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HomeMy WebLinkAboutReport - Mail Packet - 6/11/2019 - Halligan Water Supply Project Briefing BookFOR MORE INFORMATION fcgov.com/halligan Eileen Dornfest Special Projects Manager 970-416-4296 halligan@fcgov.com HALLIGAN WATER SUPPLY BRIEFING PROJECT BOOK TABLE OF CONTENTS Section One Halligan Project Quick Facts Section Two Executive Summary Section Three Letters of Support Section Four Halligan Project Alternatives Section Five Other Colorado Water Supply Projects Section Six Project Schedule Section Seven Public Process Section Eight Fort Collins Water Utilities Overview Section One QUICK FACTS WHAT IS IT? If approved, the Halligan Water Supply Project will enlarge Halligan Reservoir, an existing reservoir on the North Fork of the Poudre River, to provide added protection for Fort Collins Utilities water customers from future service interruptions during emergencies. The reservoir will expand from about 6,400 acre-feet to roughly 14,500 acre-feet by increasing the height of the existing 70-foot dam by 25 feet, providing approximately 8,100 acre-feet of additional water storage for future use. HALLIGAN WATER SUPPLY QUICK PROJECT FACTS PROJECTED COST $75 million Total The project will be primarily funded by water fees assessed on new developments. Costs are based on one design concept and will continue to be refined. WHY? • Without additional storage, future generations of Fort Collins Utilities’ water customers are vulnerable to interruptions in water availability and delivery particularly during prolonged drought and emergencies and with the uncertainties associated with climate change. • Utilities currently owns very little raw water storage, only 7,100 acre-feet at Joe Wright Reservoir, which is a lot less than other Front Range communities on a per-person basis. • Current water supply is not enough without water restrictions in the event of a prolonged drought, especially with the projected population and commercial growth within the established Utilities service area. • Conservation has reduced water demands, but it’s not enough to provide the resiliency needed to meet our growing service area’s needs. FORT COLLINS LIVERMORE WELLINGTON I-25 I-25 US 287 HWY 14 Red Feather Lakes Rd. Cache la Poudre River HWY 14 FORT COLLINS UTILITIES WATER SERVICE AREA North Fork Cache la Poudre River HALLIGAN RESERVOIR HORESETOOTH RESERVOIR SEAMAN RESERVOIR US 287 US 287 FEWER ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS Currently, there are multiple planned reservoir projects located in the Poudre River watershed, including Glade Reservoir, as part of the Northern Integrated Supply Project (NISP), and the Seaman Reservoir enlargement. The Halligan Project is substantially smaller in scale than these projects and will result in relatively fewer environmental impacts. WE ARE HERE Did You Know? The water from Horsetooth Reservoir could fill up to 10 enlarged Halligan Reservoirs. PROJECT BENEFITS The Halligan Water Supply Project: Sign up online for periodic updates. fcgov.com/halligan HALLIGAN WATER SUPPLY PROJECT Will help provide a safe, reliable water supply for future generations. Will provide year-round flows on the North Fork of the Poudre where it often runs dry in spots, leading to fishery and habitat improvements. Did You Know? The original dam was built in 1909. Will enlarge an existing reservoir instead of building a new one, creating fewer negative environmental impacts. Will rehabilitate an aging dam that will require repairs in the future. Is the most cost-effective option to meet our water storage needs. Is a gravity-fed project—no pumping needed—which requires no energy or greenhouse gas emissions. PROJECT STATUS Before Halligan Reservoir can be enlarged, the project must receive federal, state and local permits. The Halligan Water Supply Project has been in permitting since 2006. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), the lead permitting agency, plans to release a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in 2019. Anticipated Project Timeline 2006 City of Fort Collins entered permitting process 2019 Draft EIS from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, followed by public review and comment period 2020-2022 Final EIS and permit decision 2024-2025 Design and construction 2026 Enlarged Halligan operations Schedule subject to change depending on federal permitting process Section Two EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 11 HALLIGAN WATER SUPPLY PROJECT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Background The Halligan Water Supply Project, construction expected to begin in 2026, will raise the height of the existing 70-foot Halligan dam by 25 feet and increase the capacity of Halligan Reservoir by approximately 8,100 acre-feet. The project will ensure reliable water supplies for future Fort Collins Utilities