RBC | The Rio Blanco Water Conservancy District’s call on the river for the past two years (December 2022 and April 2023) resulted in a decision by the State Water Engineer to deem the White River “over appropriated’, announced at a meeting with new State Water Engineer Jason Ullmann, and Division 6 Water Engineer Erin Light on March 4.
RBWCD plans to continue the call on the river once the hydropower turbine is returned and back in operation when they are unable to get their full capacity.The designation will take effect May 1.
Only water right and well owners upstream of Kenney Reservoir need to be concerned at this time.
Some of the White River is already over appropriated, for example Yellow Creek and Piceance Creek.
Average flow for the White River has decreased by 15% over the past 100 years; in 1924 the annual volume of water was 520,000 acre feet, and as of 2024 the annual volume was 440,000 acre feet as recorded at the Watson Gage in Utah.
Existing well owners should check the status of their well now as they have until Dec. 31, 2025, to get their well in compliance and ensure it is properly permitted.If you are contemplating a new well, now is the time to get a permit; before May 1, 2025. You will have two years to have it drilled. A one year extension can be requested.
After May 1 new exempt wells may be permitted in the future for parcels of 35 acres or more. Those well owners who have un-permitted wells from before 1972, or have more than 35 acres, or who have used wells for livestock pre 1972 may still be able to get their wells permitted, following an evaluation of the Division’s staff.
Landowners will still be able to get junior water rights despite over appropriation designation. but when there is a call on the river, they will likely be out of priority and curtailed
Any new wells after May 1 will require an augmentation source, currently unavailable on the White River. Augmentation sources located upstream would be more ideal than a source located downstream of Piceance Creek, according to Division 6 Water Engineer Erin Light.
If you need help or have questions about your existing or prospective well, call Christina Redman at 970-879-0272
In March, Brian Holmes, riparian biologist for Colorado Parks and Wildlife office shared several projects in Moffat County that had successfully been able to fill in eroded stream beds and increase water retention, as well as assisting area wildlife.
Alliance volunteers also met at Jere Taylor’s ranch on Sulphur Creek to help reverse erosion and improve water retention with the same techniques by building one rock dams in an eroded stream bed. Area landowners should contact president Shawn Welder (970-314-5923)if they are interested in having volunteers help remove invasive Russian olive or reverse erosion issues.
The March Rio Blanco Water Conservancy District board meeting was mostly held in an executive session to discuss Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issues. Nothing more specific than that was given for the executive session. Other updates were the turbine repair, and status of Wolf Creek Dam Proposal which is still trying to get an approved “Purpose and Need” from the Army Corps of Engineers.
