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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 05/22/2007 - NORTHERN COLORADO WATER CONSERVANCY DISTRICT PRESE DATE: May 22, 2007 WORK SESSION ITEM STAFF: FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL SUBJECT FOR DISCUSSION Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District Presentation on the Northern Integrated Supply Project. GENERAL DIRECTION SOUGHT AND SPECIFIC QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED Staff from the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District will give a presentation and answer questions regarding the Northern Integrated Supply Project, which includes Glade and Galeton Reservoirs. BACKGROUND The Northern Integrated Supply Project is a regional water supply project coordinated by the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District on behalf of 16 area water providers. The project will provide approximately 40,000 acre-feet of new,reliable municipal water supply annually. The project has evolved during the past 25 years from a dam on the Poudre River to an off-stream reservoir that utilizes an existing river diversion structure. The population served by the 16 water providers doubled between 1990 and 2003, though no new reservoir storage has been built. Between 2005 and 2010, the 16 participants' combined water demands will exceed their existing, firm supplies. Without a new water supply, most participants have indicated they will purchase additional agricultural lands or shares of local ditch companies to meet their future needs. The NISP participants'preferred alternative is a combination of Glade Reservoir and the South Platte Water Conservation Project (SPWCP). The Glade complex is located north of the intersection of Highways 14 and 287. It will include a 170,000 AF reservoir, an upgrade of the existing Poudre Valley Canal and Poudre River diversion, a forebay and pump station and a potential pipeline to Horsetooth Reservoir. Recreation plans for Glade Reservoir are not yet completed,but flat water recreation will almost assuredly be allowed. The SPWCP will be located east of Ault, Colorado. It will include the 40,000 AF Galeton Reservoir,about 30 miles of pipeline,and a new diversion and pump station on the South Platte River. Approximately 2/3 of the water diverted from the Poudre River into Glade Reservoir will be via an exchange with irrigators who presently divert from the Poudre River and will now receive a portion of their water from Galeton Reservoir. NISP will divert this water upstream of the irrigators'current diversion points, but this exchange will not result in "new" diversions. The remaining 1/3 of the water needed to fill Glade Reservoir will come from newly developed junior water rights on the Poudre, which will be in priority an estimated 4 out of 10 years. May 22, 2007 Page 2 As required by the National Environmental Policy Act, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will complete an environmental review of NISP and its alternatives. A discussion of the human and natural environments potentially affected by NISP or its alternatives will be documented in an Environmental Impact Statement report anticipated in July 2007. Other agencies cooperating in the process include the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Colorado Division of Wildlife, the Colorado Department of Transportation, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and Larimer County. The Corps requires that all significant environmental impacts be mitigated. Ideas currently in discussion include minimum stream flows below the Glade diversion on the Poudre River,relocation of existing diversion structures downstream of Fort Collins to increase flows through town, construction of wetland habitat, river channel improvements and riparian corridor enhancement. There are many opportunities for partnership with the City of Fort Collins on these mitigation measures. ATTACHMENTS 1. Power point presentation. 2. Map of Environmental Impact Statement preferred alternative. 3. Map of the Glade complex and US Highway 287 realignment alternatives. 