water customers, with an additional benefit of added reliability for current customers. Increasing the capacity of Halligan Reservoir will help protect against service interruptions related to prolonged drought and emergencies, including fires, floods, landslides, infrastructure failures and potential changes in Fort Collins Utilities’ portion of water yields from the Colorado-Big Thompson (CBT) Project. The enlargement requires authorization under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Omaha District (Corps). The Corps is mandated by Section 404 to evaluate alternatives to an applicant’s preferred alternative (Proposed Action) and issue a permit for the least environmentally damaging practicable alternative (LEDPA). Although it is a modest-sized expansion, one third the total project costs could be related to permitting. The NEPA Process Of all the alternatives evaluated (see Section Four), expanding Halligan Reservoir has continually been the preferred solution from an engineering, common sense and triple bottom-line standpoint. The project has been identified as a smart project for water supply by environmental groups because it balances water supply needs with maximizing existing infrastructure and providing environmental benefits. See the smart principles: westernresourceadvocates.org/publications/filling-the-gap-front-range. Need Over the years, careful planning has provided a water supply system that balances available water supplies with the water needs of Fort Collins Utilities’ water customers. However, current supplies are not enough to meet the needs associated with projected growth within the Fort Collins Utilities service area, particularly in times of emergency, prolonged drought and uncertainties associated with climate change. Without additional storage, Fort Collins is vulnerable to interruptions in water availability and delivery. Request to Initiate NEPA Alternatives and Impact Analysis Record of Decision Public Scoping Public Hearing/ Public Comment Period Final (EIS) Determination to Prepare Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Draft (EIS) WE ARE HERE 12 Benefits • Increased Flows and Habitat Improvements – The City of Fort Collins has committed to reservoir operations that would provide minimum flows to the North Fork year-round. Currently, the river runs dry in locations at various times throughout the year, which stresses fish and the aquatic habitat. The Halligan Water Supply Project will enhance flows on a 22-mile stretch of the North Fork of the Poudre River downstream of Halligan Reservoir, leading to fishery and habitat improvements. • Fewer Environmental Impacts – Enlarging an existing reservoir creates fewer environmental impacts than building a new reservoir. Compared to similar projects in Northern Colorado, the Halligan Reservoir expansion is relatively small, only inundating approximately 130 additional acres of land and resulting in a total area of about 380 acres when complete. As a comparison, Denver Water’s Gross Reservoir will be enlarged by 424 acres, more than doubling its size, and the new Glade Reservoir (part of NISP) will be 1,600 acres when complete. After expansion, Halligan Reservoir at full capacity will be one-fifth the area and one-tenth the volume of Horsetooth Reservoir. Additionally, the reservoir will remain mostly full over the years and only experience significant changes in water level during droughts or other emergency situations. This equates to fewer impacts on the river because water will be diverted less frequently than if water was needed annually. • No Pumping Required – The expanded Halligan Reservoir will be gravity-fed, and no pumping will be required to fill the reservoir. By using a gravity-fed project, as opposed to one that requires pumping, no greenhouse gases will be emitted during operations. The project is consistent with the City’s climate action goals. • It’s Cost-Effective – The project is the most cost-effective option identified to meet Fort Collins Utilities’ water storage and supply needs. • New Recreation Opportunities – The City is considering opening Halligan Reservoir to limited recreation. Fishing with human- propelled boating may be allowed on the reservoir once enlarged. Safety concerns in this remote area will need to be addressed. • A Reliable Water Supply – Expanding Halligan Reservoir will help provide a reliable water supply for future generations of Fort Collins Utilities’ water customers. The additional water storage will provide added protection from future interruptions in water availability and delivery due to emergencies, such as, prolonged drought, fires, floods, landslides and infrastructure failures, along with uncertainties around climate change. Cost Considerations The cost of supplying water in northern Colorado continues to increase. The Halligan Water Supply Project is highly cost-effective. Current