- Managing Reliable Water Supply Systems in the South Platte River Basin. Peter Binney, P.E. Director, Aurora Water May 25, 2006

Transcription

1 - Managing Reliable Water Supply Systems in the South Platte River Basin Peter Binney, P.E. Director, Aurora Water May 25, 2006

2 Major Issues for the South Platte Basin Population Growth Y 2000 = 2,985,600; Y 2030 = 4,911,600 Growth = 1,926,000 Increase in M&I Demand = 409,000 af Integration of Urban-centric Economies in an Agricultural-Based Setting Interstate Compacts and ESA Over-appropriation of Water Resources A Return to Drier Water Conditions

3 Front Range Population Growth Metro Suburbs Rural Counties Non-Metro Front Range (Weld, Larimer, El Paso, Pueblo) (Douglas, Arapahoe, Adams, Broomfield, Jefferson, Boulder) Denver Front Range Cities

4 M&I Water Demands (2030) Denver Water 245,000 af, Aurora 55,000 af 409,000 acre-feet 98,000 acre-feet

5 Colorado Surface Water South Platte Urban Corridor Arkansas Urban Corridor

6 South Platte Water Uses Industrial 3% Municipal 22% Irrigation 68%

7 Urban Centric Growth

8 Three States Agreement Snail Darter, Tellico Dam TN Whooping Crane, NE

9 ..

10 SNOWPACK = 5/24

11 25 Years of South Platte Flows Surface Water Supply Index - South Platte 5.0 WET WET Long Term Change in South Platte SWSI J J-86 J-91 J-96 J-01 DRY

12 1.64 inches of Precipitation This Year Green Mountain Homestake Reservoir

13 CITY OF AURORA - AURORA WATER Forecast of Total Reservoir Contents Forecast Beginning: May 04, 2006 Contents forecast to be 90,761 af on May 01, 2007, or 58 % of full, and Contents forecast to be 87,906 af on May 01, 2008, or 57 % of full 140, ,000 Max 100,000 Contents (AF) 80,000 60, ,000 Min ,000 Figure projected yields systemwide with repeated conditions for Jan-00 Jan-01 Jan-02 Jan-03 Jan-04 Jan-05 Jan-06 Jan-07 Jan-08 Historical Forecast Max Forecast Min Forecast Caution Zone Emergency

14 Effects of Well Shut Down

15 How Will South Platte Meet M&I Needs? (Not including CB-T and NCWCD programs) Conservation Non-tributary groundwater Non-potable reclamation / municipal irrigation Over-drafting of existing reservoirs Agricultural water leases, interruptible supplies, purchase/ leaseback, dry up Trans-basin diversions - Do Colorado, Arkansas, North Platte, Gunnison, Yampa /White, San Luis Valley water resources have a role in future water needs of South Platte? 1177 and IBCC Can we build enough off-channel storage/ recharge areas to balance weather cycles

16 Practical Program Are Location Dependent

17 Field Location of the Aquifers WEST Parker EAST Raynolds, Denver Museum of Nature and Science, 2005

18 Developed Headwaters Combined Systems

19 Aurora - Transitional Water System Local Alluvial Wells (1950 s) Upper South Platte Transferred Agricultural Rights ( ) 45% Homestake I (Colorado River basin (1960 s) 25% Arkansas Agricultural Transfers ( ) 25% Local non-potable water reclamation (1990 -) 3% Deep aquifers - <1% Demand Management ( ) Water Purification

20 Recovery of Return Flows Using Water Until Extinction Value of Reusable Return Flows An appropriator who lawfully introduces foreign water into a stream system from an unconnected stream system may make a succession of uses of such water to the extent that its volume can be distinguished from the volume of the streams into which it is introduced. C.R.S (1963)

21 Prairie Waters Project

22 Trading Tunnels for Water Purification

23 ARWPF UV-Advanced Oxidation

24 Agriculture-Municipal Interface Purchase/ Dry Up Rotational Crop Mgmt Drought Lease Purchase/ Lease Back Scheduled Closing Opportunity Leasing Efficiency Options/ Conservation Easements Drip Irrigation Systems

25 Aurora s Farm-City Programs Purchase of Rocky Ford Ditch with re-vegetation, School Payments, Economic Development Lake County Transfer/ Open Space Initiative High Line Canal Interruptible Supply Program Rocky Ford II Drip Irrigation Program Central Colorado WCD Augmentation Water Program Calpine/ Central Augmentation Accounting

26 Location of Agricultural Water Uses / Cities 1,003,500 Acres Irrigated Lands 2,545,500 Ac-Ft Irrigation Diversions

27 CBT Shares Are Being Converted From Agricultural to Municipal Uses Agricultural Municipal

28 Commodity Pricing for CBT Shares Source: Northern Colorado Big Thompson Share Transactions $14,000 per share $20,000 / ac-ft 2005

29 Potential Changes in Irrigated Acres ( ) 39,000 acres No change or 2,600 acres 133,000 to 226,000 acres 7,900 to 16,000 acres 2,500 to 10,000 acres 23,000 to 72,000 acres or 2,400 acres 1,300 acres 60,000 to 100,000 acres

30 Urban Water Partnerships The recapture of reusable return flows will affect flow patterns and yields in the South Platte River Some farmers will exercise their property rights to use, transfer, lease or periodically rotate historic agricultural water uses Cities must pay for water rights, infrastructure and mitigation but the total cost must be absorbed in affordable municipal rate and fee structures Cities must work with rural communities can effective local/ 1041 regulations shape the future? How will workable relationships be developed for the benefit of both entities?

31 Additional Reservoir Storage

32 The Next Twenty Years If population and M&I Water demands increase as projected: How will market based transfers and property rights be protected? How will area of origin and areas of importation be addressed? How will multi-billion dollar programs be developed using rates and fees? Are we ready for $10/ 1000 gallons and $25,000 tap fees? Can environmental and public policy issues be addressed? Do we have the appropriate water development institutions in place to support these programs?

33 South Platte / Metro Area Water Management Alternatives Does not include NCWCD/ Greeley programs For next 20+ years, mining of no-tributary groundwater, water restrictions, recovery of reusable return flows, one or more pipelines from lower South Platte to eastern and southern metro area, agricultural water transfers with leaseback and interruptible supply agreements, rotational crop management Post 2020-, limited trans-basin diversions Can anyone find an average or a wet year, at least for a few years????

34 What is South Platte s Future?

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