4. NISP "How Would It Work" newsletter. 5. "Regional Water Suppply Project Meets All Needs,"Editorial,Northern Colorado Business Report, March 16-29, 2007. 6. "Will Glade Degrade the Poudre,"North Forty News, May 2007. 7. NISP website materials handout. ATTACHMENT 1 NISP The Northern Integrated Supply Project kip ar 1% L_ Planning for Northern Colorado's Water Future Horsetooth Nicole Seltzer Public Affairs Coordinator Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District Hansen Canal 970.622 .2277 or nseltzer@ncwcd .org Project Purpose ". ..to provide the Project Participants with approximately 40,000 acre-feet (af) of new reliable municipal water supply annually through a regional project coordinated by the District, which will meet a portion of the Participants' eurrent and reasonably projected • • • supply 4[iS E4V � 'aae1��I ► 11 a 12 t IlA1[aON 6 r 4tet4Vp4 . G :d4 I':.::'d (` 1\ cum • JJ 10 uKF 7 1 1w Callm, bebnd Wvxr P.bn 4 ] = W.ndw .ONYH 14 4[]@v01• • 1S a1 3 d Ia0 Ma"d wat" a.,r... Permuted alb Paruu nt Yield IAFI rt low , 1W Cenral Weld Co. W.D.• 7. 100 13 ) Central WHd Cwnry Wave, N%"¢ Eaton 1, 100 a ran warn" Eue 6, 500 o rW. r+WWaa Evans 1.600 Fort Collins-Loveland. W.D 1.000 to too,", ta...rn Goal" W~ Fort Lupton 1,000 n loan Fort Morgan 1.600 t] ]e.e.a".. tafavene 1,800 DIR"e. 1• - lerot.rl. Lefthand W.D. 4.900 Mayo Morgan County Q.W.D. 1,100 Mao M n'a^°^' S v tance 1, i00 is rraar..s Windsor i,100 u - thaw (• al Wearu W.D. +rtludn r rp..nl\ Irew /rwLr<\. fneNua nW Dar Wu 1 Colorado's Population Will Increase and will require new water supplies The State estimates that N" 100 population in plow 20 '0 • South Su.I111 VININ BasinPlatte 4096700 53° by 61 ,90 Qunantrt This translates 14a900 int • . 72 , 0 .... _ I WON ° , Rio Qrae°a 38% increase in " 4,300 water demand. 25°k From the Statewide Water Supply Initiative www.cwcb.state.co.us/IWMD Future NISP Participants' Needs support state estimates Water needs for the 16 communities in NISP may increase from 48,00o acre-feet (af) in 2005 to 121,500 of in 2050. This increase of over 70,000 of by 2050 is nearly three times current demands. NISP is slated to meet 40,00o of of that need. 140,000 ■Unmifl w,l., nrt"s for NISP prUawnb ■O bm WOOF mpWY 1a NISP ""tpmN 1200000 100,000 Supply with NISP 80.000 Q 60.000 a 40.000 20,000 0 N N N N N N 0 N N N O O_ _O O O O O O O O N IV W (J A A CIl O (T O (T O N O V 0r 2 NISP Water Use Rates Are Normal The NISP participants' water use rates are comparable to other Front Range cities. Conservation is an important part of the NISP participants' future plans and their current conservation efforts are working. NISP Participant and Other Front Range Cities Average Gallons Per Capita Per Day 1998-2003 350 ,Non-NISP Participants ' NISP Participants 300 250 — 200 — 0 0 150 100 50 0 oo p °a !a ° °` C� cy °a .g` �a �yA y.� O F�JQ 9,� ,�`� �a` P°P �oP°c�� ,e\ o� o\ O � �c `g 6 Participant Water Conservation Will Not Meet All Needs Conservation professionals 140 ,000 generally state ■unmet walaf rwaa for MISP p rmCiparHa that a long-term 111200,1 firm wafer supply for NISP participants conservation 120 ,000 program can reduce water 100 ,000 demands by to% Supply with NISP to 20% over a to- to 20-year 3 80 ,000 period (Maddaus, LL 60 ,000 1999)• a Even with 10- 40,000 20% demand reductions, NISP 20,000 participants still have unmet 0 water needs 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 between 2010 Can -a cn o cNn o cW .111 n o c A n o and 2015. 3 Agricultural Dry Up Is The Alternative YampaMhite/ No change Without Green North South Platte this is the default 439.000 acres Platte water • • of or � 2,600 acres • Colorado N�j7 133.000 to 226.000 acres U 7.900 to 16.000 acres Our area could lose up to 226,000 acres of Gunnison farmland. c 7 2.500 to 10,000 acres c�n y 23.000 to 72.000 acres This has 60.000 �/ enormous s cietal 4 2.400 acres to � 7100.000 and orIC7 1 ,300acres acres Arkansas environmental Dolores/ Rio consequences. San Juan/San Miguel, ' Grande From the Statewide Water Supply Initiative NISP will • • www.cwcb.state.co.us/IWMD thedry up of 000 acres. The NISP Alternatives