This document summarizes a public meeting held by the Central Water District on July 12, 2012. It introduced the board and staff members, discussed the district's current water shortage problems, and proposed solutions to address these issues including investing in Chatfield Reservoir, purchasing additional senior water rights, and developing new gravel pit storage projects. The estimated total cost of these proposed solutions is $60 million, which would result in a property tax increase of $1.26 per month for a home valued at $100,000. Public input was solicited on next steps.
2. Welcome – Gary Herman, President
• Introduction of Board & Staff
• Purpose of Meeting
• Meeting format – length & questions
3. Central Water District Presenters
Gary Herman, President
Randy Ray, Executive Director
Danyelle McCannon, Financial Analyst
4. SWSI – Statewide Water Supply Initiative
“Key Findings”
Action Alternatives
New Water Projects
Conservation
Reuse
Ag Transfers
No Action Alternatives
200,000 acres of irrigated land will be dried
up.
5. Presentation Overview
Introduction to Central
Current problems and challenges facing
Central
Proposed solutions
Estimated Cost/Tax Impact
Next Steps
10. What is a conservancy district?
Water Conservancy Districts are:
Formed at the request of communities and are local
instruments of state government.
Organized under procedures in state district courts and
remain under their jurisdiction.
Formed under with the Water Conservancy Act of 1937
and Colorado State Statutes 37-45-10.
Have the powers of a public or municipal corporation.
11. History of Central
Central – Created in 1965 under the authority of
the 1937 Water Conservancy District Act - to
benefit property within the District by the
construction of water storage, conveyance and
other projects for conserving, developing,
stabilizing and acquiring the supplies of water
for domestic, irrigation, power, manufacturing
and other beneficial uses.
12. Central – The Organization
• 192,396 acres of irrigated land
• 15 District Court appointed Directors
• 12 Staff Members
• Engineering & Legal Firms
• Contracts to supply groundwater pumping
• Administer & protect water rights
• Operate & maintain facilities
• Educate youth and adults
• Collect water quality data
13. Conversation vs. Conservancy?
• Conservation Districts
– Conservation Districts develop programs to conserve
water supplies available within their District
Boundaries
• Conservancy Districts
– Conservancy Districts utilize water supplies to the
best use within District Boundaries. Concept of
keeping any & all supplies and maximizing the use of
the water. This is accomplished with storage
primarily.
14. Past Central Projects/Purchases
• Past Projects: (approx locations)
– Narrows Reservoir (Ft. Morgan) – 1968
– Hardin Reservoir – (Kersey) -1981
– Chatfield Reservoir Reallocation – 1983
– Senior Water Right Purchases
• Fulton Ditch (Brighton) – 1984
• Greeley Irrigation Co (Greeley) – 1987
• Greeley Loveland (Loveland) - 1981
15. Groundwater Recharge
Why Recharge?
• Storage Space
Exists
• Replace @ Point
of Use
17. Central Storage Projects
• Gravel Pit Storage
• Central 1st U.S. Organization to utilize slurry wall
technology for water storage in reclaimed
gravel mining areas
• The 1st Project was Siebring Reservoir
– west of Greeley, CO
18. Central Storage Projects
• Current and Future Central Gravel Pit Storage Projects
provide environmental benefits.
• Windsor, CO area JoDee & LaPoudre Gravel Pit
Storage Projects provide recreational benefits.
• Additional Storage will benefit Irrigated Agriculture
and local economies.
20. Central Gravel Pits
– Siebring Reservoir (Greeley)
• 1,997 AF – 1987 Appropriation
– JoDee/LaPoudre Reservoir (Windsor)
• 1,600 AF – 1990 Appropriation
– Bernhardt Reservoir (Milliken)
• 3,000 AF – 2002 Appropriation (17% ownership Central)
– Shores Reservoir (Firestone)
• 3,500 AF – 2000 Appropriation (32% ownership Central)
• 1,000 AF – 2002 Appropriation (32% ownership Central)
• * GMS owns 83% of Bernhardt, WAS owns 68% of Shores
21. Central Gravel Pits
• From 1989 to present, Central has Invested
$8.5M for Gravel Storage Projects
• 5,547 AF of Storage
22. Central Gravel Pits
• When can a new gravel pit storage site fill with water?
– When no other water right downstream is “calling” for water.
