HomeMy WebLinkAbout971794.tiff Allen D. (Dave)Miller
P.O. Box 567
Palmer Lake, Colorado 80133
(719)481-2003 • FAX(779)481-3452
(revised)
July 18, 1997
Mr. Jim Lochhead, Executive Director
Colorado Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman Street, Room 718
Denver,Colorado 80203
Subject: Failure To Develop Colorado River Compact Waters
Dear Jim:
From the following state water decisions, it seems there is a
shadow policy against storage and use of Colorado ' s growing wasted
share of the Colorado River. This apparent, "Each Basin For
Itself Strategy" may explain why Front Range water providers are
resorting to costly ground water pumping concepts that would
become less efficient as water tables drop and energy prices rise.
It may also explain why all state water studies are single basin
instead of integrated.
Since these obscure, but critical state water policy
decisions have occurred on your watch, an independent inquiry may
be necessary to fully assess the potential long-term damage to
Colorado ' s water development future . However, before seeking such
an inquiry, those Coloradans who are interested in the state' s
environmental and economic future would be interested in your
early written comments on each of these recent policy decisions :
Water Right For Second Filling Of Taylor Park Reservoir This
unprecedented decree was recently awarded to Upper Gunnison
interests , primarily because of state testimony that fish below
the dam required "optimal" instream volumes and velocities that
are much higher than those considered desirable for sustained fish
propagation in other Colorado rivers . It seems a few activists
promoted state and federal support for these exorbitant flows to
prevent off-river storage of surplus Gunnison headwaters for
gravity release to both slopes during droughts . Local water
officials have subsequently assigned this unique Refill Decree to
the U.S . Bureau of Reclamation -- apparently without any
restrictions , and as full compensation for the critical federal
support in Colorado courts . Your office may not be aware of this
instream giveaway of state waters to the federal government.
Acceptance Of Federal Program For Colorado River Endangered
Fish Colorado recently agreed to fully cooperate with this
controversial federal program, without first demanding the
required NEPA environmental and economic impact evaluations for
Colorado ' s water-short Platte and Arkansas River Basins . It now
appears Colorado' s highest quality, most storable headwaters to
solve the growing Platte and Arkansas River shortages , are being
permanently committed to warm water fish that evolved under
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extreme flood and drought conditions . This failure to study all
regional impacts appears to be a major oversight that violates
national laws -- as well as Colorado, Nebraska, and Kansas
interests .
Priority Of Federal Hydropower Rights Over Development Of
Colorado's Interstate Compact Rights It appears state officials
are seriously jeopardizing Colorado by supporting a new federal
position in Colorado courts that would give federal hydropower
rights at the Aspinall Units priority over Colorado ' s right to
store its wasted headwaters in high altitude sites . If this
unprecedented federal/state alliance were to prevail in Colorado
courts , it seems an inefficient pump-back from below the federal
turbines would be required, before Colorado could beneficially use
its vast, and growing, Gunnison Basin surplus .
State Opposition To Conditional Water Right Petition For
Reasonable Diligence After project proponents have spent over
four million dollars since 1984 on a major hydropower proposal ,
the state ' s Division IV office is currently using new criteria to
oppose a sexennial finding of Reasonable Diligence for the
project ' s 1987 conditional water rights . Its proponents
temporarily deferred licensing efforts in 1994 for this world ' s
highest head, pumped storage project until competing prices for
fossil fuels return to the industry predicted higher levels .
Licensing is expected to resume sometime during the 1997 to 2003
sexennial diligence period, as worldwide political and economic
pressures mount for renewable energy and cleaner air. If this
project ' s valuable conditional water rights are denied because of
changing diligence criteria, it appears regional air quality will
suffer, and all Colorado conditional water rights that require
long range planning and proper timing are in jeopardy.
Firing Of State Water Official It appears one of Colorado ' s
highest ranking, most experienced, water officials was abruptly
fired by this administration for his public views regarding the
urgent need to store and use Colorado ' s threatened Colorado River
Compact waters . Where is Colorado ' s integrated water planning?
Thank you in advance for your early comments on these
critical state water policy decisions .
Ve truly)ii&
Dave Miller
concerned citizen and water planner
ADM/bm
cc: Roy Romer, Governor, State of Colorado
Senator Tom Norton, President , Colorado Senate
Rep. Chuck Berry, Speaker, Colorado House of Representatives
Senator Don Ament, Chm. Senate Ag. , Nat . Res . and Energy Com.
