Day: April 19, 2009

Aspinall Unit: Operations meeting

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From email from Reclamation (Dan Crabtree):

In response to the beginning of the spring runoff season, Reclamation will be increasing releases from the Aspinall Unit by 300 cfs on Friday April 17. After the change, the total release from Crystal Reservoir will be 1,500 cfs and flow in the Black Canyon and Gunnison Gorge will be about 1,000 cfs.

Please note the Aspinall Operations meeting will held on Thursday April 23rd in Reclamation’s Grand Junction Office beginning at 9:30 a.m. In conjunction with the meeting, the National Weather Service will be holding a Water Supply Meeting beginning at 1:00 p.m. at the same location. Please RSVP Bryon Lawrence at with which meeting you plan to attend to ensure sufficient seating.

Note to Fishermen: Sorry the East Portal Road is not yet open to the public. Still waiting for the basketball-sized rocks to slow their assault on the road.

Windsor: Town board to use FEMA grant to repair tornado damage at Windsor Lake

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The Town of Windsor is hoping to get a FEMA grant to repair some of the tornado damage to the shoreline of Windsor Lake, according to a report from Ashley Keesis-Wood writing for the Windsor Beacon. From the article:

The Windsor Town Board agreed to pursue a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency that will protect the shoreline along Windsor Lake. “This project allows us to take advantage of some funding made available to us in the wake of the (May 22) tornado,” Windsor Director of Parks and Recreation Melissa Chew said during Monday night’s regular town board session…f the town receives the grant, the funds would go toward a rip rap, or shoreline stabilization, along Windsor Lake to protect the recreational trail as well as two Greeley potable water lines in the area.

Montezuma County: Goodman Point Water District plan

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From the Cortez Journal: “The board of Montezuma County Commissioners is scheduled to meet at 9 a.m. Monday, April 20, in the commissioners room at 109 W. Main St., Cortez…At 10:30 a.m. a public hearing will cover the Goodman Point Water District’s service plan, which will consider the adequacy of the plan and provide opportunity for public comment.”

Mcphee and Jackson reservoirs status

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From the Cortez Journal: “Jackson Gulch reservoir live content stood at 3,532 acre-feet with a 9,948 acre-feet maximum capacity and a 5,008 acre-feet average (1971-2000) end-of-month content. At Jackson Gulch, a daily maximum/minimum of zero cubic-feet-per-second was released into the Mancos River, and 37 acre-feet were released for municipal purposes.

“McPhee Reservoir live content stood at 283,214 acre-feet, with a 381,051 acre-feet maximum capacity and a 305,596 average (1986-2000) end-of-month content. At McPhee, 3,766 acre-feet were released into the Dolores River, and 2,348 acre-feet were released for transbasin purposes. At McPhee, a daily maximum/minimum of 76/48 cubic-feet-per-second was released into the Dolores River.”

Colorado-Big Thompson Project scores $14 million in stimulus dough

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Here’s the background on Reclamation’s plans for the $14 million in stimulus funds slated for the Colorado-Big Thompson Project, from Pamela Dickman writing for the Loveland Reporter-Herald. From the article:

The Bureau of Reclamation will hire a crew to scrape away and replace the coating of the pipes that carry water from the Colorado-Big Thompson Project to the Flatiron Power Plant. The entire cost of the project, $14 million, will be paid for with federal stimulus money…

The penstocks are large pipes that snake about one mile down Bald Mountain near Carter Lake. They bring water from the Colorado-Big Thompson project to the hydroelectric plant to generate power that is doled out through the Western Area Power Administration grid. This is the first time the coating will be replaced since the penstocks were built in 1962. The replacement coating is a new, upgraded product that should increase reliability and integrity, according to Lamb. Crews will scrape the old coating from the outside of the pipe, which drops 1,064 feet vertically, Lamb said. They also will go inside the pipes, which are 6 feet in diameter, to re-coat the inside.

Meanwhile, from email from Reclamation (Kara Lamb):

If Carter and Horsetooth are in your plans for Sunday, here is a quick update: The work on the Charles Hansen Feeder canal has completed. Currently, we are running about 150 cfs to Horsetooth. We will turn the pump to Carter off over the weekend. Once the pump goes off, expect another 300-or-so cfs to begin flowing to Horsetooth. Carter remains pretty full. Horsetooth is still at a water elevation of 5404, but will begin rising Monday.

More Coyote Gulch coverage here and here.

Cañon City: DARCA — Ditches 101

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From the Pueblo Chieftain: “A discussion about maintenance, liability and safety issues surrounding irrigation ditches will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Friday at the Four Mile Community Center, corner of East Main Street and Steinmeier Avenue…Speakers include John McKenzie, Executive Director, DARCA; Charles F. Hix, Hix Insurance Associates, Inc.; Mannie Colon, President, Hydraulic Ditch; and Brenda Jackson, Fremont County attorney. The event is free and open to the public.”

Fountain Creek: Mercury and aluminum

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From the Pueblo Chieftain: “Trace amounts of mercury and aluminum have been detected in Fountain Creek below Colorado Springs. The elements showed up during testing in March, but researchers are not sure about its origin or how much of a problem it could be. ‘We need to see if it’s a one-time release or an ongoing problem,’ David Lehmpuhl, a chemistry professor at Colorado State University-Pueblo, told the Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District board.”