cost estimates indicate the unit cost of water from Halligan will be about $10,000 per acre-foot of firm yield, compared to $80,000+ per acre-foot of firm yield for CBT water supplies. The project will be primarily funded by water fees assessed on new developments. Current cost estimates are based on concept-level details and will continue to be updated as project details are developed and refined. Costs are likely to increase as project details and design elements are refined throughout future design and permitting activities. Dry-up on the North Fork of the Poudre River below Halligan Dam, 2002 Extreme low flows on the North Fork below Halligan Dam, 2018 Example of proposed minimum flow operations on the North Fork 13 Opportunity Costs of Failing to Enlarge Halligan Reservoir • If expansion is not permitted, future safety considerations require repairs, rehabilitation or replacement of the 108-year old Halligan dam. Most of the construction-related environmental impacts will be experienced with the rehabilitation effort, even if the Corps permits a different alternative. • If the project is not permitted, the North Poudre Irrigation Company (NPIC), a local irrigation company, will bear the costs of rehabilitating or replacing Halligan Dam, at a significant impact to local agriculture. With the City’s 36% ownership of NPIC, approximately a third of the rehabilitation costs would fall to us. • The Halligan Water Supply Project provides an opportunity to improve the North Fork of the Poudre River (a tributary to the Poudre River) and improve the overall health of the watershed. This opportunity is lost if a different alternative is permitted by the Corps. Greenhouse Gass Considerations Unlike all other alternatives (see Section Four), the expanded Halligan Reservoir will operate entirely by gravity, resulting in no new operational greenhouse gas emissions. Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is a primary policy goal for the City that isn’t achieved by the other water supply alternatives. Support Project support is strong and outspoken. See Section Seven for details. The project is supported by: • The business community (Fort Collins Chamber of Commerce) • Some of the state’s most prominent environmental groups (Western Resource Advocates, Trout Unlimited, The Nature Conservancy) • Agriculture (North Poudre Irrigation Company) • Colorado’s congressional delegation (Sen. Michael Bennet, Sen. Cory Gardner, State Rep. Jeni Arndt, and Gov. Jared Polis (support expressed as Congressman) Potential opposition to the project may come from Save the Poudre, which has opposed other regional water supply projects. Good Policy The State of Colorado’s comprehensive, very public planning process led to an official 2015 Colorado Water Plan, which stresses the need for additional water storage projects like the expansion of Halligan Reservoir. Responsible Project While all water supply projects have impacts, the best projects include environmental benefits that outweigh the impacts. The City is committed to environmental protection and has designed the Halligan Water Supply Project over its 30-year history by focusing on the triple bottom line (environmental, social and economic). Simply put, the Halligan Water Supply Project is the most environmentally and economically responsible alternative to meeting the City’s water supply needs. Halligan Reservoir often spills in normal and wet years. The Halligan Water Supply Project is a commonsense approach to meeting the City’s water needs. It makes use of an existing reservoir, rehabilitates an aging dam, costs significantly less than other local water supply options, and provides numerous environmental benefits. This project satisfies the triple bottom line approach by taking into consideration environmental, social and economic impacts and benefits. Section Three LETTERS OF SUPPORT 17 18 November 2, 2017 Cody Wheeler, Regulatory Project Manager U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Denver Regulatory Office 9307 S. Wadsworth Blvd. Littleton, CO 80123 RE: Our support for consideration of the Halligan Water Supply Project’s potential downstream flow benefits under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. Dear Mr. Wheeler: Western Resource Advocates writes in regard to the potential of the Halligan Water Supply Project (“Halligan Project”) to improve base flows in a chronically dry and fragmented reach of the North Fork of the Cache La Poudre River in northern Colorado. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) held scoping meetings for the proposed Halligan Project in 2006.1 The Corps is currently developing its Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Halligan Project. Western Resource Advocates urges the Corps to conduct a comprehensive review of the potential aquatic impacts and benefits, including benefits to wetlands and downstream aquatic resources, of the City of Fort Collin’s proposed Halligan Project under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act as part of its development of the DEIS. Western Resource Advocates is a non-profit regional research and advocacy organization whose mission is to protect the air, land, and water of the American West. We help communities restore rivers, protect aquatic ecosystems, and advance environmentally sustainable management of the West’s scarce water resources. Western Resource Advocates’ members and employees are located throughout the arid and semi-arid states of the Interior West. In our 2011 report, Filling the Gap: Commonsense Solutions for Meeting Front Range Water Needs, Western Resource Advocates and two other co-authoring organizations identified the Halligan Project as an “Acceptable Planned Project.”2 This designation means that a proposed water supply project generally follows our “Smart Principles” of water supply management and development.3 In particular, the design of the Halligan Project adheres to the Smart Principles by:  Expanding upon an existing mainstem dam, rather than constructing an entirely new dam.  Utilizing agricultural water rights acquired as a result of municipal growth onto irrigated lands, thereby avoiding significant new depletions in the Cache La Poudre Basin. 1 See 71 Fed. Reg. 5250 (Feb. 1, 2006). The Corps separated its consideration of the Halligan and Seaman Water Management Projects in 2015. 80 Fed. Reg. 6064 (Feb. 4, 2015). 2 Available at https://westernresourceadvocates.org/publications/filling-the-gap-front-range/. 3 Id. at 11-12 (listing the Smart Principles). 19 2  Storing water native to the North Fork of the Cache La Poudre River, rather than importing it from the Colorado River Basin. However, in the report we noted that we want to see the Halligan Project participants (1) implement urban conservation measures before building the project, and (2) protect and restore flows in the North Fork of the Cache La Poudre River, and the Poudre River. Since 2011, the City of Fort Collins has made significant progress towards meeting both of these goals. With respect to conservation, the City invested in promoting and incentivizing water conservation, which led to the City’s water demands declining from about 200 gallons per capita per day (gpcd) in 2000 to an average of 147 gpcd over the past five years. Meanwhile, the City updated its planning policies to promote additional conservation. In 2012, the City revised its per capita demand planning level to 150 gpcd, which is significantly less than the 185 gpcd level adopted in 2003. The City’s 2015 Water Efficiency Plan targets 130 gpcd by 2030. This conservation enabled the City to significantly reduce its portion of water supply needed from the proposed enlargement of Halligan Reservoir from 12,000 acre-feet to 8,100 acre-feet. This sort of redesign of a project based upon more aggressive, yet achievable, water conservation targets epitomizes the “conservation first” approach in the Smart Principles. The City also proposes to significantly improve aquatic habitat on 22 miles of the North Fork of the Cache La Poudre River downstream of Halligan Reservoir as part of the Halligan Project. Under existing hydrology, portions of the North Fork routinely dry up in both summer and winter. This problem is particularly acute below the North Fork Canal diversion dam in Phantom Canyon, as illustrated by modeling completed for the City of Fort Collins where under current conditions the river experiences dry days in 197 out of 660 months, or nearly one-third of months, between water years 1955 and 2005 without the Halligan Project. Modeling results with the City’s proposed Halligan Project operations, including a 5 c.f.s. summer base flow release and 3 c.f.s. winter base flow release, show the potential for the project to eliminate zero flow days in all but the driest years. In addition, aquatic habitat in the North Fork of the Cache La Poudre River is currently severed by two significant diversion structures in Phantom Canyon: the North Fork Canal diversion dam and the Calloway diversion dam. As a part of the Halligan Project, the City plans to improve habitat connectivity by adding flow and fish passage structures at these dams. If successful, these passage structures could help aquatic biota recolonize the North Fork. Accordingly, Western Resource Advocates urges the Corps to conduct a comprehensive review of the potential aquatic impacts and benefits of the City of Fort Collin’s proposed Halligan Project under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. Subpart H of the Section 404(b)(1) Guidelines provide clear authority for the Corps to consider a project’s environmental benefits in minimizing a discharge’s adverse impacts under 40 C.F.R. section 230.10(d).4 The Guidelines do not consider 4 40 C.F.R. § 230.77 (d) (40 C.F.R. § 230.10 (d) references Subpart H, including 40 C.F.R. § 230.77 (d)). 