Alternative Major Components #1 Glade Reservoir • 170-18O,000 of Glade Reservoir and associated forebay, pump station, and the South pipelines, Poudre Valley canal and river diversion improvements, and Platte Water relocation Of miles of US Hwy. 28'7 Conservation Project • 4O,000 of Galeton Reservoir and associated forebay, pump station, pipeline (SPWCP) from the South Platte River to Galeton Reservoir, and pipelines from Galeton Reservoir to the Larimer & Weld and New Cache ditches #2 Cactus Hill 18o,000 to 2OO,000 of Cactus Hill Reservoir and associated forebay, pump Reservoir and stations, Poudre Valley canal and river diversion improvements, and the SPWCP pipelines • Same SPWCP configuration as Alternative #1 #3 Agricultural to • Same Glade Reservoir configuration as Alternative #1 municipal SPWCP with a 2O,OOo of Galeton Reservoir transfers, Glade and a reduced 12,000 of of firm yield from permanent agricultural to municipal transfers SPWCP 44 No Action Participants, individually or in partnership, would develop new water supplies through ag transfer. This would require multiple new storage facilities and pipelines. 4 Glade Reservoir Approx. Dam Axis Hwy 14 Hwy 2g,;�, • 170e 000 of u.a)RRnay. I) I . 1 26o feet deep eJignmanl optiN 1 -�. • 5 miles long r ¢ s It 5 }' L U.5. N ,nway • � 'y 1at�cVTyt i {i Forebay with 20-3ok Hp pump • Northern Water owns 2/3 of land �•� . f • No private homes inundated • Many recreational possibilities r.. . .,r Glade Rederv.•ir y E I . .f no � Y,• • N • Relocation of 7 miles -r ` • "Cut" alignment rejoins north of Glade anal .y ♦ e1 e16 Air Fut if • "North" alignment rejoins at Owl Canyon Road C"ne la Pou"o , ;r '. � .. N L ?N • $39million River j ; , ., ryorsalooih Pipeiina y Y, �• ' Inplionall' ��. r Galeton Reservoir South Platte Water — e Conservation Project WletonR•s•rvoir ao,tiooAF • A� ,�, Provides 60% of project yield ta'+ 40,00o of Galeton ,,,•�»� Reservoir • 10o cfs South Platte diversion with 000 - • 10,00o Hp pump 3o miles of pipeline �''`- Investment in agriculture's future Glacle/ Horsetooth Pipeline Operations • Initial Glade construction won't include pipAline • Built only if exchange potential in northern C-BT service area reduced by half " y,; � " - • Modeling shows average of �2,500 of/year t to Horsetooth if pipeline were built • TOC level in Poudre is elevated during peak runoff, which can cause increased ,: ., treatment costs Mitigation Options all iy • Monitor reservoir and watershed before ILIpipeline is built to establish baseline '� - Do not put elevated TOC river water . ' � directly into Horsetooth \�, ' * • Multi-level outlet in Glade (and possibly ___ Horsetooth) ' �e�,�,,, � • Pre-treat Glade water to reduce TOC levels a • Reimburse Elioincreased treatment costs Poudre River Flows . . . . CES diversion historically diverted 2/3 of water I requirements • new structure in �`, the river No negative impactto canyon flows a' -�`I Impactsbe counterbalanced with mitigation rlbe Poudre Valle Ca al The Environmental Impact Statement ( EIS) Process (2004 = 2008 ) 0 �egin EIS old Agency dr �olicit Public & of Army Corps Process Public $Coping Agency Concerns of A yinmrs Corps Fall 2004 Conduct ntilyAlternaYrres > Environmental rel re Draft EIS > Issue Draft EIS to be Studied Studies Based on Studies for Review Spring 2006 July 2007 Periodic Updates to the Public T � �•4 t Public Comment Period 90 days (tent) N)T v Prepare Final HIS Publish Final Public Comment �� Raoo•d in Response to > EIS > Period i of Decision Public Comments A Fall 2007 30 days Early 2008 7 U.5. 