HomeMy WebLinkAboutWater Board - Minutes - 07/25/1975WATER BOARD
July 25, 1975
3:00 P.M.
Present: Ward Fischer
Bernard Cain, Jr.
Norman Evans
Harvey Johnson
Everett Richardson
Robert L. Brunton
Absent: Raymond Anderson
Karl E. Carson
Henry Caulfield
Ronald Fulkrod
James Waltz
Staff members present: Cain, Krempel, Liquin, Alexander, Hilgenberg, and Lewis
Also: City Attorney March
Chairman Fischer called the meeting to order.
Chairman Fischer introduced Mr. Roger Krempel, the new Director of Water Utilities
and welcomed him to Fort Collins.
Raw Water Policy
Chairman Fischer stated that from time to time the Water Board was asked to
make a recommendation concerning purchase of certain raw water that becomes
available on the market. The Board had expresses reluctance to do this, because
they were unsure how much money was available for raw water purchases. The
Water Board had requested the Administration to advise them what money if any
was available for the purchase of raw water. City Manager Brunton stated he
felt it was more a question of how much water the City needed. If the City
needed water, the money would be available.
City Manager Brunton reviewed the amount of water the City owned and the total
value, which is approximately $7;5 million; the amount of water that was used
during 1970 to 1975 in the City supply system, by Parks & Recreation, or leased;
the cost of raw water purchases from 1970 to 1975; the assessments on water stock,
the Adams Tunnel Assessments, and revenue from leasing; the problems with the
South Side Ditches; and the recommended raw water policy, copies of which were
furnished to each member of the Water Board. He added the City should reevaluate
its position and policy on the Pleasant Valley and Lake Canal yield. He felt
this raw water policy as drafted was realistic to promote and recommend to the
Council. (See Appendix A)
Progress Report on Joe Wright Reservoir
Mr. Charles Liquin, Water Project Engineer, reviewed the written progress report
on Joe Wright Reservoir as submitted to the Water Board. (See Appendix C)
After much discussion, it was decided the Water Board would call a special meeting,
when the Administration advised the Chair to proceed, to discuss the size of the
reservoir to recommend to the City Council. Chairman Fischer stated Mr. Harold
Ellingson, of McCall -Ellingson & Morrill, should attend to discuss the alternate
dam sizes, and Mr. Mort Bittinger, of Bittinger & Associates, should attend to
discuss the hydrology. The Water Board should give some thought on whether it
would be desirable to have further studies or proceed with the information that
is now known. Also, the Water Board should review the suggested cost and engineering
fees and any data that is available on how much water is available to fill Joe
Wright Reservoir. It was recommended that the City Council be invited to attend.
Progress Report on Horsetooth Outlet
Mr. Charles Liquin stated the Bureau of Reclamation has been retained to study
only the feasibility of a new outlet at Spring Canyon Dam and that study should
be completed in August. The Outlet Commission also retained M & I, Inc. to
compile the needs of the various entities. He further stated the Outlet Commission
will be organized in the manner Platte River Power Authority was organized, but
it has not been determined whether the organization will act as a fully constituted
commission or whether they will act through the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy
District as a second subdistrict.
City Manager Brunton stated a special committee with Stan Case, Roger Krempel,
and Chuck Liquin were working on legislation for an organizational structure.
He would like to come to the Water Board with these suggestions to get their
judgement on this. Board member Richardson inquired if an enlargement of
Soldier Canyon has been ruled out. Mr. Liquin stated the Bureau of Land
Management decided the impact and cost would be so great, it wasn't feasible.
Dixon Canyon was ruled out, because there was no place to build a water plant
at a high enough elevation.
Other Business
1. Board member Evans stated the Water Quality Control Commission had decided
to reclassify the Poudre River to a "C" classification at their last monthly
meeting. There will be a public hearing after which this will be adopted.
2. Board member Evans inquired, as the representative from the Water Board to
the Six City Committee, if the Board would like to continue to have representation
at those meetings. Chairman Fischer stated it would be appropriate to have
Platte River attend rather than our representative. Board member Evans made
a motion, seconded by Mr. Cain, to recommend to the Council that the City
and Platte River Power Authority jointly request to transfer representation
from the Water Board to Platte River Power Authority. The Chair put the
motion, which was unanimously adopted.
1%D
• RAW WATER POLICY •
R , 1. The City of Fort Collins will not aggressively pursue the purchase
of raw water from any source unless the Administration feels it is at
a special bargain price, considerably below what is generally considered
a fair market value.
2. The City of Fort Collins will continue to accept the waters of the
Southside Ditches in compliance with the City's requirement for the purpose
of obtaining City water service. The City will accept the shares of stock
upon the previously established following basis:
Arthur Ditch as yielding 2.145 acre feet.
Larimer County #2 as yielding 27.21 acre feet.
New Mercer as yielding 18.465 acre feet.
North Poudre as yielding 5.0 acre feet
Pleasant Valley and Lake Canal as yielding 55.55 acre feet
Warren Lake as yielding 10.0 acre feet.
The City will also accept Horsetooth on the basis of
one acre foot per unit.
