The Rivers included are 1. Santa Fé River, NM; 2. San Mateo Creek, CA; 3. Iowa River, IA; 4. Upper Delaware River, NY; 5. White Salmon River, WA; 6. Neches River, TX; 7. Kinnickinnic River, WI; 8. Neuse River, NC; 9. Lee Creek, AR , OK; and 10. Chuitna River, AK www.AmericanRivers.org/endangeredrivers
A working group made up of Genesis Gas and Oil officials and local and federal officials has designed a plan to direct Genesis’ drilling operations in the Grand Junction and Palisade municipal watersheds, and the plan is set to be released for public comment on April 2. Grand Junction Sentinel; March 7 link
REPORT SAYS SOUTHWEST’S DROUGHT IS NORMAL, AND WILL CONTINUE
A group of scientists from the Southwest compiled all of the research regarding the drought in the region into one report and presented their finding in Las Vegas, and the report says that the region’s drought isn’t unusual and is expected to continue, so people need to prepare to deal with increased strains on water supplies. New York Times; Feb. 22
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DECIDES NOT TO APPEAL COLORADO WATER RULING
The Interior Department’s decision not to appeal a federal court ruling that overturned a 2003 deal that governed the amount of water flowing through Black Canyon National Park means work can now begin on finding how much water the river needs through the canyon to sustain wildlife and other uses. Denver Rocky Mountain News (AP); Jan. 4 article
ARRIVAL OF EL NINO MAY MEAN DRY WINTER FOR COLORADO
Forecasters are predicting a virtual no-show for snow and slightly warmer temperatures across much of Colorado for the next few months. <http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_4786240?source=email>
PLANS MOVING ALONG FOR FISH PASSAGE, KAYAK PARK IN COLORADO
The Bureau of Reclamation released revised plans for a kayak park and fish passage on the Colorado River near Palisade, Colo., that reduces the difference for the two because, though the agency supports the park, it can’t use federal dollars to build it. Grand Junction Sentinel; Nov. 1 <www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2006/11/01/11_1_1b_Whitewater_park.html>
COLORADO GOV DEBATE FOCUSES ON WATER
A debate between Colorado gubernatorial candidates Democrat Bill Ritter and Republican U.S. Rep. Bob Beauprez in Pueblo was much more spirited and lively than debates around Denver, especially when the debate turned to protecting water quality and storage in southeast Colorado. Denver Post; Oct. 26 <http://www.denverpost.com/politics/ci_4551473>
JUDGE CALLS INTERIOR’S LIMIT ON GUNNISON ILLEGAL, ‘NONSENSICAL’
A federal judge rules that former Interior Secretary Gale Norton’s decision to let Colorado limit water flows in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park was “arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion.” <http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_4991274,00.html> <http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_4333566>
WATER MAY BE DEFINING ISSUE OF GLOBAL WARMING IN THE WEST
The Rocky Mountain West is one of the United States’ most arid regions, and a region where population increases are exploding, making the management of increasingly scarce water of utmost importance, and an area where global warming may have its most profound impact. Salt Lake Tribune; Aug. 8 <http://www.sltrib.com/ci_4149629>
RAINFALL DOESN’T DO MUCH TO END COLORADO DROUGHT
State weather officials said the wet weekend in Colorado, where some areas received up to eight inches of rainfall, won’t do much to clear the long-term drought, and said the effects of the stormy weekend will be forgotten within days. Denver Rocky Mountain News; July 10 <http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_4833501,00.html>
HIGH COURT’S WETLANDS DECISION PUTS JUSTICES ON OPPOSITE SHORES
The upshot of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision that sent two Michigan cases back to the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit is that that court gets another shot at deciding what constitutes wetlands, but the high court’s decision did not include a clear definition of what standard the appeals court should use. New York Times; June 20 <http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/20/washington/20wetlands.html?_r=3D2&oref=3Ds=> login&oref=3Dslogin Background: <http://www.bcwaternews.com/Original_Content/2006/cwa/cwa.htm>
DRY MONTH MELTS PROJECTIONS ON COLORADO RIVER WATER SUPPLY