287 Northern Alignment ATTACHMENT Glade Reservoir U.S.. 287 Wester Alignment 18l AF Monroe Canal/North Poudre Valley Canal inds rDitch Poudre Supply Canal _ North Fork of Poudre River Wellington 4 Monroe Canal Diversion Glade I Cache La PoodleForebay MAIN3 1 Diversion to Poudre 28 Valley Canal CANGAGE L EreMAIN6r Lake Cobb Pleasant Valley Pipeline Galeton Reservoir 40,000 AF as and Flood Surcharge CINCGAGE Ault °gym 8 SPWCP Pipeline Fort Collins . -Eaton-- / I I I 7 ew C the Cana SPWCP Pipeline 8 Carter —MAIN18 MAIN20 Pipeline 1 Cache la Poudre Rive 1 GRLYGAGE 34 Loveland Greeley a KRSYGAGE 34 y �yPl .5 Ca Lrte ake I t P Carter Pipeline Conneclion to P-F Southern Water_Sup ply Pipeline AdzzlahL ® Proposed Reservoirs Figure 2-2 — Canals Alternative 2 (Proposed Action) - DRAFT Glade Reservoir and South Platte Environmental lmpu„S,a,emen, — Major Rivers Water Conservation Project (SPWCP) Prepared by. Minor Rivers e Stream Gage or MODSIM Node Location 0 10,000 20,000 N Prepared for: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Feet File: 2701 -Preferred Altemative FIG2.mzd UP) �• Existing Pipelines Ew -Xwomet A August 21, 2006 40 0 ?'> 0 ATTACHME T 3 CC? a 9144 : ram• 'I� C�I 41 7 f r V . f . ` �Ir `_• It i9 `� I � f b1 a Nil sf _ i v E E �. U O Si l N r O hil 1 . UIry dw r 11 / • • ;� _ Glade Reserve ' 170,000 Acre- - •� ` , ^ �lk! t -t SR 14 �� 4r (' W4 • f °' ads Place fl �t it Legend Northern Integrated Supply Project Northern Colorado Water Public Lands �iRrnafiveF HW 287 Relocation Final Alternatives Conservancy District OWNER 1IernaOveJ F7BLM iiiiiiiiEamng Highway 0 0.5 1 OCOLORADO Miles Dusrs Scale 1 :40,000 Doismcr Lana 1 40 ae,uzvi07 ATTACHMENT • NORTHERN INTEGRATED SUPPLY PROJECT NORTHERN COLORADO WATER CONSERVANCY DISTRICT • • • • NISP BACKGROUND F she Northern Integrated Supply Project is a col- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers selected the altema- laborative effort between the Northern Colorado tives for evaluation in the NISP EIS using a screening cri- Water Conservancy District and 16 northern teria that fully complies with both National Environmen- Front Range municipalities and water districts to in- tal Policy Act and Clean Water Act Section 404(b)( 1 ) crease of their water supplies. By joining together to meet guidelines. The Corps identified a no-action and these their water demands, the water providers may incur fewer three action alternatives: environmental impacts and lower costs than if each entity developed an individual solution. The goal of NISP is to 1 ) GLADE RESERVOIR ANDTHE SOUTH PLATTE provide the 16 participants with 40,000 acre-feet of new WATER CONSERVATION PROJECT (SPWCP) water yield. No single project will meet all of the partici- pants' long-term needs. However NISP will meet apor- 2) CACTUS HILL RESERVOIR ANDTHE SPWCP tion of their needs during the next 50 years. 3) AGRICULTURALTO MUNICIPALTRANSFERS, NISP CURRENT STATUS GLADE AND A SMALLER SPWCP N As required by the National Environmental Policy Act, Participant Boundaries the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will complete an envi- The NISP participants' preferred alternative, Glade Res- ronmental review of NISP and its alternatives. This review ervoir and the South Platte Water Conservation Project HORSETOOTH will be documented in an Environmental Impact State- (SPWCP), is detailed below. For information on the other RESERVOIR ment report due in early 2007. alternatives, please visit www.ncwcd.org, click on projects F 2 12 all11 and go to NISP. 1 u.s.387 U.5.38] NONE Westen tNorthernAlignment NISP'S PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE FLATIRON (F eT Alignmetnv FEATURES OF NISP RESERVOIR South plan¢ gtg f GW70Reservoir , CARTER 3 10 170,000 AF LAKE 7 Mean, The goal of NISP is to produce new, reliable water yield for 1 Fort Collins Loveland Water District 9 participants. the 16Therefore, z Windsor Glade to South Platte water - for a NISP alternative to be Horsetooth Conservation Project Galeton Reservoir BOu , 14 3 � Berthoud Pipeline &W.aacaoy 40,000AF feasible, it must include a wa- RESERVOIRE 4 15 •8. 