 |
|
|
|
|
| 11/14/2009 6:00:00 AM | Email this article • Print this article | DWCD approves Rico water request
Town will drill wells to supplement Silver Creek supply
Kimberly Benedict
Journal Staff Writer
The Dolores Water Conservancy District Board of Directors unanimously approved a request from Rico representatives Thursday night to divert water from underground sources off the Dolores River for municipal use.
Rico proposed using alluvial wells north of town, which pump water from shallow aquifers, to supplement their current water supply.
"We've been working on this for a couple of years now," said Mike England, Rico town manager. "We struggle with the Silver Creek supply, especially after it rains."
"Rico's primary point of water supply on Silver Creek faces turbidity and other issues," said Mike Preston, DWCD manager. "They would like to drill a well up above Rico and be able to run the water down into town."
England stressed Rico has tried to address their water concerns without new sources, but the 300 lots currently using water have put a strain on the town's resources.
"We have promoted the conservation of water," England said. "We have raised prices for residential and commercial properties. We are near capacity and need to try to develop other water sources. This request is not for future development, just historic use."
At stake in the discussion was the amount of Dolores River instream flow that would be affected by a new well.
The Colorado Water Conservation Board allows the Dolores Water Conservancy a 1 per cent, or 0.20 cubic feet per second, de minimis allowance of water usage in the instream flow segment between Rico and the confluence with Fill Gulch. De minimis allowance is the maximum amount of water usage allowed without substantial impact to instream flow. The proposed Rico project would require an allocation of 0.178 cfs.
"What they are proposing is taking up a substantial part of the de minimis ," Preston said.
Ken Curtis, chief of engineering and construction for the district, address the concerns of future demand on water supply.
"It's too tough to tell what sort of development will take place," Curtis told the board. "I can't speculate what will turn into developed land."
Janice Sheftel, board attorney, commented that future development might be impacted by the board's decision.
"In this case, Rico is already in the district," Sheftel said. "The consequence is you won't have much more (water) if someone wants to develop in that section."
"If there was a huge expansion you would have to go to another source," Preston agreed.
Curtis walked the board through the existing water use on the section of river in question, noting there are 25 existing parcels, including reserved water usage rights for the Sundial development, that have prior claim. Ultimately, Curtis did not see a problem with the Rico request.
"The way consumptive use is, we should be able to handle 300 residences," he said. "Our conclusion was this isn't a big use on the district and we don't see a big impact."
The board's approval of the request was subject to CWCB agreement that only 0.022 cfs be counted against the de minimis allowance downstream of Fill Gulch.
"The amount Rico is requesting allows us to meet our other obligations and for the time being it helps the town with its water supply," Preston said. "If we are able to tie CWCB down, then that leaves us plenty of augmentation water."
For more information, contact DWCD at 565-7562.
Reach Kimberly Benedict at kimberlyb@cortezjournal.com.
|
Article Comment Submission Form
|
|
|
|
|
