwest of Loveland was the top choice To address this shortage, participants are relying on multiple for both the participants and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, approaches: conservation, reuse, and additional supplies – the lead federal agency reviewing the project. including the Ƥrming project. Chimney Hollow is a regional, cooperative solution, saving money and reducing environmental impacts by building just Firming Project Participant Boundaries one reservoir for the 13 providers to share. The RAWHIDE POWER PLANT reservoir is designed N to hook up to existing C-BT Delivery System infrastructure by storing NCWCD Boundaries water diverted into Windy ap’s system, HORSETOOTH C RESERVOIR a c h which pumps water into e l a Po ud re River Lake ranby and uses 7 4 FLATIRON r C-BT Project facilities for 1 RESERVOIR 10 ive R South Platte CARTER 11 delivery to participants. LAKE 9 Participant & firm annual yield The Ƥrming project 5 (in acre feet) would eƥciently BOULDER 1 PRPA Service area (5,150) RESERVOIR 13 2 Broomfield (5,600) Ƥll Chimney Hollow 3 Erie (2,000) 3 Reservoir using the Chimney Hollow site 12 4 Greeley (4,400) 6 original Windy ap water 8 2 5 Longmont (5,125) 6 Louisville (900) rights decrees. 7 Loveland (4,000) 8 Superior (1,500) Denver 9 Central Weld County Water District (100) Metro The reservoir is part of Larimer County’s open space plan and Area 10 Evans (500) would likely oơer Ƥshing and non-motoried boating. Larimer 11 Little Thompson Water District (1,200) 12 Lafayette (800) County owns the land adjacent to the reservoir site – an ideal 13 Fort Lupton (300) location for recreational trails and initiatives to protect habitat and vegetation. 2015 chimneyhollow.org WHAT MITIGATION WILL BE PROVIDED? The Subdistrict has agreed to provide other beneƤts outlined in a 1041 permit and agreements with rand County, West Slope The Subdistrict, on behalf of stakeholders, Trout Unlimited and others. They include water “Grand County has supply for the Middle secured protections for project participants, spent years water quantity and quality negotiating measures to mitigate Park Water Conservancy in the Colorado River environmental impacts. Several District and more water that never would have for stream habitat. happened without the agreements with West Slope project and this permit.” and other stakeholders describe - Nancy Stuart, chair, additional, voluntary beneƤts the The Subdistrict also Grand County Commission Subdistrict will provide. reiterated its support for “The Subdistrict and Northern Water’s long- project participants are The Subdistrict worked with term commitment to to be commended for work with Reclamation their efforts to address our biologists to develop the state concerns and do the right Ƥsh and wildlife mitigation and rand County to thing for the river.” plan, which has operational address the existing - Mely Whiting, counsel for concern of clarity in Trout Unlimited considerations to mitigate higher stream temperatures, increased rand Lake. “I believe that this ƪushing ƪows to clean sediment mitigation plan The Subdistrict will comprehensively in the stream, and nutrient addresses impacts to removal to oơset water uality provide $2 million for Colorado·s Àsh and wildlife impacts in rand Lake and the construction of a bypass Colorado River below Windy Gap resources.” Colorado River. Federal reviews for Colorado River water - Colorado Gov. John through or around Windy ap Reservoir, if studies show a Hickenlooper incorporated the plan in the Final Environmental Impact Statement. bypass would beneƤt to the river downstream of the diversion. “CWF applauds the Windy Gap Firming Project The participants’ commitments leave a legacy that goes far agreement to restore The state also authoried a [the] health of the Upper voluntary enhancement plan to beyond the reuirement to mitigate for the Ƥrming project Colorado River.” fund future stream restoration alone. Their collaborative eơorts take a much bigger step and - Colorado Wildlife will improve Colorado River conditions from what they are Federation and habitat-related projects. today. TIMELINE: WHAT’S HAPPENED SO FAR