Water Center Symposium The Colorado River Cooperative Agreement Chris Treese, External Affairs Manager October 31, 2011 Grand Junction, CO

Who Are Those Guys?

Colorado River District 1937 state statute 15 western counties 15 western counties 28% of Colorado 28% of Colorado board director from each county board director from each county mill levy & water activity enterprise mill levy & water activity enterprise

Today’s Challenge

Status On April 28, 2011, the Governor, DW and 34 WS entities announced the proposed agreement No party is expected to approve the agreement until winter 2011/12 Currently meeting with other agencies to implement the agreement

Background Decades of West Slope v Denver Water litigation – Unresolved issues Pending Application for Additional TMD West Slope Impacts of TMDs Unknown Future

Choices

The Basics Denver’s Moffat System has limited storage Denver’s Dillon Reservoir is junior in priority to Green Mountain Reservoir The Blue River Decrees was more of a shotgun wedding than a compromise; disputes remained to be resolved

GOAL: Meet increasing demands with Stable or Decreasing supplies

Denver Water Interests Permitting and construction of Moffat expansion (Gross Reservoir enlargement) Resolve Blue River Decree Issues Environmental Stewardship Participation in the WISE Project

West Slope Interests Resolve Blue River Decree issues Streamflow protection and restoration Water for future consumptive us Protection of recreation assets Long-term certainty re: TMDs

New Approach

“Radical” Ideas Not permitting-based; focus on existing river conditions Commitment to stream health Basin-wide approach Avoid litigation

Key Provisions Denver Water fixes its service area Denver Water commits to further reuse and conservation Denver Water provides $25 million and 1,000 acre feet of water for impacts Denver Water allows for further consumptive use in Grand and Summit Counties

Key Provisions (con’t) Denver Water agrees to limit future WS projects to cooperative ones All parties agree to Green Mountain administration settlement All parties agree to support the WISE Project Denver Water agrees to support the Shoshone Outage Protocol

Shoshone Outage Protocol 1,250 cfs Spring Summer Fall Natural Flow Actual Flow Reservoir Releases Flow

Key Provisions (con’t) WISE Project and future water leases provide a West Slope revenue stream West Slope and Denver Water agree to a Blue River Decree Settlement Parties agree to a Grand County Streamflow Plan Denver Water and contract holders agree to West Slope “abstentions”

Division 5 Permanent Abstention Abstain permanently from pursuing or participating in any project that would result in any new depletion from Water Division 5 above the confluence with the Gunnison River (except Eagle River MOU projects) without WS approval.

Temporary Abstention Abstain from pursuing or participating in any project that would result in diversions from Water Divisions 4 and 6, or downstream from the confluence of the Gunnison and Colorado Rivers in Division 5 for 25 years (which may be modified).

Questions?