20 3 the environmental benefits of a project to be compensatory mitigation because the Guidelines discuss mitigation separately under Subpart J. Therefore, it is proper for the Corps to include downstream aquatic benefits of the Halligan Project in its determination of the least environmentally damaging practicable alternative under 40 C.F.R. § 230.10(a). Given the perhaps unique capacity of the Halligan Project to help restore flows and aquatic habitat in the North Fork of the Cache La Poudre River, the Corps should consider these potential benefits in examining alternatives under the Clean Water Act. WRA believes the Halligan Project could be the best alternative before the Corps based on its impacts and benefits to the aquatic ecosystem. Thank you for your consideration of this request. We would be happy to discuss the Halligan Project at your convenience. Sincerely, Robert Harris Senior Staff Attorney Western Resource Advocates rob.harris@westernresources.org (720)763-3713 21 22 23 October 10, 2017 Mr. Cody Wheeler US Army Corps of Engineers Denver Regulatory Office 9307 S. Wadsworth Blvd. Littleton, CO 80123 Dear Mr. Wheeler: The Nature Conservancy would like to lend its conditional support to the City of Fort Collins’ proposed enlargement of Halligan Reservoir and urge the Corps to select the proposed action as the least environmentally practicable alternative or LEDPA. We lend this conditional support because the analysis completed during the Halligan-Seaman Shared Vision Planning Process (SVP) indicates that there is significant opportunity to fix damage done to the North Fork of the Cache la Poudre River by infrastructure and management put into place in the early 20th century. We have attached the SVP for reference. Any new project would, of course, have its own impacts, but there is reason to believe that the impacts will be outweighed by significant improvements to the North Fork, particularly to imperiled native fish on the North Fork, resulting from the proposed action’s environmental flows and subsequent, rigorous mitigation. If there are overall net environmental benefits to expanding Halligan Reservoir, that would suggest that this alternative qualifies as the least environmentally practicable alternative or LEDPA. Our conditional support for the proposed action as the LEDPA is not a comment on purpose and need of the proposed reservoir. Through the Shared Vision Planning process, numerous partners—including water suppliers and conservation organizations—described water supply and environmental objectives, quantitatively modeled reservoir impact, and analyzed multiple water management scenarios to assess their impacts and benefits to all stated objectives. The specific environmental objects we identified during the process were: 1. Maintain a conservation area for transition‐zone native fishes that are likely to continue disappearing from the northern Front Range with increased water use and climate change. 2. Maintain self‐sustaining trout populations that support a fishery. However, trout populations may be managed in deference to the goals of maintaining a native fish conservation area. 3. Maintain a complex riparian habitat by allowing for adequate water supplies, floods that regenerate habitat and sediment supplies that support plant recruitment and soil health. Maintaining riparian The Nature Conservancy in Colorado 2424 Spruce Street Boulder, CO 80302 tel [303] 444-2950 fax [303] 444-2986 nature.org/colorado 24 2 habitat is critical to the long‐term viability of the federally threatened Preble’s meadow jumping mouse, while also supporting several other aspects of ecosystem health. �. Maintain geomorphic and sediment transport processes. For e�ample, ensure periodic flows suitable for scouring gravels needed by trout and native fish for spawning and invertebrate production. 5. Maintain viable populations of critical terrestrial species, including Preble’s meadow jumping mouse and game species such as mule deer and elk. �. Minimize inundation of streams �especially the North Fork and �ale Creek� caused by reservoir e�pansion. �. �f possible, improve �oint �perations �lan flows and mitigate impacts on mainstem flows. �perations of the proposed Halligan �eservoir enlargement, along with the preliminary avoidance, minimization, and enhancement measures in the City’s proposed action address these objectives. It is our understanding that other alternatives cannot provide similar benefits or meet these ob�ectives. �spects of the proposed action and proposed measures that we believe would be most beneficial to the North Fork include� • Minimum flow releases and�or targets for all twelve months of the year. Throughout the history of Halligan �eservoir and the North �oudre Canal there have many months in most years with zero flow. • Peak flow bypass that