In April, federal forecasters predicted that the Colorado River would get nearly 97 percent of its average in-flow for the year, but dry weather reduced that prediction to 86 percent by the end of April, down to 79 percent at mid-May. Las Vegas Review-Journal; 5/19 <http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/May-19-Fri-2006/news/7487934.htm=> l
FLY FISHERS EMERGE FOR COLORADO CADDIS HATCH
The annual caddis hatch that brings fly-fishers out onto Colorado’s Arkansas River and the fish looking up is also a boom to local retailers who feed and house the anglers and provide them with flies, scotch and cigars. Denver Post; April 12 <http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_3700264> <http://durangoherald.com/asp-bin/article_generation.asp?article_type=news&article_path=/news/06/news060425_2.htm>
COLORADO LAWMAKERS DIVIDED OVER WATER-PROTECTION BILL
Legislation drafted to expand Colorado water judges’ jurisdiction to address the effects of water decisions on water quality may be impractical, according to Montrose Republican Rep. Ray Rose, who said the breadth of studies required under the new law would be incomprehensible. Grand Junction Sentinel; March 8 <http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2006/03/08/3_8_1b_water_quality_bill.html> <http://www.journal-advocate.com/Stories/0,1413,120~7826~3262327,00.html>
THINK LIKE A CREEK
A retired Forest Service biologist uses the natural meanderings of waterways to help restore the ecological health of the land. <http://www.headwatersnews.org/WhiteZeedyk021506.html>
BLM ALLOWS DRILLING LEASES IN COLORADO CITY’S WATERSHED
The Bureau of Land Management approved the sale of oil and gas leases on 12,000 acres in Colorado’s Mesa County, despite protests of municipal and county leaders who said the drilling would damage water supplies, but the BLM did say it will impose regulations that will protect the water. Denver Post; Feb. 8
COLORADO COMMISSION KEEPS STORMWATER REGULATIONS IN PLACE
A federal energy bill questioned Colorado’s ability to regulate stormwater run-off from oil and gas construction activities, but the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission voted to keep such regulations in place. Grand Junction Sentinel; Jan. 11 <http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_3390495> <http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2006/01/11/1_11_1A_stormwater_decision.html>
DEAL REACHED IN COLORADO KAYAK PARK
After years in and out of court, the Colorado Water Conservation Board and builders of a kayak park in Gunnison have reached a deal regarding how much water will be kept in the river for recreation flows and how much can be diverted upstream for development. Denver Post; Dec. 23 <http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_3335894>
COLORADO HIGH COURT UPHOLDS INSTREAM FLOW PROGRAM
Environmentalists lauded a Colorado Supreme Court opinion as a victory for a state program designed to ensure streams always flow at certain levels, but critics said the program allows water to flow out of state and wastes a critical resource. Denver Rocky Mountain News; Nov. 29 <http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_4274022,00.html>
UNION PARK RESERVOIR: JUDGE CUTS OFF FIRM’S RIGHTS
Union Park Reservoir, the controversial plan to tap the Gunnison River headwaters for Front Range communities, suffered a serious setback last week when a state judge revoked a key water right. Denver Post, 08/08 <http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_2922672>
CONSERVATION EFFORTS BUOY NEED FOR DENVER WATER’S RATE INCREASE
Denver Water officials were surprised by the 20 percent reduction in water use that created a $12 million budget shortfall, and company officials will decide today if they’ll raise rates by 8 percent and tweak the rate structure to make large users pay more. Denver Post; Sept. 14 <http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_3027111>
UNION PARK RESERVOIR: JUDGE CUTS OFF FIRM’S RIGHTS
Union Park Reservoir, the controversial plan to tap the Gunnison River headwaters for Front Range communities, suffered a serious setback last week when a state judge revoked a key water right. Denver Post, 08/08 <http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_2922672>
ENERGY COMPANIES APPEAL COLORADO RULES ON RUNOFF WATER
