Regional Water Projects
regional water projects
Animas River Stakeholders
On April 22,
2008 Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne honored the Animas River Stakeholders
Group and their efforts to restore the Animas watershed with a coveted
Cooperative Conservation Award. The Department of the Interior’s Cooperative
Conservation Award recognizes conservation achievements resulting from the
cooperation and participation of individual landowners, citizen groups, the
private sector, nongovernmental organizations, and federal, state, local and/or
tribal governments. A total of 21 awards were given to recognize the work of
more than 700 groups and individuals who achieved excellence in conservation
through collaboration and partnerships. The award recognized the Stakeholder
Group’s outstanding contributions to improve water quality and turn back the
ravages of hardrock mining in the Animas watershed. Due to the potential health
hazard posed by runoff from mine tailings, the Environmental Protection Agency
and state agencies had considered declaring the area a Superfund Site in the
late 1990’s. However, the progress made by the stakeholders group in reducing
pollution levels has convinced the agencies not to take formal action as long
as the group continues to demonstrate significant results. By leveraging
resources, the group has raised more than $35 million for remediation
activities and more than $3 million of in-kind volunteer support. “The group
completed approximately 50 mining remediations addressing drainage from mine
entries and waste-site concerns,” the award noted. “Nearby communities have
seen benefits from the group’s remediation activities, including an overall
increase in water quality, the downstream establishment of two species of
trout, and signs of resurgence in recreation-based tourism.”
The mission of the Animas River Stakeholders Group (ARSG) is to improve water quality and habitats in the Animas River through a collaborative process designed to encourage participation from all interested parties.
Participants include mining companies, elected officials, local citizens and interest groups, environmental organizations, and landowners, including federal and state agencies. This innovative process holds open meetings allowing all parties to participate at a level suited to their interest and need. The group usually meets on the third Thursday of every month in Silverton, Colorado. Working group meetings, handling specific issues to put before the full group, normally meet immediately preceding the monthly meeting.
The Upper Animas Watershed has a long history of extensive metal mining as an economic mainstay dating back to the 1880s. Headwaters contamination in the Silverton vicinity is from both mining activities and natural sources. In 1995 the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission adopted stricter standards for certain segments of the upper Animas with a delayed effective date at the Stakeholders’ request. The Commission then empowered the Animas River Stakeholders to locate and evaluate sources of metals contamination, determine potential improvement, and prioritize sites for remediation in order to recommend achievable water quality standards and use classifications.
The Stakeholder process involves the extensive collection and analysis consolidation of the chemical, physical, and biological components necessary to assess the impacts of contamination on aquatic life and habitat throughout the Basin. Using this watershed approach, the Stakeholders will synthesize scientific findings with economic, social, and political consideration to influence future regulatory and land management decisions.
Animas-La Plata Project
Jackson Gulch Reservoir
Jackson Gulch Rehabilitation Project
Irrigation
The Mancos valley is well known for its quality of hay for local cattle and horses. Much of the hay raised is sent out of state.
Municipal
- Mesa Verde National Park receives its municipal water from the project.
- The Town of Mancos also receives project water which is supplemental water to their adjudicated water supply.
- The Mancos Rural Water Company, which serves the rural community around Mancos, was organized in 1968.
Hydroelectric
The district installed a hydro unit on the outlet works in 1995 to assist in O&M costs. The hydro unit puts out up to 250 kwh during the irrigation season only.
Recreation
History
- 1941: Jackson Gulch reservoir was approved by the President for construction. The Mancos Water Conservancy District was organized.
- 1947: Contract was awarded to Vinnell Company, Inc. out of Alhambra, California.
- 1949: Jackson Gulch Dam was dedicated on July 3. The first irrigation water was released from Jackson Gulch Dam on July 29.
- 1963: The O&M of the project was turned over to the Mancos Conservancy District.
- 1976: Colorado Ute Indians claiming reserved water rights on the Mancos river.
- 1986: Final settlement agreement with the Colorado Ute Indians water rights.
- 1995: Construction of powerplant and first operation.
- 1999: 50th anniversary of the Dam.