will provide sediment flushing flows. Currently Halligan “spills” regularly, so attention to reductions in spill rate and duration are warranted. • �etrofitting of the North �oudre Canal diversion structure to allow bypass flows and fish passage. This structure and the depletions it allows have wholly transformed several stream miles below it. • �emoval or retrofitting of the Calloway �itch diversion structure to allow fish passage and stream connectivity. • Multi‐level outlets to allow management of temperature and dissolved o�ygen of water released from the reservoir. Currently the reservoir has significant impacts on temperature regimes below the reservoir with likely population‐level impacts on native fish. �verall, we see potential net environmental benefits of the proposed action with the proposed measures, yet there are some dimensions that we need to analyze further before we can turn our conditional support to full support. �mong the aspects that may need to be improved are� • Native fish populations need to be an e�plicit priority over non‐native trout populations, because the North Fork is one of relatively few strongholds for several foothills native fish. �nnual monitoring of fish populations will be necessary, and streamflow and temperature will need to be managed to sustain the native fishes. • Fully offsetting of impacts to Preble’s meadow jumping mouse populations (not just habitat) is necessary. �t is not adequate to invoke e�isting protection as an offset nor to assume populations will necessarily colonize new shoreline habitat. Monitoring of populations over an e�tended time is warranted. • �mpacts to the mainstem of the �oudre �iver also need to be mitigated. 25 3 • �hile we applaud a commitment to an adaptive management plan, ��5�,��� is probably far inade�uate to fully fund adaptive management during the life of the enlarged reservoir. �etails of the adaptive management plan need to be developed before any permit is issued. Capacity and commitment to fulfill the adaptive management plan needs to be included as a permit condition. In sum, �he �ature Conservancy believes the net benefits to the Cache la Poudre �iver watershed could be greater with an e�panded Halligan �eservoir when compared to what currently e�ists. �e urge you to move forward with the City in preparing a draft environmental impact statement and, if our preliminary analysis holds up, in developing a comprehensive mitigation plan that includes native species and ecosystems at its core, even when these species and ecosystems do not fall clearly under the purview of regulatory agencies. �e look forward to engaging with the Corps, �.�. Fish and �ildlife �ervice, Colorado Parks and �ildlife, and the City of Fort Collins to restore and maintain a thriving �orth Fork watershed. �incerely, Paige �ewis �eputy �tate �irector �he �ature Conservancy, Colorado 26 27 28 November 1, 2017 Mr. Cody Wheeler US Army Corps of Engineers Denver Regulatory Office 9307 S Wadsworth Blvd. Littleton, CO 80123 Dear Mr. Wheeler; The Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce strongly encourages the Army Corps of Engineers to select Halligan Reservoir as the LEDPA and to expedite the permitting of this important project. The Chamber has endorsed the Halligan Reservoir expansion since its application to the Corps in 2003. Additional water storage, infrastructure and conveyance facilities are vital to the success of our region. We believe the area will need all the storage projects that are being considered in northern Colorado and are very supportive of Halligan, NISP, Windy Gap and Chimney Hollow being permitted and constructed. Reliable and high-quality water is of critical importance to all of our citizens, especially the business community. The long-term success and diversity of our economy requires that we meet our projected water supply needs while providing a storage reserve for emergency water disruption and drought security. The Halligan Reservoir project is an excellent project for developing long-term storage capacity and the projected unit cost of constructing an enlarged reservoir at that site is relatively low, providing efficient use of taxpayer dollars while achieving the goal of expanding storage capacity for Fort Collins in an environmentally thoughtful way. The Halligan Expansion makes use of an existing dam, will be gravity fed and will enhance flows along the North Fork of the Poudre River. We encourage the Corps to expedite the permitting process for the Halligan Reservoir Expansion. We need storage now and a full third of the project’s costs are now absorbed by this lengthy permitting process, one that has gone on for nearly a decade-and-a-half. That’s inappropriate by anyone’s standards. Sincerely, Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce David L. May President & CEO cc: Darin Atteberry, Kevin Gertig 29 Section Four ALTERNATIVES 