County

Phase 1 of feasibility study looks at new reservoir along river in county

Taylor Draw Dam, located about six miles east of Rangely, controls the water in Kenney Reservoir while also producing hydroelectric power. The two-mile reservoir is heavily silted and the eastern mile of the lake has almost been lost to water storage and recreation, bringing about the need for and the likelihood of a new reservoir along the river in Rio Blanco County 10 to 12 years down the road.
Taylor Draw Dam, located about six miles east of Rangely, controls the water in Kenney Reservoir while also producing hydroelectric power. The two-mile reservoir is heavily silted and the eastern mile of the lake has almost been lost to water storage and recreation, bringing about the need for and the likelihood of a new reservoir along the river in Rio Blanco County 10 to 12 years down the road.
RBC I Phase 1 of the White River Storage Feasibility Study, released earlier this month, points to a new water storage reservoir within the Rio Blanco Water Conservancy District (RBWCD) sometime within 10 to 12 years.
The RBWCD encompasses the lower White River Basin in western Rio Blanco County. The district owns and operates the Taylor Hydroelectric Project, a run-of-the-river project that provides 2 megawatts of hydropower and flat water recreation on Kenney Reservoir.
The 50-page study was prepared for the RBWCD by W.W. Wheeler and Associates, Inc., a water resource engineering company in Englewood, Colorado.
Phase 1 of the feasibility study was funded with 10 percent funding from the RBWCD, 45 percent of the funds from the Y/W/G (Yampa/White/Green rivers) Basin Roundtable account and 45 percent from the Colorado Water Conservation Board’s (CWCB) WSRA grant program.
The district has average annual revenues from hydropower and mill levies of approximately $700,000. Taylor Draw Dam can also provide municipal water supply for the Town of Rangely, located about six miles downstream of the dam.
The RBWCD is reportedly suffering a serious water crisis because Kenney Reservoir, which originally provided 13,800 acre feet of storage, is silting in at an average rate of more than 300 acre feet per year.
The report states that the loss of this storage is reducing the recreation use in the reservoir and the ability to provide long-term municipal and industrial (M&I) water storage for the Town of Rangely.
According to the executive summary of the study, Phase 1 work included more than 30 initial meetings with potential project stakeholders, an update of projected water demands in the district, development of an initial project purpose and needs statement, a map study of 24 potential reservoir sites and coarse screening evaluations to identify primary reservoir sites that would be suitable for initial “engineering feasibility design and on-site environmental evaluations” in Phase 2 of the study.
Harvey Economics identified the need for future water storage in western Rio Blanco County for recreation, M&I water supply, energy development and in-stream flows that could range from 20,000 to 90,000 acre-feet of storage by 2065.
Wheeler identified 24 potential sites near the White River and facilitated monthly public workshops to screen the sites down to three primary reservoir sited.
The executive summary states that the screening criteria included minimum storage, minimum recreational surface area, infrastructure impacts and preliminary environmental impacts.
The three primary reservoir sites are off-channel reservoirs located at Wolf Creek, Spring Creek and Gilliam Draw.
The study and the initial stakeholder involvement process were managed by EIS Solutions. The feasibility study was scoped to be consistent with the alternatives analysis process required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) because any new water storage reservoir will likely require a special-use permit (SUP) from the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land management (BLM).
The vast majority of land in Rio Blanco County is owned by the BLM, and approval of a new reservoir will likely require extensive NEPA documentation, the report’s executive summary states.
The feasibility study scope included Phase 1 course screening and Phase 2 fine screening evaluations.
The RBWCD obtained grants from the Yampa/White/Green (rivers) Basin Water Roundtable (Y/W/G Roundtable) and the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) for the first phase of the study.
Per the request of the Y/W/G Roundtable, the Phase 1 report was prepared to summarize the Phase 1 course screening evaluations.
A Bit of History
In the early 1980s, the RBWCD designed, constructed, permitted and funded the Taylor Draw Dam Hydroelectric Project, also known as Kenney Reservoir, the study states. Taylor Draw Dam provides hydropower and recreation and was permitted to provide water supply to the Town of Rangely.
Kenney Reservoir is located on the main stem of the White River upstream of Rangely. The original two-mile-long reservoir is now reduced to about one mile of open water and another mile of very diverse wetlands in the original upstream mile length of the reservoir. The loss of reservoir storage has significantly reduced recreation use at Kenny and the ability of the reservoir to provide any future water supply to the Town of Rangely.