Rep. Lewis Entz, Chm. House Ag. , Livestock, Nat. Res . Com.
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THE DENWR POST ,
July 17, 1997 Voice of the Rocky Mountain Empire
,# • .q%, k,.h",4yy"s34 ? ayrzk ti ^ � F� u Yre[ e tilt n:
Proper water management a moral imperative
Our water leaders have done a good job to store and use more of the state's grow-
of squeezing the last drop out of existing ing Colorado River surplus.
supplies, which were developed by their Instead of more low-altitude river
farsighted predecessors before the 1970s. dams, Colorado should develop high alti-
Colorado water development has suf- tude, off-river, storage sites to capture
fered a long dry spell since, as a result of wasted Colorado River snowmelt during
misconceptions that all water storage heavy runoff years.
projects are harmful to the environment. Renewable headwaters then would be
Thus major shortages are occurring in available for gravity delivery to both
the South Platte and Arkansas river ba- slopes during droughts. Escalating water
sins. Colorado's water user costs have costs also could be reversed — especially
gone from the lowest to the highest in the after repayment of the facility construe-
West. Downriver states are using more of tion bonds.
Colorado's wasted share of the Colorado With the unprecedented multiple use.
River. and reuse of headwater storage, Colorado'
Meanwhile, Front Range water provid- could soon provide sustainable solutions
ers are considering costly groundwater for our clean water, power and air needs
pumping concepts that will become even in the 21st century.
less efficient as water tables drop and en- DAVE MILLER
ergy prices escalate. Palmer Lake'
Our water leaders must regain their The writer is an independent water re-'
moral imperative and political courage source planner.
97179I
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illiniakirN9ffi July, 1997 Page 7
EDITORIAL
--"---------
GUEST
Headwater Storage — The Sustainable Western Solution For Clean
Water, Power, and Air Needs In the 21st Century
by Drive Miller studies show Western environments are hive,' Basin re '-, byII 1,0110 nr
Independent Writer Resource Plainer vulnerable to drought thirteen last up to feet. Although notvon-,
t nee nge for the Western Region.
Introduction 10 ormore years, I ligh altitude reser- grin rnteed drought quantified,Fred, the
vale re the one " acre
feet
releases boo niso WesternereWater,eII federalPower,and Air
Beavers were the flretbuilelersofhenrh " only in sytncem emarpe the rerlepre prover m,Iromr 'determed dmeragencntnies endan
water storage in the twirl West. 'Their qe wet to protect
Know-melt W iflkierd supply Me end es iii'all existing
aril morn undetermined o number with
oved local
dame and wetlands hove reduced envi. quantities to rnmarry
human and ssupply llIM end he C do.Wring down wilier,
lower mid ai in the Wernpg
momenta) damage from Roods and ere dr needs,h finning many yenrs of ee- Areonon msmrlleropmdo.Ploth,and Re o power, and air the Western
droughts for thouson ds ofyears. ecleanl' t ninon ltiple.benefits
of Ire l'v Theve clean water, rm. Region. R7ocse well-memoing m�gnnbm-
yexp t power,flow air ring store,r mayi pee n jerha^ of hemline
Lirnehnvejne Prot cling n costly
nogridlock
rce,.
Thin mRdti on Ili nshana hale- dr ou from s nrgwrrthi mereyin iflows during recent, may Ie in j clams, freeman of Tkw usinghere is and ly lin cl err themee on which
nirnl adaptation afnn4mesmigiiinl dam droughts mr worth eons Wilburn of doh builders con serve as the sustainable Inge for the imparted river basins.When hydropot wer rights ran iee,Pttrodoa. to There cinsensu d®rses and
n actions Western solution for clean water,power, a river basin is in^long drought,it is too teraprn,r h, Prrerrrsi hate Rol to bhe ext centuspdkdwater omens nge
and air needs in the 21st Century.The In tC to build writer storage ofI rightmatl pier Basin Ste Rol Ards next promise.Is the n unifying
rig con.concept is simple,rlfordoble,and long kee, kind.rn Interior vald lues
estimate hondwonplrwirge leru toreftrre reducing wasteful
Laeuulcngrnr overdue.in Met,headwater storagey TbeDeyndlInte for ndrP RC,WAPA, would eelr In
Munn throughout
rentneeiveradug wuite,Wmng
for the
r F and coteries,and a the WAPA, would sod In existing Annm LhrorghouL Wong the rural resources.
