MIDDLE BOULDER CREEK WATER SOURCE MANAGEMENT WORK PLAN BOULDER, COLORADO Prepared by the Water Resources Staff of the Utilities Division of the city of Boulder, with support from: GEI Consultants, Inc. Brown & Caldwell Hydrosphere Resource Consultants ERO Resources Corp. Western Environmental Analysts GBSM Steven P. Walker Kris Kranzush Version 1, July 23, 2002 Project 00364 MIDDLE BOULDER CREEK WATER SOURCE MANAGEMENT WORK PLAN BOULDER, COLORADO July 23, 2002 Submitted to: City of Boulder 1739 Broadway Boulder, CO 80306 Prepared by: GEI Consultants, Inc. 6950 South Potomac Street, Suite 200 Englewood, CO 80112 (303) 662-0100 Project 00364 _______________________________________ Curtis A. Thompson, P.E. Project Manager _______________________________________ Richard A. Westmore, P.E. Senior Project Advisor GEI Consultants, Inc., Project 00364, 07/18/02 00364 Final Report (7-1-02).doc Version 1, June 20, 2002 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Background On March 7, 2001, the city of Boulder purchased Barker Dam, Barker Meadow Reservoir, the Barker Gravity Pipeline, Kossler Reservoir, the pipeline from Kossler Reservoir to Boulder Canyon Hydroelectric Plant, and the Boulder Canyon Hydroelectric Plant from Xcel Energy (Public Service Company of Colorado) for $12.4 million. Combined, the purchased facilities and the accompanying land constitute the Boulder Canyon Hydroelectric Project (Barker system). Boulder purchased the Boulder Canyon Hydroelectric Project using a portion of the proceeds from the sale of Windy Gap Project units in 1991. All remaining funds from the Windy Gap sale will be used to repair and upgrade the Barker system. The main purpose for the purchase of the these facilities was to enhance Boulder’s municipal water supply and to allow the city to make necessary repairs to the Barker system. Boulder’s Management Priorities The primary purpose of Barker Meadow Reservoir is to store Boulder’s municipal water for delivery to Boulder’s Betasso Water Treatment Plant. Boulder’s municipal water supply goals are to provide an adequate, reliable, high quality water supply for Boulder’s present and projected build-out population, even during times of moderately severe drought. Because of the unpredictable variability of water supply, Boulder needs to remain flexible and innovative in the management of its water supplies and should continue to emphasize conservation and protection of its water resources. Boulder’s water quality goals include protection of the quality of waters at their source as a part of a multiple barrier approach to drinking water quality protection. Boulder seeks to maximize source water protection by encouraging cooperation among the landowners and land users in the watersheds supplying the city’s water. Management of watersheds, reservoirs, and water delivery facilities can compliment water treatment to provide a buffer that helps prevent harmful substances from passing through the treatment process into finished drinking water. Boulder’s Secondary Goals Secondary goals associated with the Barker system include hydropower generation, recreation, instream flows, and environmental enhancement. Hydropower generation is an effective way to conserve fossil fuels and can be accomplished as a byproduct to delivering water to the Betasso Water Treatment Plant. Boulder also seeks to provide for reasonable and safe recreational activities that are compatible with and do not compromise the primary goal of providing reliable, high quality drinking water for the city of Boulder. The current FERC license for Boulder Canyon Hydro Project provides for shoreline fishing, picnicking and other leisure opportunities at Barker Reservoir that do not involve body contact with the stored drinking water supply. Another important goal is to innovatively manage the city-owned water supplies to enhance and protect the natural environment in the Middle Boulder Creek watershed. As part of this GEI Consultants, Inc., Project 00364, 07/18/02 00364 Final Report (7-1-02).doc iii Version 1, July 23, 2002 enhancement, the city is committed to maintaining instream flows in Middle Boulder Creek below Barker Dam and is working cooperatively with the Colorado Water Conservation Board to meet this goal. The instream flow program will be an extension of the successful instream flow program that the city has jointly implemented with the Colorado Water Conservation Board on North Boulder Creek and Main Boulder Creek. Purpose of the Work Plan To help the city accomplish its primary and secondary goals for the Barker system and the city’s overall water supply system, the Water Resources work group within the city’s Public Works/Utilities Division developed the Middle Boulder Creek Water Source Management Work Plan (Work Plan). The