DiNatale Water Consultants RIO GRANDE BASIN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN OVERVIEW
Feb 24, 2016
DiNatale Water Consultants
R I O G R A N D E B A S I N
I M P L E M E N TAT I O N P L A N
O V E R V I E W
Based on CWCB Basin Implementation Plan Guidelines
Grassroots Process!Rio Grande Basin RoundtableBIP Steering CommitteeBIP Subcommittees
Public Outreach Water Administration Agricultural Municipal & Industrial Environmental & Recreational
SECTION 1 STATE WATER PLAN PROCESS
RIO GRANDE BASIN’S ORGANIZATION
OUTREACH AND EDUCATION(SECTION 7)
Outreach Type Number of Events / Attendees
Location
General Community Outreach Sessions
7 Events87 Attendees Total
Basin Wide
County Commissioners Outreach Sessions
7 Events57 Attendees Total
Basin Wide
Group Outreach Sessions 9 Events314 Attendees Total
Basin Wide
Rio Grande Roundtable Meetings 7 Events>300 Attendees Total
Alamosa
Basin Plan Subcommittee Meetings
21 Total Events Alamosa
Newspaper Articles 11 written13 planned
Distributed Basin Wide
Radio Programs 5 complete7 planned
Aired Basin Wide
Water 101 Booklet Distributed Basin WideWebsite Accessible statewideAction Plan for Education and Outreach Beyond 2014
Planned and Developed Basin Wide
Rio Grande Basin Long Range Outreach Strategies
Planned and Developed Basin Wide
GeographyLand OwnershipClimateHistoryCultureDemographicsEconomyWater ResourcesWater AdministrationEnvironmental & Recreational Attributes
SECTION 2 INTRODUCTIONBACKGROUND AND REFERENCE FOR ENTIRE
PLAN
Goals and Measurable Outcomes (G/MO) Identified - 3 month process
12 Subcommittee & full RGBRT meetings
14 Goals 8 Goals meet needs of
all sectors (Ag, M&I, Water Admin & Env/Rec)
Only two goals are single purpose: Env/Rec
SECTION 3 RIO GRANDE BASIN GOALS AND MEASURABLE
OUTCOMES
Rio Grande Compact Compliance
Sustainability Agriculture Aquifers Watershed & Soil Health Infrastructure
Protect water rightsProtect & restore
riparian, wetlands & aquatic habitats
Promote multi-purpose projects
SECTION 3 RIO GRANDE BASIN GOALS AND MEASURABLE
OUTCOMES
Basin strictly administers Rio Grande Compact, hence avoiding Law Suits with downstream states
Water rights, even those senior to the Compact, are subject to curtailment
Groundwater Management Subdistricts
Well Rules and Regulations
WATER ADMINISTRATION
COMPACT CURTAILMENT OF DIVERSIONS A DAILY FACT OF LIFE
Compact curtailment requires on average 30 to 40% of index flows to be delivered to state line
Agriculture uses 99% of Basin’s water
Potatoes = $185 million per year
Highest value per acre production agriculture in Colorado
Agricultural direct revenues exceed $325 million per year
AGRICULTURE
Barley Alfalfa Hay Potatoes $-
$500 $1,000 $1,500 $2,000 $2,500 $3,000 $3,500
Comparison of 2010 Average Revenues by Crop
Revenue per Acre Revenue per AF of CU
CHANGE IN AQUIFER STORAGE
Agricultural community is taking action to form Groundwater Management Subdistricts Replace depletions Restore aquifer levels
Pending Well Rules and Regulations will profoundly affect the Basin’s economy
Initial projection will retire 40,000 irrigated acres in Subdistrict 1 to meet aquifer sustainability
AGRICULTURAL CONSTRAINTS
Watershed supports wildlife, recreation, agriculture and Compact deliveries
Diverse wetland and riparian systems
Critical habitat for many species
Waterways = high recreation and tourism values
ENVIRONMENTAL AND RECREATIONAL
Increased Municipal demand will be small
Aging infrastructureLimited ability to
finance rehabilitation or improve infrastructure
Municipalities pumping groundwater will have to augment depletions but maybe low
Increased Industrial demand will be small
MUNICIPAL AND INDUSTRIAL
CHALLENGES TO MEETING WATER NEEDS
(SECTION 5)Climate Change Studies suggest Flows reduced by 33% Earlier runoff
Dust on Snow will impact hydrologyBeetle kill and forest fires will impact hydrology
BEETLE KILLOver 85 percent of Forested Lands have Insects or Disease
BASIN PLANNING MODEL
Considers changes in hydrology Dust on snow, beetle kill,
wildfire, climate change Identify potential critical
needs Impacts of reduction of
seasonal flows on water rights and aquatic and riparian habitats
Assist in decision making Help identify and prioritize
projects Water management
opportunities
Dust on SnowBeetle Kill - red and
grey phasesForest Fires -
immediate impact Climate Change
Impact on Timing of Runoff Flow / Peak Runoff
Impact on Volume of Runoff Flow
Impact on Snow Accumulation
NO IMPACT
Impact on Water Infiltration
NO IMPACT
Impact on Timing of Snow Disappearance
Source of Data
Deems et al. 2013 and personal conver. Chris Landry (5/19/2014)
Gordon, Pugh, and Livneh
Gleason et al. 2012, Neary et al. 2011,
Llewellyn 2011
EARLIER EARLIER EARLIEREARLIER
EARLIER EARLIER EARLIEREARLIER
MIX
MIX
Modeled Impacts on Future Hydrology
TYPICAL YEAR OF NEW HYDROLOGIC INFLOWS
TYPICAL YEAR OF NEW HYDROLOGIC INFLOWS
TYPICAL YEAR OF NEW HYDROLOGIC INFLOWS
GIVEN THE LIKELY FUTURE, WHAT IS OUR ACTION PLAN?