When governing
growingbr the only natural resource problems that Bud FEMA citron estimate the tern multiplei the Western Region.
resource problem,that vol uerofndditionnl Western water.our- Western nnturnl ecleur<ea. these
ore threatening the throve:of all West- iitglongdrought. Water and Air Quality Enhancement inp"mzoei,eod water nr policy directions
em States. I to pursue headwater etnrnge,intro and
Endangered Species Recoverythe gener^I,the ty writers in low -basin cooperation would boon fah
Headwater Storage Defined . West are found at high altitude from low throughout the Went. Governing
Since the Great Depression,Western Brit.Multi-yen.dr oughts mid low- agencies may resist the policy switch to
A typical headwater strange project water policies have riveting from priority anituderm rivvnirslaidpcanceann,salts Ilendwnler storage becnusline m native
would employ advanced plumped storage construction of big dialsranivers to the and other river pollutants during pee ode entic's usually streamline manage.
technology to provide renewable demo currently popular view thatrevern should inflow now.Winn dean snow.melt is saved ant activities.
water and power supplies, during the he restored to their nnbu'nI state for en in headwater entree to nugmrnl river Verification of Headwater Storage
regions critical multiyear droughtcycles, {Inge-err ninnies recovery.(loth of these (lows when drought Armand,for miler Concept
Theconcept involves high-volume pump- extreme,have been driven more by pa- nod power are high,the regime's overall IlWestem lenders wish toquickly verify
log of wet year mew-melt into ofl-river, Rural pressure,than technical merit A water mid air guunllly can be greatly im- the unprecedented advnntnges of head-
glacier-carved, reservoir sites. 'these Western water policy,based on the yeti- proved. The Environmental Protection water storage,they could do so with n
conserved floodwater. world then be Roble science of hrnd water strange. is . Agency coned estimate theinrprrrtnnt env simple coevbenefltannlyaisofthe regions
available at high altitude for tonnage] needed for l.dh endangered specie,mid rind envirrmmonlnl'Jm•,Mrbroner first definitive headwater project.Such
gravity release,when needed by Western human needs. tamarind
rivers,cities,and farms duringthe neviWestern e,'au and air from hmdwnler ct wou of this proposed estimates of the
tabled For example,CryProl River Encino-,being storage rpm nhons, a" n
dry years' gored Fish Recovery Prnlponin ire bring wrote,, would a,ld en rnmenl hen.
Ptrurtard en the premise that spring Red need Evaporation Lashes writer,power,and environmental Ten.Background now-melt should flow freely down river The Western Itot e that could to realized A throughout
In the early days of the U.S.Bureau of tomimic natural Region is rirrrrntly lining sheCCimndq Basins.
River
Reclamation,there were conflicting views runoff condi- whiles Preliminary
regnrding high.nitilude va.low-altitude Lions. Ilowever, Headwater
- --_--�- —"—"—'— probably be could
eternize.Although profeesionnlengineeae ne discovered in JZet7CLWater storage may (. [ probably be obtnined
have longknown that highaltitude reeer- the recent Grand be the only within oO days,proem voile could multiply the potential usennd CfnYon experi. than rig mid
le0. The reuse benefits for entire river systems, men t, the bin-
learned O�l ttOn.f01'solving the growing modeling hid tension
the low altitude view prevailed. This logical needs for [ learned during this
original direction was driven primmilrriver noshing
natural resource p)OGCet)).S that are • analysis other potential
by the Reenter political Clout of Lower be achieved ply to potential
by the Reenter pit ideal lout f Lower ern
achieved threatening the futures of off Western sites ehnthave
dnmsnreon riversbnl,at desert locations, short (lure lion
ra Pnnwl'ne nerd Lnle where environmental impact., silt Heals from high. Western States. a phr nheaea for
Leiriaaand evap,rratio^hoses ore high. __
rim:low-altitude pumped he ndwnter
I lendwater Storage would eventually reservoirs, On ---' ----_ stooge Wasteoperations.h correct many of the fundamental envi Inflame,there is no scientific reason wiry several million lute art Most Western hend-
onmentalandeconomicproblemsbnher, the Western Region should permanent) oper sere via wiiihrttageasic reasons.
