RBC I A forecast for conditions in the Colorado River Basin, including the White River Area, is not what many who are dependent on and involved with the river hoped for.
The Colorado River District hosted a “State of the River” event in partnership with the Rio Blanco Water Conservancy District on April 13 in Rangely. The event was organized from the “bad news” to the “good news” with a variety of speakers involved in Western Slope water, including Rio Blanco Water Conservancy District (RBWCD) Director Alden VandenBrink.
WHITE RIVER HISTORICAL COMPARISON
The first presentation was given by Erin Light, an engineer from the Colorado Department of Natural Resources. With a collection of graphs, she described the most recent historic comparison of the White River from 2018—the current and compared flows to snowpack and precipitation. The White River is one stream in the Colorado River Basin with gauges that measure flows year-round. According to Light, 2021 had the lowest flows in recent history and over the past decade when compared with both the Boise Creek and Watson, Utah gauges. As the years have passed and become drier, the median has changed, dropping lower and lower.
There are three major seasons that impact the flow of the river: snowpack, spring precipitation and monsoon events. August and September are critical months for monsoon events to impact flow. The 2021 year had very low precipitation, well below the ideal snowpack, and very little effect on the river. Even years where there has been great precipitation, such as 2019, have had little impact. The projected precipitation for 2022 shows equal chances of being below average.
COLORADO RIVER DISTRICT
Marielle Cowdin, Director of Public Relations for the Colorado River District (CRD), gave a presentation about the organization. According to Cowdin, the primary purpose of the district is to represent Western Slope water users in diverse capacities and methods including legislative, legal, technical, education and outreach. The CRD was formed in 1937 to protect the Colorado River Basin and Western Slope Water. The organization represents 15 counties in the district.
Cowdin took the audience back to 1922 when the Colorado River Compact was enacted. The law was signed during a time of plentiful water flow throughout the Basin and lower population numbers. Today, the Colorado River Basin serves more than 40 million residents in the capacities of agricultural, domestic, recreational use and generating power — in addition to animals and the environment. Of the seven states in the basin, 70% of the water supply is from the Western Slope, with 65% from the northern district (which is where the White River is located.)
The 1922 Colorado River Compact declared that the Upper Basin and the Lower Basin would each split the usage with 7.5 million acre-feet. This obligates the Upper Basin to send 7.5 million acre-feet to the Lower Basin before drawing on its obligated 7.5 million acre-feet. The reality shows that the Lower Basin more accurately uses 11.5 million acre-feet and the Upper Basin only uses 4-4.5 million acre-feet. The 2007 interim guidelines changed distribution methods and became a management system for federal reservoirs. In efforts to create a more fair design from data, information and modeling, the District advocates for the Western Slope. The data Cowdin shared regarding the Basin was alarming. According to her, without advocacy and legislative changes, it will only get worse. Every 1-degree increase in temperature equals a 3-9% reduction in streamflow. Most recently, the reductions have been on the higher end of that range. The population along the Colorado River Basin is expected to increase to 76 million by 2060, further impacting water availability.
RIO BLANCO WATER DISTRICT PRESENTATION
VandenBrink presented the first “good news” of the evening. After jokingly reminding the audience that his job involves more than the Wolf Creek Reservoir project, VandenBrink shared an update on RBWCD’s rural water project.
RBWCD currently has a water enterprise proposal to expand its services to provide domestic potable water to areas surrounding the Town of Rangely. VandenBrink expressed his surprise upon learning there are residents without water served directly to their homes. He stated he jumped at the opportunity to evaluate the feasibility to solve that problem. These residents come into town to fill water tanks for themselves, their families, and often, for livestock. In other cases, they use a complex filtration system directly from the river. The service VandenBrink has proposed will be funded by a membership fee style of financing and is optional. VandenBrink shared the project it would not be funded by a mill levy. It has received a $50,000 grant from the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority and another from the USDA. Through the membership service, the cost of water would be cheaper and more accessible to the residents of Rio Blanco County who are not being served, according to the RBWCD. Final costs are still being calculated, but the current estimate is about $3 million. This project is supported by the Town of Rangely and the Rio Blanco County Commissioners.
KENNEY RESERVOIR & TAYLOR DRAW DAM
VandenBrink then transitioned his presentation to Kenney Reservoir and Taylor Draw Dam. The dam serves as a 2-megawatt hydroelectric facility for the town, 100% funded by local district users. At full capacity it serves 1,200 homes. The kilowatt hours mirror river flow, which is far below average. In 2021, a major downturn in power production occurred that cost the district $1 million to fix. The Town of Rangely currently receives its power from a co-op with Rio Blanco Water Conservancy District, Moon Lake Electric Association, and Deseret Generation that keeps Rangely energy rates down.