Pine River Project
Rio Blanco Restoration Project
The Rio Blanco River originates in the San Juan Mountain range in southwestern Colorado, flows through Archuleta County and eventually enters the San Juan River approximately ten miles south of Pagosa Springs, Colorado. The headwaters of the Rio Blanco are located on the San Juan National Forest and the river can be seen from US Highway 84, between Pagosa Springs, CO and Chama, NM. Approximately 6 miles upstream from the US Highway 84 bridge across the Rio Blanco, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) operates a major trans-basin diversion, known as the San Juan/Chama Project. Since 1971, the San Juan/Chama Project has diverted water through a series of pipelines into the Rio Grande Basin. In the 1996-97 water year, the total project diversions (from various diversion points) totaled 93,000 acre feet of water. For the Rio Blanco, the diversions represent 70% of the historical flows. These reduced flows may cause poor water quality conditions and a reduction in fishery habitats. A report prepared by the US Forest Service (1990) suggests that the fish habitat in the lower Rio Blanco is poor due to the flow fluctuations which have resulted in streambank erosion and sediment loading. The streambank erosion, coupled with the reduction in flow, has caused relatively high water temperatures and produced a wide, shallow streambed with very little pool habitat and cover to support a coldwater fishery.
The Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB), in cooperation with local private property owners, the San Juan Water Conservancy District, and various state and federal agencies have been working together in a cooperative effort to improve and restore the streambed habitat along the lower Rio Blanco. Research since 1964 by various state and federal agencies has detailed 'pre-diversion' conditions, present hydrology and proposed solutions to improve the lower Rio Blanco habitat.
The focus of the lower Rio Blanco Habitat Restoration Project has been the 9 mile each of the Rio Blanco above its confluence with the San Juan River. Specifically, the demonstration restoration project is located just below the US Highway 84 bridge and encompasses about 2.1 miles of stream, terminating near the mouth of Archuleta Canyon. Fishery data would indicate that the lower Rio Blanco supported a fair to moderate fishery prior to the operation of the USBR in 1971. The purpose of the project is to modify the river channel to restore the fishery and river habitat. Concurrently, CWCB and the Colorado Division of Water Resources are working with the USBR to develop an operations plan that would assist in maintaining the state's in-stream flow water rights on the Rio Blanco, while ensuring the San Juan/Chama Project water yield. The ultimate goal of the project participants is improve the water quality and restore fishery benefits along the entire reach of the Rio Blanco from the US Highway 84 bridge to its confluence with the San Juan River.
Once the demonstration project is completed continued project phases will be highly dependent on future funding, continued commitment from participating agencies and ongoing local support for the river restoration project.
For more information, please contact:
Dan Merriman, (303) 866-3441
Colorado Water Conservation Board
1313 Sherman Street, Room 721
Denver, CO 80203
Jack DeLange, (970) 731-2691
San Juan Water Conservancy District
Post Office Box 4632
Pagosa Springs, CO 81147
Lynn Herkenhoff, (970) 247-1302
Southwestern Water Conservation District
Post Office Box 475
Durango, CO 81302
Weather Modification Program - Cloud Seeding
Weather Modification Program - Cloud Seeding
Weather modification, or cloud seeding, is the deliberate introduction into
clouds of silver iodide crystals that act as ice nuclei in an attempt to
augment precipitation. Early experiments with cloud seeding began in 1946. Since
then seeding has been done from aircraft, rockets, cannons, and ground
generators.
The Southwestern Water Conservation District (SWCD) and
various participating entities in Southwest Colorado
have entered into a contract with Western Weather Consultants, LLC. of Durango, CO,
to participate in a cloud seeding program. WWC currently has contracts to
provide cloud seeding services to three areas: a) Upper Florida River Basins
(participating entities include the City of Durango; b) Purgatory, Upper
Hermosa and Dolores Drainage (participating entities include Purgatory Ski
Area, Animas La Plata Water Conservancy District, and Dolores Water Conservancy
District); and c) Upper San Miguel, Telluride, Lizard Head and West Dolores
River Basin (participating entities include Telluride Ski & Golf Company
and the Dolores Water Conservancy District). Two additional coverage areas
participate with WWC, but on a season-by-season or standby basis only: a)
Piedra and San Juan Drainage (participating entities include San Juan Water
Conservancy District and Pagosa Area Water and Sanitation District); and b)
Florida River Drainage (participating entities include Pine River Irrigation
District and Florida Water Conservancy District). SWCD matches the contributions
from all of the above mentioned entities based on information provided by WWC.