On Tuesday, April 16, and Wednesday, April 17, the Colorado River District Board of Directors will meet for their second joint quarterly meeting of 2024. This meeting will include updates from River District staff on a variety of issues as well as action items related to water project funding through the Community Funding Partnership program and various contracts. Both days of the meeting will take place at the Colorado River District offices at 201 Centennial Street, Glenwood Springs.

Virtual participation is available via zoom.

Here are a few of the headlines:

Hydrology and Interstate Issues 

The headline for Water 2024 so far is “Good, Not Great” when it comes to snowpack and runoff predictions, but there are some bright points when it comes to West Slope reservoir storage. Downstream, Lakes Powell and Mead are expecting average runoff and will continue to be the center of larger, basin-wide conversations surrounding post-2026 reservoir operations. Read the full report beginning on p. 144 Board Packet (.pdf) 

Water Conservation Decision Support Tool

The Colorado River District has been working closely with the Uncompahgre Valley Water Users Association and the Freshwater Trust to develop a data-driven tool which can be used to support decision making around the impacts of various water conservation strategies. Staff will present a demonstration of the tool and discuss how it can be used to help evaluate both the economic and environmental impacts of conserved consumptive use programs. Read the staff memo p. 250 Board Packet (.pdf) 

Shoshone Updates

On behalf of a broad-based coalition of West Slope water entities and local governments, the River District continues to work to permanently protect the water rights connected to hydropower production at the Shoshone Hydroelectric Plan in Glenwood Canyon. General Manager Andy Mueller will provide an update on funding efforts as well as the ongoing work with the Colorado Water Conservation Board to draft an instream flow agreement. Read his update beginning on p. 149 Board Packet (.pdf) 

Guest Speaker: Erin Light

Erin Light, Division 6 Engineer, will join the River District Board of Directors first thing on Wednesday morning with an update on measurement rules and devices in the Yampa and White River basins.  

Community Funding Partnership 

The Community Funding Partnership program continues to make a big impact when it comes to funding local water projects. This quarter, eight projects will be presented to the Board of Directors on Wednesday, April 17, after lunch. These projects represent a wide variety of geographic and multi-benefit categories. See the list below or read the full project descriptions p. 305 Board Packet (.pdf) 

• West Slope Growing Water Smart (and Presentation Regarding Policy Opportunities for Land Use – Water Integration) District wide 

• • Applicant: The Sonoran Institute 

• Blue River Habitat Restoration Project Summit County 

• • Applicant: Blue River Watershed Group 

• East Mesa Ditch Emergency Repairs Pitkin and Garfield Counties 

• • Applicant: East Mesa Water Company 

• Little Snake River Diversion Structure Rehabilitation Project Moffat and Routt Counties 

• • Applicant: Pothook Water Conservancy District 

• Wolf Creek Reservoir Project Rio Blanco and Moffat Counties 

• • Applicant: Rio Blanco Water Conservancy District 

• Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District Bundled Project Gunnison and Saguache Counties 

• • Applicant: Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District 

• Blue Mesa Harmful Algal Bloom Study – Phase II Gunnison County 

• • Applicant: Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District 

• Yampa River Reservoir Release Program Moffat and Routt Counties 

• • Applicant: Colorado Water Trust