4 Left Hand Water District AU LT �<o�'` ter right and water storage. Reservoir The referred NISP alternative a,_ 016 5 Erie Beservotr FORT COLLINS p 6 = Evan, would utilize currently unde- Central Weld County Water District EATON 13 ', veloped water rights on two 8 Fort Lupton Ham,wcne Gru, rivers, the Cache la Poudre 9 Fort Morgan and the South Platte. It would ID Morgan County Quality Waterw � also include a new reservoir 11 Eaton LOVELAND 1z � Severance the �,�� within both basins to store Denver 13 - Lafayette Area $ P� the water. Metro rea 14 - Firestone 15 ` Frederick 16 - Dacono 40 EMM THE POUDRE BASIN : GLADE RESERVOIR river flow, such as during better than average snowmelt maximum size, the reservoir would cover 2,800 acres and ton Reservoir, which they would distribute to their share- WATER RIGHTS years or during large rain events. The maximum diversion would be 65 feet deep. The preferred size is 40,000 acre- holders in lieu of the Poudre River water. NCWCD holds a conditional 1980 water right on the rate would be limited to 1 ,000 cfs. The canal, which the feet. The high-water line elevation is 4,865 feet. The Poudre River, which would be utilized with Glade NISP participants would upgrade, will carry the water to land affected by Galeton is privately owned. However no Currently, several agricultural ditch companies divert wa- the Glade forebay reservoir, where pumps with a total of homes would be inundated. ter from the Poudre River. In the example shown at left, 30,000 horsepower would move it into Glade. The water the ditch companies divert a combined 15,000 of (shown could be distributed to the participants in several ways, in- OPERATIONS in blue) from the Poudre River and move the water east to cluding new pipelines or by exchange. When the SPWCP's water rights are in priority the project irrigate croplands. With NISP operational (shown in or- would divert South Platte River water from a new diver- ange), the same ditch companies would divert only 10,000 THE SOUTH PLATTE BASIN : sion structure near the confluence of the Poudre and South of from the Poudre River, which would be supplemented by SOUTH PLATTE WATER CONSERVATION Platte rivers. The water would flow into a forebay reservoir deliveries of 5,000 of from Galeton Reservoir. The 5,000 PROJECT where pumps with a total of 9,000 horsepower would move of of Poudre River water that was replaced by Galeton j a it either to Galeton Reservoir for storage or to irrigation deliveries would be placed into Glade Reservoir for use by :'' • WATER RIGHTS canals for direct use. the municipalities participating in NISP. The South Platte Water Conservation Project includes several key water rights and priorities: For the project to take full advantage of NCWCD's water • A 500 cfs diversion right with a 1992 priority date to GLADE & GALETON: rights year-round, both Glade Reservoir and the South Aerial view of the Glade Reservoir site directly use and store water from the Poudre and South A MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL WATER TRADE Platte Water Conservation Project are necessary. The Platte rivers; On its own, Glade Reservoir could provide up to 20,000 timeline below illustrates the operations of NISP during an Reservoir. NCWCD is entitled to a 7/8 share of the right, • A 400 cfs pumping station right on the South Platte acre-feet of new yield for the NISP participants. Coupling average water year. while the Cache la Poudre Water Users Association holds River and a 400 acre-foot forebay reservoir right; Glade with the South Platte Water Conservation Project • Two storage water rights with 1992 and 1997 prior- can increase the new water yield from NISP to 40,000 South Platte Poudre right Exchanged the remaining 1/8 share. This right originally allowed ri hts fill Galeton fills Glade Poudre rights fill Glade 220,000 acre-feet of storage at the mainstem Grey Moun- ity dates, which allow up to 81 ,604 acre-feet of storage at acre-feet, which meets a portion of the current and future 9 g rain reservoir site. In July 2006, the District completed its Galeton Reservoir; water needs of the participants. spring summer / fall Appropriative exchange rights along the Poudre River Deliver to M&I Deliver to M&I Deliver to Ag. water court case, giving it the ability to divert and store to move water from the Larimer & Weld and New Cache Made from Glade from Glade from Galeton the water right associated with the Grey Mountain site at Reumon Joint Operations alternate locations, including Glade Reservoir. ditch systems to upstream locations on the Poudre River. , of Glade Reservoir 5,000af and Galeton Reservoir In the winter/spring months of an average water year, RESERVOIR SITE RESERVOIR SITE — :��• NISP would utilize both