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Rio Grande Basin Implementation plan overview. DiNatale Water Consultants. Section 1 State Water Plan Process Rio Grande Basin’s Organization. Based on CWCB Basin Implementation Plan Guidelines Grassroots Process! Rio Grande Basin Roundtable BIP Steering Committee BIP Subcommittees
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Rio Grande Basin Implementation planoverview DiNatale Water Consultants
Section 1 State Water Plan ProcessRio Grande Basin’s Organization • Based on CWCB Basin Implementation Plan Guidelines • Grassroots Process! • Rio Grande Basin Roundtable • BIP Steering Committee • BIP Subcommittees • Public Outreach • Water Administration • Agricultural • Municipal & Industrial • Environmental & Recreational
Section 2 IntroductionBackground and Reference for Entire Plan Geography Land Ownership Climate History Culture Demographics Economy Water Resources Water Administration Environmental & Recreational Attributes
Section 3 Rio Grande Basin Goals and Measurable Outcomes • 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 rights • Protect & restore riparian, wetlands & aquatic habitats • Promote multi-purpose projects
Water Administration • 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
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 • 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
Agricultural Constraints • 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
Environmental and Recreational • Watershed supports wildlife, recreation, agriculture and Compact deliveries • Diverse wetland and riparian systems • Critical habitat for many species • Waterways = high recreation and tourism values
Municipal and industrial • Increased Municipal demand will be small • Aging infrastructure • Limited ability to finance rehabilitation or improve infrastructure • Municipalities pumping groundwater will have to augment depletions but maybe low • Increased Industrial demand will be small
Challenges to Meeting Water Needs(Section 5) • Climate Change Studies suggest • Flows reduced by 33% • Earlier runoff • Dust on Snow will impact hydrology • Beetle kill and forest fires will impact hydrology
Over 85 percent of Forested Lands have Insects or Disease Beetle Kill
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
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 Sheets • 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
Rio Grande Basin Implementation Plan & Colorado Plan • 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
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 Methods • Next 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
Thank you! • Citizens of the Rio Grande Basin • Members of the Rio Grande Basin Roundtable • Volunteers who contributed countless hours on the Basin Implementation Plan • CWCB Board and Staff • DiNatale Water Consultants • www.riograndewaterplan.com