Then'eye,i-
Y With hid Iam I enrage,ae r^seen lion_ Pied for two bask reasons,The Idumsl
en[with low-nititudC dams on livers. forfeit its invaluable hendwaem,to ear. With hind enrage, rviq,aamhrrr eihonrveynfnu'reservnirs wererondumrJ
Flood Protectionage in hot desert sites. In pc t,there is losses can In sal retnnri nily reduced.'file before advanced pumped enrage became
'tong evidence to the contrary.(Colo resulting net gain in Ihr regions wirier a or feternd reality.Also,far runnyyerrs,
Western environments have ahvny; redo River Endangered Fish Recovery supply could mire than cover the root Of mil urn I resource strategists have shied
suffered from extreme Flood anddrnugbht I
conditions. Fronds me most der hInver,Flinn!
v a eicauting se the high men Rom would Ire
converting is s yr l s that
when henv snows are 'old riy mean)g these headwater
rttorne appear-
Rom pule be covered inir army Der rmidrring err rn ninny ywinhr mr ,efollowed by losing these hendwnteralnrngC rplmrtu- of the k vvr • vend ono„the XinA,formisgaidrdpnlBidnlrnndinetiw-
early spring[Lawn and ton-entinb rains. ni ties to solve the growing Pbnue sal year. Interior ,5 saved from
the Donal rennnna.
'Ouse dangerous conditions are usually Arkansan River Basin shorts ''igi^nnlwdure rregerto reducer empong
predictableweeksandmonthsinadvance, not considered In initial studies.) EPA tiongn LLitude storage to reduce evnanrn- Canrre West
using routine snow menauring tech. and USFWS could estimate theexanor- lithe Western power,
and
to have enough
nigmes.l ligh vnlwnr pmapinpnlernfinns dinnry unfree of headwater,brrnpe for Dam Replacement Program den writer,power,and air for its human
meld greatly improve flood protection for enhancing endangered species recovery The Western Region treed, n don re and ry,it must ur needshe in the saw-
Western states by storing some of the efforts on both sides of the Continental placement prognrm for drought - century,the funst men sb cornerstone
for potentially damaging spring runoff in Divide. A dams on
protection age as frmtnn,nn spite eneromue for
high altitude,olLriver sites.The pump. and 'ayegrow limitedh.The trlifehnnl donsmr rice this new direction.In ceof valuable
mg costs would be mine than offset byera Lave i life because they 'ire is nos-aide oto for lio concept,there
peaking wouldole,from the reversible Existing
seen diby filling with silt.I lend wv tensor- . no voirs storo age- for properly-conceived
pump generators during high-demand into headwater storage,these saved pent buildup problem bemuse theyy Iva the ore water West "rely needs
summerandwinter mon the.FEMA could tens con be used to multi ) the drought dwithJ lean The West sorely needs n new writer �t estimate the signili<mrt mitre of midi- protection and drnu multiply u n infinite lip when tilled with clean stooge direction,von,based on good science, �l
banal flood protection for the Western isteng reservoirs then,,yields off es- snow-melt w_melt where et oreginntes. to unite the mined factions that hove
r on either or both sides r! et life-cycle re cuts accounting methu'lo w sod mansion,mnlRcte.and gridlock.
Nrgimi. any high mountain divide.For example, used to moaner costArenefit ratios, the If.v eski
n computer analysis by the CorpsofEn- continue we will
ell water /�Drought Prot act foe 0true be miniscule
anditer storage renewer ion
faciesl11-re wnblerresouc ', neon town,- W
41
Ilendwnler star leer fr'e hire proposed
h teat,Inc mange nrge would sat ereurnlrand e,- imeorrv,lr,nl wsbb rrsaurcee Kann nor rig
- N ton qui drgt dio. site Goo n pppersC o rado R v Basi benefitsn f could readily
over ems.the
Earl ill rr esters,add leaders hnv ea public doer.
aging flood waters into liquid gold for site in the Upper Colorado River Basin agencies mold rmnlllY proirct the Imiig. °js•ume
n
entire river begins during multi-year could multiply the drought yields of term ecomaev in mud enviromen tab melees witty to.rtenirhni ye newt-nurse frrr
drought cycles.Tree'ri rig and sediment Denver's existing Pratte and Colorndn ogPa dnnl ly converting In hendwnler.tor- the 21st Century.
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