3. The City of Fort Collins will not consider the purchase of Josh Ames
Certificates but will continue to accept certificates which will entitle
the owner, upon annexation of property to the City or at the time of
original water service, to fulfill any present or future requirements
imposed by the City of Fort Collins for the furnishing of water service,
to newly annexed land in the ratio of one -eighth acre of land for each
certificate surrendered to the City.
4. The City of Fort Collins will continue to work with the agricultural
interests in the Poudre Valley through the Cache la Poudre Water Users'
Association and participate in such studies and legal proceedings which
are beneficial to both parties.
5. The City of Fort Collins will continue to cooperate with the legally con-
stituted water districts in the Fort Collins area for the mutual benefit
of the citizenery of Fort Collins.
6. The City of Fort Collins will (a) immediately and aggressively pursue the
construction/enlargement of Joe Wright reservoir based on the assumption
of the largest possible reservoir; (b) maintain the conditional storage
decrees of Joe Wright reservoir; (c) make investigative studies as to the
advisability and feasibility of obtaining a court decree authorizing the
storage of other water or water rights owned by the City in Joe Wright
reservoir.
Appendix A
4. ,
• Appendix E •
RAW WATER POLICY
1. For the time being, and pending the receipt of further information as
to allowable size and use of Joe Wright Reservoir, and pending,the
completion of other studies concerning raw water and its use, the
City will not, ordinarily, pursue the purchase of raw water absent
unusual circumstances or outstanding value.
2. The City of Fort Collins will continue to accept the waters of the
Southside Ditches in compliance with the City's requirement for the
purpose of obtaining City water service. The City will accept the
shares of stock upon the previously established following basis:
Arthur Ditch as yielding 2.145 acre feet.
Larimer County ill as yielding 27.21 acre feet.
New Mercer as yielding 18.465 acre feet.
North Poudre as yielding 5.0 acre feet.
Pleasant Valley and Lake Canal as yielding 55.55 acre feet.*
Warren Lake as yielding 10.0 acre feet.
The City will also accept Horsetooth on the basis of one
acre foot per unit.
*Subject to modification by separate and subsequent recommendation.
3. The City of Fort Collins will not consider the purchase of Josh Ames
Certificates, but will continue to accept certificates which will entitle
the owner, upon annexation of property to the City or at the time of
original water service, to fulfill any present or future requirements
imposed by the City of Fort Collins for the furnishing of water service
to newly annexed land in the ratio of one -eighth acre of land for each
certificate surrendered to the City.
4. The City of Fort Collins will continue to work with the agricultural
interests in the Poudre Valley through the Cache La Poudre Water Users'
Association or others and participate in such studies and legal proceedings
which are beneficial to all parties.
5. The City of Fort Collins will continue to cooperate with the legally
constituted water districts in the Fort Collins area for the mutual
benefit of the citizenery of Fort Collins and the Fort Collins area.
6. The City of Fort Collins will (a) immediately and aggressively pursue the
construction/enlargement of Joe Wright Reservoir based on the assumption
of the optimum reservoir; (b) maintain the conditional storage decrees
of Joe Wright Reservoir; (c) make investigative studies as to the advisability
and feasibility of obtaining a court decree authorizing the storage of
other water or water rights owned by the City in Joe Wright Reservoir.
` Appendix C •
July 25, 1975
TO: Fort Collins Water Board
THRU: Roger E. Krempel P.E., Water Utilities Director
FROM: Charles Liquin P.E., Water Project Engineer
RE: Progress Report, Joe Wright Reservoir
The activates of the Michigan Ditch are of an interest to the Water
Board as well as the status of Joe Wright Reservoir. To date the City
has diverted 1625 acre feet of water across Cameron Pass. Of this
amount 1352 acre feet has been credited to North Poudre, 50 acre feet
charged to the City, and 142 acre feet released to the river. This
then gives the City a yield after shrink of 1544 acre feet. The ditch
is presently running at approximately 15 second feet which will expand
our yield by about 30 acre feet a day.
The most recent development on the Joe Wright Reservoir was a tour to
the site with personnel from the Forest Service and the State Highway
Department. It was intended that the gravel for Joe Wright, approximately
45,000 cubic yards, would come from an existing gravel pit on the
Laarimie River Road. This pit would be 14 miles from Joe Wright and
would require Larimie River Road improvements, as well as causing
considerable impact due to the heavy truck travel. A source of gravel
has now been found in the vicinity of the Long Draw turn off at
Highway 14, and this source would be 1.7 miles from Joe Wright with
no impact.
Forest Service personnel have been working on the Environmental Analysis
Report, and it is now in final form. This report will be presented to
the City at a meeting Thursday, the 31st, and if acceptable to City
review personnel will be printed and forwarded to the Denver office.
It was the intent of the City administration to discuss design engineering
with the Water Board at their meeting May 30. The discussion did not
take place at that time due to the desire of the administration to
allow the Forest Service to proceed further with the EAR. In compliance
with Chairman Fischer's suggestion at that time that the Water Board
not have a regular meeting until the administration was ready to discuss
the design contract, the administration has followed closely the EAR
preparation and is now in a position to discuss design. Following any
desired discussion, it may be appropriate for the Water Board to make
a recommendation to the City Council relative to releasing the design
engineers to proceed.
Sincerely,
Charles Liquin4 .E.
Water Projece Engineer
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