the Poudre and South Platte Galeton Reservoir would be the main storage facility for G ��a• R=�"` it water rights to fill Glade and Galeton. During the sum- The Glade Reservoir site is located in a valley Highways 2 i7 the SPWCP. Galeton is located near Highway 14, a roxi- �afan merely one mile north of the junction of Highways 287 g y PP add I \% 5,000 of mer/fall months, NISP would deliver Galeton water to its and 14. The referred size is 170.180,000 acre-feet, sli htI mately five miles northeast of the Town of Galeton. At its 9�e 1 �— With NISP 10,000 of Total agricultural partners, fill Glade with an equal amount of p g Y IN ---> 15,000 of Poudre River water, and deliver Glade water to its munici- lar larger than nearby Horsetooth Reservoir. The high water •••••••••••...•...•••-•••-•••-•••••••'•'>* g y g Without NISP total 15,000 of pal partners. line mark is 5,520 feet in elevation. The proposed reser- ng lead= voir, at its largest, covers 1 ,700 surface acres and is 260 feet ----- Water deliveries with NISP ESTIMATED TIMELINE: deep. NCWCD owns about 2/3 of the land affected by the ••••••• Without NISP BP+a` reservoir site. The remaining 1/3 is owned primarily by the yea ENVIRONMENTAL PERMITTING: 2004-2007 State of Colorado, with private entities holding a small amount. No homes not currently owned by NCWCD GLADE DESIGN : 2008-2009 would be inundated by the reservoir. Joint operations of Glade and Galeton reservoirs is a win- win situation for both agricultural and municipal water GLADE CONSTRUCTION : 2009-2013 OPERATIONS users. It is simple in theory: two agricultural ditch com- GLADE OPERATIONAL: 2013 During times when NISP's Poudre River water right is panies currently divert Poudre River water for delivery to in priority, the project would divert water at the existing their shareholders further east. Under NISP, a portion of SPWCP DESIGN : 2013-2014 that water would instead be diverted into Glade Reservoir Poudre Valley Canal diversion dam near the mouth of SPWCP CONSTRUCTION : 2014-2017 Poudre Canyon. This will usually occur in periods of high for municipal use by the NISP participants. The ditch The Galeton Reservoir site companies would take a like amount of water from Gale- SPWCP OPERATIONAL: 2019 ATTACHMENT 5 Northern Colorado Biz Report March 16 , 2007 Regional water supply project assuming no storage is added to the supply system, will draw down the 80 percent share of the total water avail- meets all needs able that now goes to agricultural users . In other words, even with conservation measures in By staff place, inevitable population growth will progressively The Business Report has used this space in the past to dry Northern Colorado farms . endorse the proposed Northern Integrated Supply Proj - The conservationists hoist the city of Aurora as an ex- ect, a water- storage and distribution plan that would add ample of how reducing per-capita water consumption to 200,000 acre feet of storage to the region' s water portfo- 100 gallons a day can meet supply targets . lio . The snapshot statistic they provide was taken in 2002, Having heard again from backers and opponents of the during the driest of drought summers . It reflects not so project during the past few weeks , we line up again in much a community commitment to conservation as it support of the storage plan, shared by 16 municipali- does a community that simply ran out of water. ties and water districts in Northern Colorado at a cost of $350 million. We agree that conservation is a goal that every commu- nity and water user should make a priority as we work to The Poudre Canyon Group of the Sierra Club leads a co- get the most out of our available water supply . But in the alition of conservation interests in opposing the storage meantime, we need to ensure the West' s most precious plan, saying it threatens water quality and wildlife habi- resource remains available to all users - farmers, urban tat and would artificially drive population growth rates residents and businesses . The Northern Integrated Sup- higher in order for the project' s owners to finance it. ply Project is a step toward meeting that commitment. They