Energy companies said Colorado’s new rules governing water runoff on oil and gas operations on less than 5 acres of land are premature, and that the state should have waited for the Environmental Protection Agency to complete its study on runoff water. [Gunnison County and several environmental groups have intervened to assist the state defend its decision to regulate well drilling construction. This issue has become more urgent with Congress exempting the oil and gas industry from federal regulation in the new energy bill.] Denver Post; July 6 <http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_2841880>
EXPERT WARNS WATER SHORTAGES AHEAD FOR COLORADO RIVER
A three-day symposium at the University of Colorado on the Colorado River opened with a warning that critical shortages are possible within the next six years and that shared risk should inspire Western states to find new ways to manage the river. Denver Rocky Mountain News; June 9 <http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/state/article/0,1299,DRMN_21_3841643,00.html>
BUSH TAPS FORMER IDAHO FARMER TO BE WATER CZAR
If approved by the Senate, Mark Limbaugh will be the Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Water and Science, in charge of setting policy for the Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Geological Survey. Idaho Statesman; May 16 <http://www.idahostatesman.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050516/NEWS01/505160310/1002/NEWS01>
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COLORADO RIVER NATION’S THIRD MOST ENDANGERED
Diversions of water from the Fraser River to Colorado’s Front Range cities is threatening its ability to sustain itself and earned the river a place on the nation’s most endangered rivers list. Denver Rocky Mountain News; April 13 [The other rivers making the top ten list are: 1. Susquehanna River (NY, PA, MD); 2. McCrystal Creek (NM); 4. Skykomish River (WA); 5. Roan Creek (TN); 6. Santee River (SC); 7. Little Miami River (OH); 8. Tuolumne River (CA); 9. Price River (UT); 10. Santa Clara River (CA) The 2005 report is at: <http://www.americanrivers.org/site/DocServer/AR_MER_2005.pdf?docID=1261> <http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/state/article/0,1299,DRMN_21_3695899,00.html>
STORM WATER
At its March meeting, the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission decided to no longer offer the oil and gas industry an exemption from stormwater permit requirements. Two years ago, the Commission suspended its requirements after EPA decided they needed additional time to study the impacts of regulating drilling pad construction. The current Colorado Stormwater Regulations require any construction disturbance of more than 1 acre to obtain a permit that prescribes Best Management Practices to prevent sediment runoff from these sites. Colorado is permitting over 2000 wells/yr. that will now be required to obtain a stormwater discharge permit before constructing new wells.
COLORADO HYDROLOGIC CONDITIONS
As of 2/1, the 30-year of average snow water equivalent by basin is: Gunnison, 152%; Upper Colorado, 105%; South Platte, 90%; Laramie/North Platte, 89%; Yampa/White, 90%; Arkansas, 129%; Upper Rio Grande, 159%; SAN MIGUEL/DOLORES/ANIMAS/SAN JUAN, 159%.
AB LATERAL PROJECT DEFEATED
The Uncompahgre Valley Water Users have given up trying to develop a conditional water right to divert water from the Gunnison River for a hydroelectric project which saw stiff opposition for the past 20 years. The project could have taken more than 1,000 cfs of water from the Gunnison River, threatening the fishery in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and would have caused flooding, erosion and other adverse environmental impacts in the Uncompahgre River. Trout Unlimited was fighting the diligence for the water rights on the basis that there was insufficient water available for the project and claiming the project would need Congressional approval to be built.
COLORADO CHRISTENS NEW NATIONAL PARK, PRESERVES WATER RIGHTS
Interior Secretary Gale Norton formally made Colorado’s Great Sand Dunes the nation’s 58th national park and relieved local fears that water rights would be sold to Front Range cities. Denver Post; Sept. 14 <http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36~53~2399606,00.html>
HYDROLOGY REPORT
While moisture in the Colorado mountains has brought Denver’s municipal water storage up to 93% of capacity, the Colorado River Basin storage has not fared so well. The Bureau of Reclamation is estimating the 2004 water year inflows to Lake Powell to be 42% of average. This follows the four previous years of 62, 59, 25 and 51% inflows. As of June 14th Lake Powell storage was at 43% capacity. Blue Mesa and Flaming Gorge reservoirs are at just under 70% capacity.
