Transcript Responses to the New Normal Creative Partnerships for Innovative Water Solutions Colorado Water Workshop – July 17, 2013

Responses to the New Normal
Creative Partnerships for
Innovative Water Solutions
Colorado Water Workshop – July 17, 2013
Colorado River Program
Restore healthy flows in
the Colorado River Basin
Bring people together to
change how water is
managed
The needs of people can
and must be met without
sacrificing the health of
the Colorado River system,
upon which the region
depends.
West Slope Water Bank &
Yampa Alternatives to Ag Transfers
New tools to help manage the increasing
demand for a limited and variable supply
of water.
Avoid the permanent dry-up of
agricultural lands and provide farmers &
ranchers with a new income stream.
Working through partnership to create
tools that meet the needs of people and
nature.
Lee Ferry Deficit
Under Article III.c. of the 1922 Compact, the Upper Division states shall not
cause the flows at Lee Ferry to fall below 75 MAF in any consecutive 10 years.
Million Acre Feet
1981-2010
Lee Ferry Deficit Impacts
Could lead to a legal curtailment of water rights that could shut
down post Compact uses such as municipal supplies, power
plants, and reservoir storage - with serious economic
consequences.
Article VIII of the 1922 Compact: “Present perfected rights . . .
are unimpaired by this Compact.”
Although pre-compact water rights would not be directly
impacted by a Lee Ferry deficit, they could be targeted for
acquisition.
West Slope Water Bank
Avoid or mitigate the impacts of a Lee
Ferry deficit under the Colorado River
Compact.
Provide risk management during drought
times for “critical” junior water users like
health and safety, power plants, vineyards
and orchards, etc.
How does it work?
Agricultural water users voluntarily use
rotational fallowing or split-season
irrigation on a temporary basis to
make water available.
Could work proactively to avoid a Lee
Ferry deficit, or reactively to reduce
impacts and allow critical junior uses to
continue.
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Benefits to Agriculture
Rotational fallowing on a
larger scale could avoid
permanent dry-up and help
keep agriculture and its
associated infrastructure
intact.
New income stream for
producers to “grow water as
a crop.”
Protects high-dollar crops
that cannot be fallowed
(fruit, vineyards).
Increases certainty &
security for farmers &
ranchers.
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Currently involved in a feasibility study
looking at:
(1) Supply & Demand
(2) Test cases for on-farm feasibility
(3) Regional economic and environmental impacts
Water Bank Working Group:
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–
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–
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Colorado River District
Southwest River District
Front Range Water Council
The Nature Conservancy
Colorado Water Conservation Board
Advisors:
– Southern and Mountain Ute Tribes
– Irrigators
– Bureau of Reclamation
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Study Findings
Grass hay and alfalfa represent over 90% of the
irrigated acreage (~715,000 acres) in the study
area and would provide virtually all of the Water
Bank supply
Post-Compact municipal and industrial water
uses approximately 350,000 acre-feet
(84% East Slope uses)
Fallowing or split-season irrigation will be
challenging for irrigators
Calculating the amount of water saved and
delivering those savings downstream will be
difficult
Getting participation may be difficult the decision is about more than economics
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Colorado Water Bank: Next Steps
Is it economical?
Can fallowing & split-season irrigation create enough water to
avoid & survive a Lee Ferry deficit?
How would the water bank work with the numerous individual
water users, ditch companies & irrigation districts?
Can we protect banked water from other appropriators?
What about secondary impacts to local economies and the
environment?
Alternatives to Ag Transfers
in the Yampa Basin
Use rotational fallowing and
limited irrigation to make water
available for other uses on a
temporary basis
Saved water would benefit
specific stream reaches and be
available for other downstream
agriculture uses
Promote common interests
between agriculture,
environment, and recreation
Focused on high elevation
tributaries to the Yampa River.
Like the Water Bank, this
project would avoid
permanent dry-up and create
additional revenue for
agriculture.
Helps agricultural water users
protect their water right in
low drought years where cost
to irrigate may be greater than
crop proceeds, or when
temporarily scaling back their
operation.
Potential locations have been identified
and we are continuing outreach to
agricultural community.
Answering technical questions related
to where and when water would be
available, and analyzing potential
environmental flow benefits.
Many technical, social, and economic
questions remain, but moving forward
with a pilot project to test the concept
next summer.