purpose of the Work Plan was to compile existing information pertaining to the Barker system and the Middle Boulder Creek watershed, evaluate the information and make recommendations. The scope for the Work Plan did not include conducting new studies or creating new data. An important part of the information gathering process was to facilitate stakeholder involvement and present ways for the public to submit comments and concerns regarding the Middle Boulder Creek watershed. When gaps in information were identified, the management planning team recommended possible studies or sources of information to fill the existing gaps. Based on the information collected in the planning process, the work plan recommends management decisions and work efforts for the immediate future. The Work Plan is inherently dynamic and flexible, and will evolve as more is learned about the Middle Boulder Creek watershed. Work Plan Team The city of Boulder assembled a team of experts consisting of eight consulting firms or agents to assist in the development of the Work Plan. The Work Plan was developed through the city’s Utilities Division under the project management of Carol Ellinghouse, Water Resources Coordinator. Critical project support was provided by Joanna Stansbury, Water Resources Specialist; Jane Nelson, Public Works Communication Coordinator; June Busse, Utilities Project Manager specializing in raw water systems and hydropower; Amy Struthers, Water Quality Supervisor, and other key city employees. GEI Consultants, Inc. (GEI) was the lead consultant. GEI and Water Resources staff shared complimentary roles in managing the project, implementing the public process, and producing the Work Plan. The Project Team consisted of GEI, city staff and seven subconsultants specializing as follows (in alphabetical order): · Bill Lewis: limnology (study of freshwater lakes) · Brown & Caldwell: water quality and GIS · ERO Resources Co.: habitat, environmental issues, and GIS · GBSM: public process · Hydrosphere: hydrology, water supply system operations, and water rights · Kris Kranzush: historic and cultural issues, safety and security, and Community Liaison · Steve Walker: recreation GEI Consultants, Inc., Project 00364, 07/18/02 00364 Final Report (7-1-02).doc iv Version 1, July 23, 2002 Scope of Work The initial stages of the Work Plan Project involved development of project goals, objectives, and a scope of work. Project Team consultants were involved in the development process from its beginning stages. The scope of work guiding the Work Plan development process encompassed the following tasks. A more detailed scope of work is included in Appendix D. 1. Facilitate a Project Team scoping meeting and develop a scope of work and project budget. 2. Prepare a Middle Boulder Creek watershed Reference Index and Library. 3. Prepare a limnological model of Barker Meadow Reservoir. 4. Prepare a Betasso Water Treatment Plant Notification Plan for the Middle Boulder Creek watershed. 5. Prepare and implement an External Communication Plan, including a public involvement program. 6. Prepare and implement an Internal Communication Plan, including a participant-accessible Web site. 7. Compile existing information on Middle Boulder Creek watershed hydrology and water rights. 8. Evaluate Middle Boulder Creek recreational opportunities and their impacts on water quality, water quantity, and safety. 9. Evaluate historical and cultural resources associated with the Barker system. 10. Evaluate available Middle Boulder Creek watershed water quality information, including point-source and non-point-source pollutants and their pathways. 11. Evaluate hydropower facility operations and their impacts on water quality and quantities to develop short-term and long-term decision support tools and to produce a hydropower operations summary. 12. Evaluate reservoir drawdown requirements and the effects of maintaining a minimum reservoir pool elevation as a basis for future studies related to Barker Reservoir fishery habitat. 13. Review County, State, and Federal Regulations that pertain to the Barker system. 14. Coordinate with emergency response agencies to determine criteria for development of a Water Source Emergency Response Plan. 15. Evaluate watershed and ecological concerns to facilitate the development of Habitat Preservation and Maintenance Plans. 16. Integrate existing GIS maps of the watershed. 17. Facilitate and attend Project Team progress meetings. 18. Preparation and/or support of city staff in preparation of project progress reports, including four City Council reports. 19. Development and production of a final Middle Boulder Creek Water Source Management Work Plan. Public Process The objective of the public process was to involve all interested stakeholders and collect