WATERSHED SEMINARS
The National Water Health Project has announced free training sessions for watershed groups: 6/11, Developing a Major Donor Program will be at the County Commons Bldg in Frisco; 6/29, Getting Your Community Involved and Utilizing Your Volunteers will be at the Aspinall/Wilson Center on the Western State College campus in Gunnison; 7/14 is a repeat of the Major Donor Program at WSC; 8/12, Advanced Technical Training at WSC; and 9/9, “What would it look like if??” A look at the possible future role and functions of watershed groups will be in Glenwood Springs. <http://www.coloradowater.org/NWHP.htm>
BLACK CANYON WATER RIGHTS LITIGATION TO PROCEED
A US District Court has refused to dismiss an environmentalists’ lawsuit challenging a settlement between the Dept. of Interior and Colorado over federal reserved water rights for the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Judge Brimmer said, federal agencies had a legal duty to preserve the park, in part by setting water flows high enough to preserve the canyon’s ecology. He said the federal government abdicated its responsibility by letting Colorado set the minimum flows. “The Secretary (of Interior), who is specifically charged with administering these lands and rivers, cannot wholly delegate responsibility to a local entity which is not bound by the statutory obligations,” wrote Brimmer. The environmental groups said the settlement’s minimum flows are too low and were set by politics, not the 20 years of scientific research that recommended higher peak flows in the spring. <http://rockymountainnews.com/drmn/state/article/0,1299,DRMN_21_2824343,00.html>
EXPERTS SAY COLORADO FACING WATER CRISIS OF HISTORIC PROPORTIONS
Not one major reservoir or dam has been built in the state in the 40 years [hogwash!] since “water buffaloes,” men with the political power to broker deals and ride roughshod over communities to get water projects completed, roamed the state. 3/14 <http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36~23447~2016430,00.html>
COLORADO RIVER BASIN HYDROLOGY
Drought conditions in the Colorado River Basin continue. While snowpack conditions this year are better than they have been in the past 4 years, there are no strong signals that there has been significant amelioration of the drought. Early January snowpack showed some promise with the basinwide ‘pack’ getting as high as 115 percent of average by January 8. The pattern since that time has been drier than average, however. As of February 27, 2004, snowpack in the Colorado River Basin was 92 percent of average. The trend of low inflow continues. Unregulated inflow to Lake Powell in November, December, and January was only 64, 67 and 74 percent of average, respectively, while inflows at the end of February are only 50% of average. Low inflows have reduced water storage in Lake Powell to 10.5 maf, 43% of capacity.
BUREAU OF RECLAMATION ANNOUNCES STUDY OF ASPINALL OPERATIONS
A notice in the Federal Register (Volume 69, number 13, page 2943-2945) expresses the intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and schedules scoping meetings for 2/24 in Gunnison (at the fairgrounds), 2/25 in Delta, (Middle School), and 2/25 in Grand Junction (Mesa State, Liff Auditorium). All meetings will be from 6:30-9 pm. The EIS is to evaluate the effects of operational changes for the Aspinall Unit related to flow recommendations in compliance with the Endangered Species Act. Scoping is an early process for determining the issues to be addressed and suggesting alternatives related to the proposed Federal action. Reclamation is asking that scoping comments be submitted by 3/15. We can expect the EIS process to take 3-4 years to complete.
HYDROLOGY
Although a snowstorm is raging across the West, snowpack in Colorado, as a percentage of average, is currently at 97%. Basin stats are as follows: Gunnison, 109%; Colorado, 91%; South Platte, 68%; North Platte, 98%; Yampa/White, 109%; Arkansas, 69%; Rio Grande, 96%; San Juan/Dolores, 103%. The Colorado River Basin is in its 5th year of drought. Unregulated inflow in water year 2003 was only 53 percent of average. Unregulated inflow in 2000, 2001 and 2002 was 62, 59, and 25 percent of average, respectively. Lake Powell storage is 11.5 million acre-feet (47 percent of capacity).