also say that water users in Northern Colorado can conserve enough to account for the storage that the project' s two reservoirs, Glade Reservoir north of Fort Collins and Galeton Reservoir northeast of Greeley, would provide. But we' re again persuaded by the logic that the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District, the originator of the storage and distribution plan, puts behind its argu- ment that conservation alone cannot ensure a sufficient future supply that will support all water users, including city dwellers and farmers . The district' s managers say, correctly, that growth in Colorado will not be limited by water availability. New residents will arrive in this region whether or not con- servationists want to see them. Water for newcomers, Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District 0 News articles archives ATTACHMENT 6 NOR /1 FOR rY NEWS F05151Y. ow/? Cw4rpwlt Community Afewspapors for Ladder County, Colorado May 2007 News Home Page About Us Advertising Info Community Page Will Glade degrade Poudre ? By Cherry Sokoloski North Forty News Opinions diverge widely, much like the forks of a river, when it comes to Glade Reservoir. Glade and a smaller reservoir, Galeton, are proposed as part of the Northern Integrated Supply Project which, if built, will supply domestic water to 16 communities and water districts in northern Colorado . Glade, which would be larger than Horsetooth Reservoir, would be situated north of Ted's Place and would require moving U. S . Highway 287 . The environmental impact statement for NISP is due out this summer, probably in July, according to officials at the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District, which is spearheading the project. One primary point of contention about Glade has been the question of how diverting water to the reservoir would affect the health of the Cache la Poudre River. NCWCD officials claim they would be required to protect the riparian area and the wildlife that depends upon it. Some conservationists contend that by removing additional water from the Poudre, Glade would further degrade the river, harming both riparian life and water quality. There is no question, both sides agree, that there will be less water in the river if Glade is built. The project would pull water off the river via two mechanisms : water exchanges with other water users ; and the Grey Mountain water right which, because it's a junior right, would kick in only during years when there's plenty of water. Water diverted To fill Glade, NISP must pull water off the river at the Poudre Valley Canal, located at the mouth of the Poudre Canyon. To accomplish that, the partnership proposes exchanging water with other entities that normally pull water off further downstream and moving those diversions to the Poudre Valley Canal . In short, water would be diverted further upstream than it currently is . As a result, said Carl Brouwer, project manager for NISP, " streamflows will generally be lower through town. " The total difference in water volume through Fort Collins would be 24,000 to 26,000 acre-feet less per year because of moving the diversion points. The average total flow in the Poudre is 280,000 acre-feet per year. Upstream of the canyon mouth, NISP would not have an effect on streamflow. The water exchanges would happen with the Larimer & Weld Reservoir Co . , which now diverts water upstream of Shields Street, and the New Cache Irrigation Co . , which takes river water out near Interstate 25 . In dry years there would be no water to exchange, Brouwer noted. The second mechanism, the Grey Mountain water right, would provide water to Glade only in certain years and under certain circumstances . NISP is figuring on an average of 18 ,000 acre-feet per year from this source . Brouwer explained that several factors would determine whether this water right would come into priority : the entire volume of water available during the runoff period, whether there's a rainy spring, and how full the reservoirs are from the previous year. As an example, if all those factors are positive and the Poudre peaks at 3 ,000 