– Frequency of Fill or Diversion?
• Not likely in a drought
• Days in an average year
• Months in a wet year
• Fully consumable water
– Amount Diverted into the Reservoir?
• Need large diversion infrastructure
23. Central Gravel Pits
• When will the water be pumped from the Gravel Pits
to the River?
– When Augmentation Plans call for it
– When Surface supply contracts call for it
• What is the flow rate from the pumps?
– Typical discharge rate of 5,000 to 15,000 gpm
• What does a pump station cost?
– $500,000 to $1.5M
• What does a diversion structure cost?
– $500,000 to $3M
24. Central Water Needs
• Surface Irrigation Supply
– Contracts with Individuals
• Within Central Boundaries
• Have or can construct conveyance
• Cost to be determined by Central Board
– Contracts with Ditch Companies
• Within Central Boundaries
• Cost to be determined by Central Board
25. Central Water Needs
• Augmentation Supply (Replace Consumption of South
Platte Basin Groundwater)
– Use in GMS & WAS Augmentation Plans
• Sub-Districts of Central
• GMS Formed in 1973
• WAS Formed in 2004 – GASP Plan
– Contracts with other Augmentation Plans
• Within Central Boundaries
26. Central Water Needs
• Recreational Uses
– Benefits
• Increased flows in the South Platte River (Chatfield)
– Joint Storage Projects/Partnerships
• Municipalities
• County Governments
• HOA’s
27. Central Water Needs
• Groundwater Recharge
– New Recharge Basins Using Existing Decrees
• Lupton Bottoms Ditch
• Farmers Independent Ditch
• Western Mutual Ditch
• Rural Ditch
• Greeley Irrigation Company
• Jackson Lake Inlet/Orchard Wells
• Platte Valley Irrigation Company
• Other smaller Ditch companies
28. Central Water Needs
• Benefits from Groundwater Recharge Sites
– New open water features – waterfowl
– Direct replenishment of the groundwater
– Minimal evaporative loss
– Aquifer storage capacity great in many areas
29. Central Water Needs
• Chatfield Reservoir Reallocation – General Info
– 20,600 Acre Feet of Reallocated Storage – 12’ Rise
– On Stream Reservoir (already constructed)
– Upstream & Downstream Users
• Upstream = Municipal (Denver Basin)
• Downstream = Agricultural (Western Ditch & Central)
– Draft EIS released in June 2012 (US COE)
– Cost $23.2M – Recent Estimate
• $3M – US Army COE – Storage Space
• $16-20M – Environmental & Recreational Mitigation
30. Central Water Needs
• Chatfield Reservoir Reallocation – Benefits
– Location, Location, Location
– 1984 Water Right
– Fills 7 of 10 years
– Space Not Limited to 1984 Water
– Best Alternative vs. New Storage – 2012-2013 Water Right
– Water in 3 to 5 years
– Central’s Portion of Storage = 13.8%
38. Central Proposed Solutions
• Chatfield Reservoir
– ($23M)
• Purchase of Senior Water Rights
– Same locations as Gravel Pits ($10M)
• New Gravel Pit Storage
– 2,000 AF Denver/Brighton Area ($8-12M)
– 6,000 AF Tribs and/or Platteville/Kersey Area
($18-20M)
39. Central Proposed Solutions...
• New Groundwater Recharge ($3-5M)
– Under Decreed Locations
– New Locations & Decrees (Beebe Draw-Hudson
• Rehabilitation of Reservoirs ($3-5M)
– Hillsborough Reservoir (Johnstown)
– Boot Lake (Hudson)
– Others
41. Economic benefits...
• Weld County Agriculture – 8th in the USA
• One Ag Dollar turns into Seven
• Assist Central Water District Area schools,
business, towns & cities.
45. Next Steps
• August 21st – Board – Deadline
• Questions
– $60M Bond
– GMS “De-Bruce” Question
46. Next Steps
• With the Voter’s Approval in November:
– Identify
– Evaluate
– Negotiate
– Purchase
– Construct
47. In summary...
• For $1.29 per month per $100,000 of a home’s
market value Central can provide a substantial
role in preserving irrigated agriculture and
assisting M&I needs in the South Platte River
Valley
• We think this is a modest tax impact given the
long-term benefits.
• We value your input on what we should do
next.