33 LIVERMORE WELLINGTON I-25 US 287 HWY 14 Red Feather Lakes Rd. Cache la Poudre River HWY 14 FORT COLLINS North Fork Cache la Poudre River HALLIGAN RESERVOIR HORSETOOTH RESERVOIR SEAMAN RESERVOIR US 287 Expanded Glade Alternative � Enlargement Preferred Alternative Agricultural Reservoir Alternative Gravel Pit Alternative Existing Pipelines New Pipelines Required for Alternatives Water Treatment Facility ALTERNATIVES As part of the permitting process, the Corps has evaluated numerous alternatives to the Halligan Reservoir enlargement. These include: • Enlargement of the proposed Glade Reservoir (if constructed as part of the Northern Integrated Supply Project (NISP)) • Acquisition of dedicated storage in existing reservoirs near Wellington • Use of existing and expanded gravel pit reservoirs along the Poudre River near Overland Trail The other water supply alternatives being considered differ from Halligan in that they include: • New infrastructure such as pump stations and pipelines to connect to the Water Treatment Facility • Greater greenhouse gas emission due to ongoing pumping requirements • Some level of pre-treatment required before water can be treated at our water treatment facility • A higher capital cost per acre-foot of water and a higher cost of ongoing operations and maintenance after construction All alternatives will be described and compared in the draft EIS, anticipated in 2019. The Corps is also evaluating a no-action alternative. The Corps will select the LEDPA to permit, which may be an alternative other than the enlargement of Halligan Reservoir. Location and Layout of Action Alternatives Alternative Feature Halligan Water Supply Project (Proposed Action) Expanded Glade Reservoir Gravel Pits Agricultural Reservoirs No-Action Pumping No Yes Yes Yes N/A Average Annual Power Required 0 kWh/yr* 837,680 kWh/year* 735,210 kWh/yr* 526,250 kWh/yr* 0 kWh/yr* Permanent Construction Impacts 160.0 acres 69.0 acres 17.0 acres 11.0 acres 0 acres Temporary Construction Impacts 31.5 acres 69.5 acres 111.5 acres 373.0 acres 0 acres Capital Construction Cost** $38,245,000 $60,938,000 $133,372,000 $170,760,000 $17,118,000 Operation and Maintenance Cost $89,800 $369,300 $431,700 $447,600 N/A *Includes pumping and treatment operations **This is not indicative of total cost for the Halligan Water Supply Project. The costs represented here are used in the EIS permitting process by the Corps. If We Do Nothing Our region’s semi-arid climate means the amount of water available from month-to-month and year-to-year varies, especially during dry years and drought. Without additional storage, future Fort Collins Utilities customers are vulnerable to interruptions in water supply during prolonged drought or emergencies. As a result, more frequent and severe water restrictions would be likely. Fort Collins Utilities currently owns far less independent storage per customer than many other Front Range water providers. Section Five OTHER COLORADO WATER SUPPLY PROJECTS OTHER COLORADO WATER SUPPLY PROJECTS Throughout northern Colorado, there are several different water supply projects in the works, including the Northern Integrated Supply Project, the Seaman Water Supply Project, the Moffat Collection System Project and the Windy Gap Firming Project. This table provides a comparison of those projects based on information publicly available in 2019. Project Name Halligan Water Supply Project Northern Integrated Supply Project (NISP) Seaman Water Supply Project Moffat Collection System Project Windy Gap Firming Project Reservoir Name(s) Halligan Reservoir (existing) Glade and Galeton reservoirs (new) Seaman Reservoir (existing Gross Reservoir (existing) Chimney Hollow Reservoir (new) Current Reservoir Size (Volume/Area) Vol: 6,400 acre-feet Area: 253 acres N/A Vol: 5,000 acre-feet Vol: 42,000 acre- feet; Area: 418 acres N/A Proposed Reservoir Size (Volume/Area) Vol: 14,500 acre- feet; Area: 386 acres Glade Vol: 170,000 acre-feet; Area: 16,000 acres Galeton Vol: 45,600 acre-feet; Area: 2,000 acres Vol: 88,000 acre- feet Vol: 119,000 acre- feet; Area: 842 acres Vol: 90,000 acre- feet; Area:740 acres Location Near Livermore Glade Near Livermore; Galeton Near Greeley Near Gateway Park up the Poudre River Canyon Near Boulder West of Loveland Project Owner City of Fort Collins Northern Water City of Greeley Denver Water Northern Water Who does the water serve? Fort Collins Utilities service area Section Six PROJECT SCHEDULE PROJECT SCHEDULE ‘06 ‘07 ‘08 ‘09 ‘10 ‘11 ‘12 ‘13 ‘14 ‘15 ‘16 ‘17 ‘18 ‘19 ‘20 ‘21 ‘22 ‘23 ‘24 ‘25 ‘26 Federal Permitting Other Federal & State Permitting Preliminary Design Final Design Construction Enlarged Halligan Operations — Record of Decision Purpose & Need — Purpose/Need — Notice of Intent Baseline Environmental Studies Alternatives Environmental Impact Studies — Develop & Issue Draft EIS — Public Comment Period — Prepare & Release