In 1985, Kenney Reservoir was about 14,000 acre-feet. This year, information from a survey from the State of Colorado shows 2,200 acre-feet is where Kenney Reservoir sits now, with less than 264 surface acres. On average, the RBWCD loses 315 acre-feet a year to sedimentation. For perspective, that’s 315 football fields, 1 foot deep. The purpose of Taylor Draw was to protect Rangely from frequent devastating floods.
Average use at Kenney Reservoir is approximately 5,000-plus visitors per year. VandenBrink shared his concerns about increased usage on the lower surface area. Looking now and five years into the future, VandenBrink commended the Division of Fire Prevention and Control for their dedicated work and professionalism. They, in conjunction with the Bureau of Land Management and RBWCD, have created a prescribed burn plan for the next five years to cover several areas around the White River just up from Kenney Reservoir. The prescribed burn goals are to improve water quality and quantity while helping to control invasive species.
WOLF CREEK RESERVOIR
The big topic of VandenBrink’s presentation was the Wolf Creek Reservoir project. A team completed a “basin-wide investigation into needs and available options” and identified 25 possible locations, with Wolf Creek as the preferred location.
The projected cost of the project of the project is $142 million and would be completed over the next two decades. This would include water rights for 26-66 thousand acre-feet at $2.2 hundred dollars per acre-foot. VandenBrink stated some Front Range water projects have higher costs per acre-foot. This location is still in the National Environmental Policy Act permit process and is not guaranteed approval. According to VandenBrink, Wolf Creek was considered the best option to meet specific requirements for endangered species, according to the team.
County commissioners recently approved $4 million dollars from the County Capital Improvement Trust Fund for the project.
WHITE RIVER INTEGRATED WATER INITIATIVES
Callie Hendrickson, Executive Director of White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts, began her presentation with a question she had asked a previous audience about how much time people thought about protecting their drinking water and accessibility to recreational opportunities. The audience answered 90%. When the same audience was asked how much time they spend thinking about protecting their food sources to ensure they had three nutritious meals a day, the audience answered 10%. The point of her question was to demonstrate how the relationship between the water supply and the food supply is not recognized.
The county’s conservation districts have separate boards but function as one. The boards for the districts are comprised of landowners and water rights holders.
At the state level, it was decided that 80% of streams should have a stream management plan by 2030.The conservation districts are leading that effort, and thus the White River Integrated Water Initiative was created. The Initiatives’ (Hendrickson’s preferred abbreviation of the name) mission statement says, “Community based initiative to identify actions promoting a healthy river than ensures a vibrant economic community capable of securing the future vitality of agriculture, fisheries, recreation, municipalities, and industry while protecting water rights, quantity, and quality with respect for the local customs, cultures, and property rights.” Hendrickson also highlighted Liz Chandler and Kari Brennan who had roles in coordinating the development of the initiative.
The Colorado Cattlemen’s Association recently partnered with the Conservation Districts to secure grants to assist with diversion structure improvements. The first contract was signed the night before the State of The River presentation. Hendrickson stated she was excited to participate with individuals and other associations in their work. Upcoming public meetings are scheduled for 6-8 p.m. at the following locations: Lower reach April 21 at CNCC Weiss Conference Room in Rangely; Middle Reach April 25 at Rio Blanco Fairgrounds Exhibit Hall B; Piceance Creek April 27 at the Rock Schoolhouse.
ALGAE STUDY
To close her presentation, Hendrickson gave an update regarding the ongoing algae study. Results are now expected to be available this summer in late May/early June. Hendrickson said there are no “smoking guns,” however this is not solely a local White River issue. Lack of flow and increased temperatures are at the center of the larger discussion.
Amy Moyer, a recent addition to the Colorado River District as Director of Strategic Partnerships, discussed her position and involvement in advocacy for the river.
A Community Funding Partnership program began at the ballot box with 72% support from the counties and special districts that make up the Colorado River District. Moyer’s primary work involves creating “collaborative partnerships” to blend healthy river objectives while leveraging funding sources. The role of the partnership is to catalyze project permits and funding. It operates as a cost-share program where all participants put forth finances to get projects started and completed. The Partnership supported the permitting process with some funding for the Wolf Creek Reservoir.
According to Moyer, collaboration and multi-purpose projects are the focus of the partnership’s goals. The five categories of funding covered are productive agriculture, watershed health, water quality, conservation and efficiency, and healthy river infrastructure objectives. Smaller funding requests can be approved through the general manager while larger requests are approved through the board of directors who meet quarterly. More detail on the partnership can be found at https://www.coloradoriverdistrict.org/
By KATIE KING | Special to The Herald Times