COLORADO VOTERS REJECT WATER INITIATIVE
Colorado voters turned down ballot measures to provide as much as $2 billion for new water projects. Denver Post; Nov. 5 <http://www.headwatersnews.org/stories/redirect.php?id=11860> <http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/election/article/0,1299,DRMN_36_2403413,00.html>
WATER DIET FOR CALIFORNIA
For the first time in the 81-year history of the law, California will promise to use only its allotted share of Colorado River water, to the relief of officials in upstream states. Denver Rocky Mountain News; Oct. 16 <http://www.headwatersnews.org/stories/redirect.php?id=11469> <http://www.nytimes.com/auth/login?URI=http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/17/national/17WATE.html> <http://www.enn.com/news/2003-10-16/s_9487.asp> <http://www.enn.com/news/2003-10-17/s_9527.asp> <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A38266-2003Oct16.html>
GROUPS SUE TO KEEP WATER IN COLORADO NATIONAL PARK
Environmentalists filed suit to block the federal government’s relinquishment of senior water rights in Colorado’s Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Rocky Mountain News; 9/8 <http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/state/article/0,1299,DRMN_21_2238393,00.html>
GREEN MOUNTAIN RESERVOIR WATER BEING WITHHELD
The Colorado River Water Conservation District is charging the Bureau of Reclamation of illegally retaining water in Green Mountain Reservoir on the Blue River that is due water users on the West Slope of Colorado. The River District claims, in 2002, that the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) arbitrarily decided to impose restrictions on the use of the reservoir’s water only to a certain portion of the reservoir’s beneficiaries, due to concerns about earth movement at an ancient landslide area near the Town of Heeney. The full burden of lost yield was placed the West Slope water users. The water lost from the restrictions to the reservoir’s “compensatory pool” is a crucial source of water for many West Slope farms, ranches and municipalities. Green Mountain Reservoir was built as compensation for transmountain diversions from the Colorado/Big Thompson Project. Western States Water Council (WSWC)
BLACK CANYON RESERVED RIGHTS
Interior Department has amended its original filing for water rights to protect the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. The original filing was for all unappropriated water in the Gunnison River with a 1933 priority date. This would have provided the Canyon with a minimum flow, year-round and peak flows in the spring. The amended filing is for up to 300 cfs, year-round, based on a closed-door agreement between Interior and the State of Colorado. Interior (for the Park Service, through the Justice Department) has also stipulated to honor all water rights claimed between 1933 and 1957 as well as up to 60,000 af of future depletions. Several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have filed objections to the amended water rights application.
ASPINALL OPERATIONS
Now that the Flow Recommendations for the Aspinall Unit, on the Gunnison River, have been finalized, the Bureau of Reclamation plans to start the scoping process this summer and is looking at 2007 for release of the Draft EIS on Aspinall operations. This process could lead to a Programatic Biological Opinion on depletions in the Gunnison Basin. Operations would be intended to provide for a reasonable and prudent alternative to protect endangered fish from project and non-project depletions. A major issue is whether the EIS will include, in the baseline condition, a pool of water for marketing purposes.
HYDROLOGY
Record breaking high temperatures have persisted over Colorado in the latter part of May. This very warm weather has resulted in substantial late May snowmelt and runoff. Some streamflow gages are recording record high flows for this time of year. Even though river flows are quite high in the basin right now, drought conditions continue in the Colorado River Basin. River flows will likely drop dramatically in mid-June. Total unregulated inflow to Lake Powell for water year 2003 will likely be about 60 percent of average, according to the Bureau of Reclamation.
COLORADO HYDROLOGY
The Colorado River mainstem, the North and South Platte, Yampa/White and Arkansas basins have near average snowpack, while the Rio Grande, Gunnison and San Juan basins are below average with 71%, 70% and 56% respectfully. Upper Colorado River Basin snowpack is currently 71 percent of average (as of May 2, 2003). The May preliminary inflow forecast issued by the National Weather Service is calling for 4.4 million acre-feet of unregulated runoff into Lake Powell during the 2003 April through July time period. This equates to 55 percent of average. The inflow forecast has been reduced from that forecasted in April. The April final forecast was calling for inflow of 66 percent of average. Periods of warm windy weather took a toll on the mountain snowpack in April. Such warm windy conditions increase sublimation losses from the snowpack, and also increase evaporation losses from the soil.
COLORADO SNOWPACK IMPROVING
During the last week in February, snowpack jumped in every basin in the state. The Gunnison Basin snowpack is at 83% of average. The Upper Colorado stands at 90%, the South Platte is at 81%, the North Platte, Yampa and White are at 90%, the Arkansas is at 88%, the Rio Grande is at 73% and the San Juan is at 72% of the 30-year average. Hydrologists are estimating it will take 20% of the snowpack to replenish soil moisture.