Final EIS — Public Comment Period WE ARE HERE Project Schedule is dependent on permitting schedule and subject to change. Section Seven PUBLIC PROCESS 45 PUBLIC PROCESS In 2019, we anticipate reaching a critical milestone in the Halligan Water Supply Project federal permitting process with the release of the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) by the Corps. At the same time, a Conceptual Mitigation Plan will also be released. The EIS will summarize all the impacts to environmental and cultural resources for each alternative, including our preferred option, the Halligan Water Supply Project. The Conceptual Mitigation Plan will describe concepts being considered to avoid, minimize and/or mitigate impacts related to the project and each alternatives. Both the EIS and the Conceptual Mitigation Plan will be available for public review and comment for 70-90 days. During this public comment period: • The Corps will provide a press release and public notice on their website when the EIS is available. • The EIS will be available for review on the Corps’ website (go.usa.gov/xEfp5). There will be links and directions on the City’s main Halligan website (fcgov.com/halligan) directing people to the Corps’ site. • The Corps will hold an open house and hearing to provide an opportunity to comment on the EIS. • Comments must be provided directly to the Corps in order to be logged in the Administrative Record for the project. Any member of the public who would like to provide comments on the EIS or Conceptual Mitigation Plan can do so by submitting those comments to the Corps via website, email or letter. • City staff and Councilmembers can answer questions about the Halligan Water Supply Project, but any questions about the EIS process or assessment of impacts must be directed to the Corps. City staff and Councilmembers cannot receive any comments on the Corps’ behalf. • City staff have developed a Communications and Engagement Plan to inform the community, stakeholders and legislature of the project and its status before the release of the draft EIS. Section Eight FORT COLLINS WATER UTILITIES OVERVIEW 49 Fort Collins’ drinking water comes from the Cache la Poudre River and Horsetooth Reservoir and is treated at the Water Treatment Facility. It is distributed to homes and businesses in Fort Collins through more than 500 miles of water mains. Mountain Snowpack (high mountain reservoir) • Snow is primary water source • Watershed drains 564 square miles Treatment plant in foothills (has a 100kw solar array) - Water Quality Lab Pipes, hydrants, valves, services Service Area 35 sq. miles Advanced meters on businesses and homes Home/business water use Water quality – 19,500+ analyses monitoring on source water, treated water WATER TREATMENT DISTRIBUTION 6 Water flows into the Cache la Poudre River and Horsetooth Reservoir SOURCE 7 Residential = 32,000+ Commercial = 3,000+ SUPPLY: WATER RIGHTS OWNED – TOTAL 75,000 AF • Water supply to meet an average annual treated water demand of approximately 31,000 acre-feet (AF) during a 1-in-50 year drought in the Poudre River basin WATER DISTRIBUTION • 500+ miles of water mains (about 3M feet) • Range from 2" to 60" pipe, 12,900+ valves, 3,700+ hydrants • Replace 10,000 feet of undersized or aging water mains each year • Progressive Water Conservation Programs since the 1970s with estimated savings of Capacity 87M gallons/day Use a combination of settling, filtration and chemical addition 35,000+ 8.23 BILLION GALLONS OF WATER TREATED IN 2017 86M GALLONS SOME FACTS AND NUMBERS Based on 2017-2018 data Sign up online for periodic updates. fcgov.com/halligan Erie, Left Hand Water District, Fort Morgan, Central Weld County Water District, Windsor, Fort Collins Love- land Water District, Frederick, Severance, Lafayette, Evans, Firestone, Eaton, Morgan County Quality Water Dis- trict, Dacono City of Greeley Water Customers Denver Water Customers Broomfield, Greeley, Longmont, Loveland, Erie, Fort Lupton, Lafayette, Louisville, Superior, Platte River Power Authority, Central Weld County Water District, Little Thompson Water District Purpose • Future emergency and uncertainty • Water storage and delivery flexibility • Water supply for future population Water supply for future population Additional municipal and industrial water supplies Bolster and increase water supply to meet existing and future needs Supply reliable water for future generations Project Status Permitting Permitting Permitting Permitted Permitted Federal Permit Date 2022 (anticipated) 2019 (anticipated) Unknown 2017 2017 Anticipated Construction Start 2024 Glade 2021 Galeton 2024 Unknown 2021 2019 Estimated Total Project Cost $75M $1.1B Unknown $464M $425M Unit per acre-foot of firm yield $9,263 $27,500 Unknown $33,143 $10,625 HALLIGAN RESERVOIR SURFACE AREA Halligan Dam Existing Surface Area (253 acres) Enlarged Surface Area (383 acres) N