cubic feet per second (the historic average), NISP might be able to pull off 1 ,000 cfs during the peak runoff period. George Varra, Poudre River commissioner, said the only average or better runoff since 1999 occurred in 2003 , when the river peaked at 3 , 840 cfs . Peak runoffs have been unusually low in this decade because of the prolonged drought. Minimum flow required Brouwer said NISP would be required to maintain minimum flows at three locations . At the Bellvue Fish Hatchery, the expected requirement will be 50 cfs in summer, 25 in winter. At the bridge on North College Avenue and at the point where the river goes under Prospect Road, requirements would be 30 cfs both summer and winter. "It limits us, but that's okay, " said Brouwer. "We have to make sure the riparian area is protected. " Brouwer said the NCWCD staff is trying to find innovative ways to keep as much water as possible in the river as it flows through Fort Collins . For example, it may be possible to move a couple of ditch diversion points further downstream. Brouwer said he also expects the Army Corps of Engineers to require the creation of a low-flow channel in the river to give fish a place to go during dry periods . The Army Corps is the agency that decides whether to give NISP a permit. While Brouwer has heard from many NISP detractors, he thinks environmentalists will be " amazed at the depth of analysis and what we're being required to do" in terms of keeping aquatic and riparian environments healthy. Sierra Club concerned Mark Easter, a member of the Poudre Canyon Group of the Sierra Club and a trained botanist, said the Sierra Club has four principal concerns about the Glade proposal and the further depletion of the Poudre River, especially the impact on peak flows . The organization is worried about wetlands along the river, the riparian forest of cottonwoods and willows, fish habitat and water quality. " The peak flows in above-average years are the most important flows for maintaining the river's health, " Easter contended. Peak flows recharge the wetlands and the groundwater around the wetlands, he noted, and wetlands are critical for maintaining water quality since they filter out impurities . Wetlands also provide important wildlife habitat and recreation areas . "If you lose the peak flows, you lose the wetlands, " Easter said. The riparian forest is also influenced by peak flows, Easter said. Trees drop their seeds at the time when water is receding, and they need scoured ground for the seeds to germinate. For fish, Easter said, peak flows remove silt, creating spawning beds and a healthy habitat. Water quality is also affected by peak flows, since the big rush of water flushes out pollutants. According to Easter, the local Sierra Club is pushing for two sustainable solutions to water needs in northern Colorado . First, members advocate the use of conservation practices by all water users . Second, they would like to see water users work together to manage the river in such a way that it can meet people's water needs while restoring the river's health. "We think it's highly possible" to meet those goals, Easter said. Do you have a news tip? Do you have questions about a news story? Please contact our staff by phone (970-221 -0213 ) or e-mail. News Home Page About Us Advertising Info Community Page © North Forty News 2007 Send your comments and questions to North Forty News or to Fossil Creek Current Web site by S. Virginia De Herdt, Freelance Writer Send your comments and questions about this web site to Web Master ATTACHMENT 7 Northern Integrated Supply Project Website Materials The NISP website has additional information , and is consistently updated with the latest news . Go to http : //www . ncwcd . org/ project_features/ nisp_main . asp Some of what is available : • NISP Phase II report documents • NISPNews 2003 - 2006 Issues • NISP "Water Supplies and Demands for Participants" report • Additional project maps Detailed information on the 4 NISP alternatives • Upcoming meetings Information about other Northern Water activities are also available on our main website : http : //www . ncwcd . org .