The district has a serious water issue that must be addressed within its own district. Most of the land within district boundaries is owned by the BLM.
The planning, permitting, financing, design and construction of a new supply reservoir can take 10 years or longer, and the RBWCD realizes it must begin an aggressive planning process consistent with NEPA documentation that will be required.
Based on a meeting with representatives from the BLM White River Field Office and the district on April 16 of this year, the NEPA documentation for a new storage reservoir on the White River will likely require extensive documentation as an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) because, as a minimum, there will likely be significant impacts to endangered fish in the White River and Colorado downstream of the reservoir and because of the extensive impact the reservoir is expected to have on BLM lands.
The RBWCD authorized Wheeler to begin scoping the feasibility study on Sept. 3, 2013. Wheeler and EIS Solutions were authorized by the district to immediately begin Phase 2 of the feasibility study on March 26, 2014, even though the Phase 2 study grants from the Y/W/G Roundtable and CWCB could not be approved until May or later.
Coupled with the Phase 1 work was an extensive series of initial stakeholder meetings with key potential project stakeholders to begin to identify key issues that could be a challenge to successfully implementing new water storage in the district, the study states, adding that a secondary purpose of the initial stakeholder meetings was to begin to develop broad-based support for the project.
Phase 2 is intended to develop feasibility-level engineering designs for the primary reservoir sites that resulted from Phase 1 of the study.
During Phase 2, preliminary field site visits of the primary reservoir sites will be conducted to identify potential environmental or other key constraints that could affect the ability to obtain construction permits fro the proposed primary reservoirs.
Phase 2 will also include the preparation of a financing plan for the project and preparation of a feasibility study report that summarizes the Phase 1 and Phase 2 study phases. Continued stakeholder meetings with existing and newly identified stakeholders will be included in Phase 2 of the study.
The majority of the larger senior water rights on the White River are located upstream of Meeker. Downstream of Meeker, the study states, the White River operates under free-river conditions during most of the year. As a result, the RBWCD is expected to file for 2014 water rights for the selected primary reservoirs after completion of Phase 2 of the feasibility.
The district also has conditional water rights associated with Taylor Draw Dam that could be transferred to the preferred reservoir site with minimal impacts expected to other water users.

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  • Mormon crickets have hatched near Rangely. They were all sighted on BLM land north of Hwy. 64 near the junction of CR 96 and CR 1, down a dirt road near the Moffat County line.  The picture shown was taken yesterday by Mary Meinen from Rangely. She says the crickets are about the size of a ladybug (less than 1/2”). Some of them are actually yellow in color but most of them are darker. They are milling around and getting ready to start moving soon. Note: Photo is not to scale.
Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch.  See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
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It’s getting late, do you know where your kids are? Read all the Rio Happenings for this week in print or online at ht1885.com.
It’s getting late, do you know where your kids are? Read all the Rio Happenings for this week in print or online at ht1885.com.
1 day ago
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1/9
Mormon crickets have hatched near Rangely. They were all sighted on BLM land north of Hwy. 64 near the junction of CR 96 and CR 1, down a dirt road near the Moffat County line.  The picture shown was taken yesterday by Mary Meinen from Rangely. She says the crickets are about the size of a ladybug (less than 1/2”). Some of them are actually yellow in color but most of them are darker. They are milling around and getting ready to start moving soon. Note: Photo is not to scale.
Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch.  See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
Mormon crickets have hatched near Rangely. They were all sighted on BLM land north of Hwy. 64 near the junction of CR 96 and CR 1, down a dirt road near the Moffat County line. The picture shown was taken yesterday by Mary Meinen from Rangely. She says the crickets are about the size of a ladybug (less than 1/2”). Some of them are actually yellow in color but most of them are darker. They are milling around and getting ready to start moving soon. Note: Photo is not to scale. Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch. See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
1 day ago
View on Instagram |
2/9
Read part three of the story of M.T. Streeter in this week’s edition of History Lessons! Find it in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
Read part three of the story of M.T. Streeter in this week’s edition of History Lessons! Find it in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
2 days ago
View on Instagram |
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Meeker FFA Chapter members competed at the District Leadership Development Event in Craig, Colorado, this month. Top row from left to right: Eva Scritchfield, Charlie Rogers, Alan Rivera, Trent Sanders, Koy Weber, Orion Musser, Said Rodriguez, Carlos Carrillo, Aidan Tapia, Hayden Garcia, Tristan Rollins, Mathew Willey, Quentin Simpson. Middle row: Sidney Keetch, Aurora Stallings, Sydnie Ross, Ava Nay, Lili Piper, Leah Wood. Bottom Row: Jaicee Simmons, Kailynn Watson, Cody Richardson, Kayla Castillo, Braydin Raley, Autumn Stallings, Aimee Shults, Emily Hamm. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
2 days ago
View on Instagram |
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Choose-your-own-adventure…. Hear from our Editor in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
Choose-your-own-adventure…. Hear from our Editor in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
3 days ago
View on Instagram |
5/9
A crew from the Flat Tops Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation joined forces last summer to remove obsolete fences to improve habitat for wildlife. Read the full story and the foundation’s update from their 30th Anniversary meeting in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
A crew from the Flat Tops Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation joined forces last summer to remove obsolete fences to improve habitat for wildlife. Read the full story and the foundation’s update from their 30th Anniversary meeting in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
4 days ago
View on Instagram |
6/9
Black Sulphur Tavern held a grand opening and ribbon cutting for their new business at 364 Seventh St. The space has been renovated with several TVs and games and provides a fun, friendly atmosphere to watch your favorite sports team and enjoy a burger and wings. Owners Frank Maestas and Pat Maestas are pictured with their new staff and Chamber of Commerce representatives Stephanie Hanson, Trudy Burri and Margie Joy. Follow Black Sulphur Tavern on Facebook. Their hours are Wednesday and Thursday 3-9 p.m., Friday 3 p.m. - 1 a.m., Saturday 11-1 a.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to midnight.
Black Sulphur Tavern held a grand opening and ribbon cutting for their new business at 364 Seventh St. The space has been renovated with several TVs and games and provides a fun, friendly atmosphere to watch your favorite sports team and enjoy a burger and wings. Owners Frank Maestas and Pat Maestas are pictured with their new staff and Chamber of Commerce representatives Stephanie Hanson, Trudy Burri and Margie Joy. Follow Black Sulphur Tavern on Facebook. Their hours are Wednesday and Thursday 3-9 p.m., Friday 3 p.m. - 1 a.m., Saturday 11-1 a.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to midnight.
4 days ago
View on Instagram |
7/9
The winning teams and individuals for the 18th annual White River Community Association Buy-Fly Fishing Tournament are as follows. Individual top weight catch was Dave Metrovich and longest fish was Kevin Massey. First place team won by Rio Blanco Abstract: Erik Eckman, Adam Parrett, Dave Metrovich and Wayne Kirkpatrick. Second place team was Drake Consulting: Travis Kaiser, John Douglas, Tony Bartolomucci and Bob Brandeberry. Third place team Mr. Rogers and the Hood (accepted by Doug Rogers) Gary Rogers, Mark Beauchamp, Kyle Schutte and Rick Gunter. The white fish have been frozen and will be served at the annual White River Community Association fish fry fundraiser in June.
The winning teams and individuals for the 18th annual White River Community Association Buy-Fly Fishing Tournament are as follows. Individual top weight catch was Dave Metrovich and longest fish was Kevin Massey. First place team won by Rio Blanco Abstract: Erik Eckman, Adam Parrett, Dave Metrovich and Wayne Kirkpatrick. Second place team was Drake Consulting: Travis Kaiser, John Douglas, Tony Bartolomucci and Bob Brandeberry. Third place team Mr. Rogers and the Hood (accepted by Doug Rogers) Gary Rogers, Mark Beauchamp, Kyle Schutte and Rick Gunter. The white fish have been frozen and will be served at the annual White River Community Association fish fry fundraiser in June.
5 days ago
View on Instagram |
8/9
Cowboy Carson Klinzmann on the mound for Meeker at Suplizio Field in Grand Junction last Saturday. Meeker took on the 4A Rifle Bears, losing 11-1, and the Basalt Longhorns, losing 7-3. Read the recap online at ht1885.com.
Cowboy Carson Klinzmann on the mound for Meeker at Suplizio Field in Grand Junction last Saturday. Meeker took on the 4A Rifle Bears, losing 11-1, and the Basalt Longhorns, losing 7-3. Read the recap online at ht1885.com.
5 days ago
View on Instagram |
9/9

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