RBC | The Rio Blanco Water Conservancy District (RBWCD) board met Wednesday, July 31 in Rangely, Colorado. The August meeting was canceled.
Public input included a request for the public to be able to access the monthly meetings by Zoom. Several members of the public were in attendance to learn about the zebra mussel issue.
Betty Kracht, the Rio Blanco water commissioner, reported that the draining of Lake Avery began for dam improvement work began in July and should be completed in October. Work on the dam will commence in spring of 2025.
Representatives from Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) reported that blue-green algae had been confirmed in Lake Avery and they recommended no one swim or allow dogs into the water, or touch the water. Signage was put up to warn people. When asked about fishing, CPW responded that the public should avoid putting their hands in the water. They noted no indication of the blue-green algae in Rio Blanco Reservoir as of July 31.
Colorado CPA accountant Marlo Coates provided the 2023 financial audit to the board.
The board approved a resolution to borrow $2.125 million on a 30-year term to repair a turbine in the hydro plant that has kept generation at a minimum over the past few months. General Electric will do the repairs which are targeted to be completed in May 2025. The loan will occur in October 2024. Executive Director Alden Vanden Brink noted that this is the “final piece to having an electric turbine in as-new condition, this is the final piece to having the entire hydroelectric process reviewed.”
In other news, Vanden Brink noted that the state has found larvae of zebra mussels on the Colorado River in the Highline and Grand Junction area. He noted there is currently no aquatic nuisance inspection on Taylor Draw Dam or Kenney Reservoir. The mussels spread quickly, and can cause wide-reaching harm such as damage to irrigation equipment and disruptions to river ecosystems for native fish. There are grave concerns about spread to other rivers and reservoirs. The mussels are nearly impossible to remove and pose an extreme risk to rivers, wildlife and infrastructure. It was noted at the meeting that zebra mussels are spread through boat hulls that have not been properly cleaned and sanitized.
Ongoing testing is aimed at finding the source of the young zebra mussel larvae and stopping them before they become fully established. CPW found young zebra mussel larvae during routine testing in early July. A few weeks later, more samples from two different locations in the Colorado River included those young mussels, called veligers. Another sample, taken from the Government Highline Canal, also had a mussel veliger.
The mussels latch onto hard surfaces and can clog irrigation pipes, turbines, and create havoc for agriculture and industry alike. No plans were discussed for additional safeguards on the White River other than existing signage at reservoirs.
