WATER a panel discussion on Yampa River Basin its geography its hydrology the law Panelists Jay Gallagher – General Manager, Mt Werner Water and Sanitation District Kent Vertrees – Regional Representative, Yampa/White Basin Roundtable Kevin McBride - General Manager, Upper Yampa Water Conservancy District 1
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1. 2 We are a Headwaters State Colorado rivers nourish 30 million people in 19 states & Mexico.
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WATER a panel discussion on
Yampa River Basinits geographyits hydrology
the law
Panelists
Jay Gallagher – General Manager, Mt Werner Water and Sanitation District
Kent Vertrees – Regional Representative, Yampa/White Basin Roundtable
Kevin McBride - General Manager, Upper Yampa Water Conservancy District
1
2
We are a Headwaters StateColorado rivers nourish 30 million people in 19 states & Mexico
3
6
Hydrology of the Yampa Basin
• Hydrology - the Distribution, Movement, and Quality of Water on Earth
• This Discussion Limited to Distribution and Movement of Surface Water in the Yampa River Basin
• Take Away Message - the Hydrology of the Yampa River is HIGHLY VARIABLE! In Space and Time…
Disclaimer-
“Averages Without Variances are Meaningless - Or Worse Misleading”
Droughts (and floods) are not the average and they are important hydrology planning tools!
Water Resources Planning on the Yampa Intersection of Hydrology and Water Rights
Paleo (tree ring) hydrology
Planning for the Future? – Look at the Past
Modeling the YampaLooking at the present (water rights) through the eyes of the past (paleo) to see the future.
Colorado’s Water Future
• 2001-03 drought created the political will
• 2005 state legislature took action - HB05-1177 “Water for the 21st Century Act”
• A bottom-up planning process: Stakeholders in each of 8 major river basinsformed Basin Roundtables - to assess existing supplies and future needs - to develop Basin Plans - send reps to the Interbasin Compact Committee
• 2001-03 drought created the political will
• 2005 state legislature took action - HB05-1177 “Water for the 21st Century Act”
• A bottom-up planning process: Stakeholders in each of 8 major river basinsformed Basin Roundtables - to assess existing supplies and future needs - to develop Basin Plans - send reps to the Interbasin Compact Committee
2008 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050 -
500,000
1,000,000
1,500,000
2,000,000
2,500,000
1,161,135
353,738
388,042
Statewide M&I and SSI Gap Summary Medium Scenario
(IPPs at 72% Yield)
Existing Supply 2050 Identified Projects and Processes2050 Gap Projection
Ac
re-F
ee
t/Y
ea
r
Existing Supply
Identified Projects & Processes
Shortfall
By 2050 population and economic growth to create a potential shortfall of 400,000AF.
Yampa-White-Green River BasinProjected water needs +67%
162
20912
30
28
58
20
75
0
100
200
300
400
2008 2050
Agriculture Municipal-Industrial Thermal Power Energy Extraction med
222 KAF
372 KAF
000's acre-feet
Meeting the Shortfall• Identified Projects and Processes
• Pursue identified in-basin storage projects• Foster new relationships
- fallow/lease arrangements between farmers & municipalities- re-use/lease arrangements between municipalities eg WISE
• Conservation• Develop more efficient irrigation methods• Reduce municipal use
• Agricultural Transfers • aka “ag dry-up”
• New Supply• New strategic trans-mountain diversion
• Identified Projects and Processes• Pursue identified in-basin storage projects• Foster new relationships
- fallow/lease arrangements between farmers & municipalities- re-use/lease arrangements between municipalities eg WISE
• Conservation• Develop more efficient irrigation methods• Reduce municipal use
• Agricultural Transfers • aka “ag dry-up”
• New Supply• New strategic trans-mountain diversion
Meeting the Shortfallin the Yampa River Basin
• Identified Projects and Processes• Little Morrison Creek storage• Colorado Water Trust Lease
• Conservation• Steamboat Springs Conservation Plan
(tiered water rates, water-efficiency rebates, leak detection,customer usage web portal, drought response plan)
• Agricultural Transfers • none identified
• New Supply• Maybell pumpback
• Identified Projects and Processes• Little Morrison Creek storage• Colorado Water Trust Lease
• Conservation• Steamboat Springs Conservation Plan
(tiered water rates, water-efficiency rebates, leak detection,customer usage web portal, drought response plan)
• Agricultural Transfers • none identified
• New Supply• Maybell pumpback
Colorado Water Plan• A bottom-up process
• funded and facilitated by the CWCB.
• A bottom-up process • funded and facilitated by the CWCB.
Governor’s Office & Legislature
Colorado Water Conservation Board
Interbasin Compact Committee
Basin Roundtables (8)
Colorado Water Plan• Statement of values and policies to guide
decision-making at the local and state level.- projects and programs- legislation to facilitate plan implementation
• Establish goals to meet water policy objectives
• State as facilitator of plan implementation.
• Statement of values and policies to guide decision-making at the local and state level.
- projects and programs- legislation to facilitate plan implementation
• Establish goals to meet water policy objectives
• State as facilitator of plan implementation.
Constraints on Water Plan• Hydrologic
• Highly variable annual flows – all rivers in region• Climate change
• Legal • Existing water rights & law of prior appropriation• 15 Interstate and International Agreements (“Compacts”)
• Regulatory• Endangered Species Act (ESA)• Existing action plans to mitigate degradation
• eg Yampa Plan
• Economic/Political• Balancing impact on existing uses and future growth• Local
• Feasibility of a New Strategic Trans-mountain Diversion• All the constraints above • Cost of financing $10B-$15B project• Political will to sustain multi-decade project
• Hydrologic• Highly variable annual flows – all rivers in region• Climate change
• Legal • Existing water rights & law of prior appropriation• 15 Interstate and International Agreements (“Compacts”)
• Regulatory• Endangered Species Act (ESA)• Existing action plans to mitigate degradation
• eg Yampa Plan
• Economic/Political• Balancing impact on existing uses and future growth• Local
• Feasibility of a New Strategic Trans-mountain Diversion• All the constraints above • Cost of financing $10B-$15B project• Political will to sustain multi-decade project