December 2014 Federal approvals 1985: Windy Gap Project construction completed 5eclamation &ompleted modiÀcations to e[istinJ Windy Gap carriaJe contract wKicK includes procedures and fees 2003: 13 water providers entered formal federal process for for Windy Gap water to move tKrouJK &-%7 facilities ÀrminJ project 6uEdistrict puElisKed alternatives report de- tailinJ evaluation of 1 metKods to potentially accomplisK 5eclamation siJns 5ecord of 'ecision on project project Joals and Kow tKey were narrowed down to seven WHAT’S LEFT – ANTICIPATED DATES 2005: 5eclamation puElisKed two Ney reports one descriE- inJ tKe purpose of and need for tKe project and one identi- 2015 fyinJ a ranJe of alternatives tKat could meet tKe needs 86 $rmy &orps of (nJineers permit to Euild 2006-2008: 5eclamation puElisKed more tKan 1 paJes 2015 of tecKnical reports detailinJ resource impact analyses &olorado 'epartment of PuElic +ealtK and (nvironment 1 water Tuality certiÀcation 2008: 5eclamation puElisKed tKe '(,6 wKicK details tKe proj- ect·s purpose and need and identiÀes mitiJation for impacts County agreement /arimer &ounty ParNs and 2pen 6pace 5ecreation plan for 2009: 6uEdistrict offered West 6lope EeneÀts to facilitate &Kimney +ollow 5eservoir manaJement project implementation neJotiations EeJan 2015-2017: Project desiJn June 2011: 6tate ofÀcials approved tKe ÀsK and wildlife miti- Jation plan and a voluntary enKancement plan 2018-2021: Project construction November 2011: 5eclamation puElisKed tKe )inal (,6 FOR MORE INFORMATION: chimneyhollow.org 2012: Grand &ounty commissioners and tKe 6uEdistrict Project Manager Jeff Drager Eoard approved a 11 permit alonJ witK several aJree- --333 [email protected] ments for &olorado 5iver improvements and otKer EeneÀts “The Subdistrict and project participants are to be commended for their efforts to address our concerns and do the right thing for the Colorado River.” – Mely Whiting, counsel for Trout Unlimited The Windy Gap Firming Project and the Environment Looking Back: Mitigation for the Original Windy Gap Project The original Windy Gap Project, which was built in the 1980s, Chimney Hollow site, with Carter Lake to the right went through its own federal process to determine mitigation measures for direct project impacts, in addition to negotiations for voluntary enhancements. The resulting environmental Engage in cooperative agreements and other measures included minimum streamflows, stream VOLUNTARY ENHANCEMENTS gauging, salinity studies and water for the West Slope. • Provide (through cooperation with other Colorado River water users) a permanent source of 5,412.5 acre ADDITIONAL MITIGATION feet a year from Lake Granby for the Upper Colorado River • $550,000 for endangered fish species Endangered Species Recovery Program • Agree not to oppose the Colorado River Cooperative • $420,000 for water and wastewater treatment facilities Agreement between Denver Water and West Slope entities • Minimum streamflows in the Colorado River from Windy • Participate, through the Windy Gap Project, in the Gap to the Blue River Shoshone Outage Protocol to benefit streamflows • $500,000 for archaeological work THE WINDY GAP FIRMING PROJECT • $10,000 to EPA to construct wildlife islands Enhance the Chimney Hollow area WILL PROVIDE WATER SUPPLY FOR VOLUNTARY ENHANCEMENTS MITIGATION FOR IMPACTS • $10.2 million payment the West Slope used toward FUTURE GENERATIONS WHILE • Provide revegetation and weed control in construction construction of Wolford Mountain Reservoir (in lieu of area building Azure Reservoir) IMPROVING CONDITIONS ON • Contribute $105,000 to a wetland mitigation bank • Minimize air quality and noise impacts to wildlife • $500,000 to upgrade new pumps and provide for THE COLORADO RIVER • Restore habitat affected during construction downstream rancher diversions • Enhance habitat per Larimer County recommendations • 3,000 acre feet of water per year for the Middle Park Water • Establish hunting access on property per state and Larimer County recommendations • Provide education to minimize human impacts to wildlife FOR MORE INFORMATION • Implement a migratory bird plan during construction