Improve water management within constraints of Rio Grande Compact and Colorado Water Law Retime compact and other deliveries for
multiple benefits Bring surface and ground water into balance Restore aquifers
Agricultural improvements: optimize production and minimize consumptive use
Improve watershed and soil health Protect and restore riparian areas and
wetlands Maintain and improve infrastructure
Reservoirs and diversion structures Municipal
Project Name Location and Map Sponsor(s) Uses / Needs Met BIP Goals / Needs Met Description and Picture Estimate Project Costs
(2014) Potential Funding
Collaboration / Sources Project Timeline &
Budget WSRA Funding Project Beneficiaries
PROJECT SHEETS
Project or Method TYPESNeeds Met Basin Goals Met
Ag M&I Env/ Rec
Water Admi
n
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Rio Grande Cooperative Project X X X X Trujillo Meadows ATM Project X X X Jim Creek Riparian Protection and Restoration Project
X X
Formation of Remaining Subdistricts
X X X X
Acquisition of Replacement Supplies for Pumping Depletions
X X X X
Retirement of Irrigated Lands Necessary to Comply with Aquifer Sustainability Rules
X X X X
Alternative Cropping Education and Promotion Program
X X
Restoration of West Fork Complex Fire Burned Areas
X X X X
Basin-wide Water Public Education Program
X X X X
Streamflow Forecast Improvements
X X X X
Rio Grande Initiative Conservation Easements
X X X
Rio Grande Headwaters Restoration Project
X X X X
EXAMPLE OF HOW PROJECTS MEET BASIN GOALS
EXAMPLE PROJECTS AND METHODSProject Sponsor
Cost YearsTotal (000) 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Doppler Radar Weather Forecasting Project
RWEACT, CWCB, USFS, NWS $375.0 $62.5 $62.5 $62.5 $62.5 $62.5 $62.5
Jim Creek Riparian Protection and Restoration Project
Conejos County, TU, State Land
Board, Colorado Mountain Club, Volunteers for
Outdoor Colorado
$30.0 $10.0 $10.0 $10.0
Mountain Home Reservoir Dam Repair
Trinchera Irrigation Company $500.0 $270.0 $230.0
Rio Culebra Community Watershed Plan
Sange de Cristo Acequia
Association$200.0
Rio Grande Cooperative Project SLVID, CPW $22,000.0 $1,625.0 $1,625.0 $9,625.0 $9,125.0
Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout County Coalition Project
Colorado Counties of Hinsdale, Mineral, Rio
Grande, Conejos, Costilla, Alamosa,
Saguache, Archuleta, San Juan, and Las
Animas
$21.0 $11.0 $5.0 $5.0
Rio Grande Basin Roundtable supports the development of the Colorado Water Plan
Rio Grande Basin supports concepts developed by IBCC of the framework of an agreement on how a transmountain diversion project from west slope to front range could potentially move forward
RIO GRANDE BASIN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
& COLORADO PLAN
OUR PATH FORWARD
The written draft Plan is not end goal, but beginning of next phase!
Continued communication, education and public outreach
Develop and implement Projects and MethodsNext steps:
Disseminate printed copies of the Draft BIP, hold public meetings and solicit feedback
Refine basin planning model and make model runs in response to requests
Resolve concerns with conflicting data sources Refine Projects and Methods Finalize Plan
Citizens of the Rio Grande BasinMembers of the Rio Grande Basin RoundtableVolunteers who contributed countless hours on the
Basin Implementation PlanCWCB Board and StaffDiNatale Water Consultants
www.riograndewaterplan.com
THANK YOU!