denver water diversion impacts

Nmysys wrote: FYI:

The South Platte is stocked with 8,000 fish 5 times a years at Pine Valley Open Space Park in Pine Grove.

Most of those fish area stocked directly in the lake and are then harvested. That is 8,000 total per year (not 8,000 x 5).

mtntrekker wrote: the way it was explained to me is that lakes keep an even temperature which is a plus for the fish.

which is what made me wonder why other places like cheeseman and other dams have some really good fishing below it - the water temperature must be good creating thriving food beds?

so many questions. maybe they were referring to further downstream? who knows.

i know there are a lot of people who fish nfsp before pine valley and they seem to do ok. i dont have quite as much luck but do ok. i initially thought it to be a good thing to add more water. since i like to kayak it will be good from that stand point.

Almost all lakes stratify for temperature and disolved oxygen. In the summer, the cooler water goes to the botom. In the late fall, lakes 'turn-over" and there is cooler water on top in winter. The levels of disolved oxygen (DO) in a lake work with the temp to provide fish with the best habitat. Lake Dillon is a class 1 cold water fishery with no temperature or DO problems that I am aware of. Look at the gold medal fishing area that is the Blue River right below Dillon. I can't see how there would be a temperature issue that would directly impact the fishery in the Platte.

The VERY BEST fishing on the north fork is on private property and is due to the private stocking efforts and habitat rehabilitation of the land (resort) owners. A lot of those fish do make it to public waters and they can then be caught and kept. The DOW does not stock that often on the North Fork. In the past few years there has been a problem on the north fork due to the flows being TOO LOW, especially in winter. Many fish get stressed from this and die from things like parasites and gill lice. Things that healthy fish are typically able to resist.

I usually look at the bug and riparian habitat on a lake or river to help determine its 'health'. Next time you fish the north fork, kick a bunch of rock and gravel and seine out the bug life. Now go down to Deckers and do the same. What stream has the best bug count? What stream has the best fishing. Faster water does not neccessarily cause a reduction in bug life or fish. They will both adapt and survive. There is finer sediment on the north fork which means less surface area for the bugs to attach to. It doesn't help that a lot of the norht fork follows 285 and and is subject to road run-off consisting of sand and decomposed granite. Fast water is needed to scour out sediment at times. It can also increase the amount of disolved oxygen.

I have a lot of concern on how water laws are being used in Colorado. I work in the water industry and know there is a bit of money and politics behind it. I understand the need for more water on the front range. I don't think that moderately increasing flows on a river are that much concern if they can be regulated to preserve the existing water quality and recreational needs. They can only allow so much more out of the Roberts Tunnel into the north fork that will not cause damage to public and private property without modifying the channel, culverts, bridges, road, etc. The larger concern is what it will do to the rivers and creeks that are being 'de-watered' due to the diversions. In those cases, minimal flows must be held at a certain point to provide a suitable habitat or they will suffer the same problems that the north fork faced with its low flows. Take a look at our own Bear Creek from Evergreen to Morrison. Evergreen lake is an overflow dam, which means the warmest water enters the creek in the summer. Peak run-off in Bear Creek occurs about 1 month earlier now than it had 15-20 years ago. Coupled with that, the lowering annual snowpack. Every year the flows get lower. This is not a man made issue, the community in Evergreen does not use that much more water every year, in fact the demand has gone down a bit. There are 2 Agricultural diversions in Morrison prior to Bear Creek Lake Park. At certain times in the summer when both diversions are open, the creek is almost completely de-watered. The resulting flows into the park are tiny and the Morrison wastewater effluent makes up about 30-40% of the flow.

We have been collecting a TON of data for the Bear Creek Watershed for the past decade. Lately this included sampling and monitoring all the way up at Summit Lake and some of the smaller tributaries. Below is the data report for 2009. We are working on 2010 data currently. I'll let you know when we do sediment, bug and fish surveys next year if you want to help out.
http://www.bearcreekwatershed.org/Monitoring%20Program/Annual%20Reports/2009%20BCWA%20Data%20Report.pdf

thanks photo-fish. i still haven't grasped how nfsp will be impacted. don't know the flow from the roberts tunnel now and what the additional would look like.

i was also concerned about the diversions out of other streams and the legal ramifications. my understanding is that since denver water has a lot of senior appropriations they can rearrange, taking into account impacts, so long as they have the required amount leaving the state. initially i thought this might be an issue for downstream states.

so if nfsp were to get more water and assuming it was good for the fish, is it at all within the realm of possibility to have businesses or the bailey chamber stock the nfsp to draw business to bailey?

i know a ranch where they stock it each summer for private use and it isn't outrageously expensive.

An update on Denver water plans and discussion as to how it will affect fish and their proposed mitigation plans

From the DOW Insider: COMMISSIONERS BEGIN WATER PLAN REVIEWS

MEEKER, Colo. -- The Colorado Wildlife Commission Thursday received Fish and Wildlife Mitigation Plans from Denver Water and the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District that describe the water providers' proposals for addressing expected impacts from two transmountain diversion projects that would provide more reliable water supplies to the Front Range...

Denver Water's Moffat Collection System Project is designed to provide 18,000 acre-feet per year of new water supply to firm up the yield from Denver's existing water rights on the West Slope, primarily by enlarging Gross Reservoir near Boulder and diverting additional water from the Fraser and Williams Fork rivers.

This project's likely impacts include reduced stream flows and increased temperatures in the Williams Fork, Fraser and Upper Colorado River systems. The lower flows may increase sedimentation in the affected reaches of these rivers and reduce their ability to support aquatic insects and fish life. The lower flows may also reduce the ability of the river channel maintain hydrologic function over the long term.

On the East Slope, the additional diversions would send more water through the Moffat Tunnel, down South Boulder Creek and into an enlarged Gross Reservoir. The project would create a larger reservoir for recreation, but longer periods of high flows in South Boulder Creek above Gross Reservoir would reduce its ability to support trout and other aquatic wildlife.

To mitigate likely impacts from the project on the Fraser River and upper Williams Fork River, Denver is proposing to fund a Colorado River cutthroat restoration project and other aquatic habitat restoration work. On the Colorado River, Denver would install two real-time temperature monitoring gages and agree to release water in August if high temperatures threatened fish.

East of the Divide, Denver would rebuild the Gross Reservoir Dam larger than necessary to allow Boulder and Lafayette to store water to maintain stream flows during winter months, create new wetlands to replace wetlands inundated by the larger reservoir and monitor stream channel stability to identify impacts from higher flows.

Northern's Windy Gap Firming Project is designed to provide 30,000 acre-feet per year of new water supply to firm up the yield from its existing water rights in the Upper Colorado River by diverting additional water to the proposed new Chimney Hollow Reservoir west of Longmont.

West of the Divide, impacts could include a decrease of water level in Lake Granby, a reduction in trout habitat in the Colorado River due to lower stream flows and increases in water temperature. There would also likely be a reduction in river flows preferred by rafters and kayakers, with a potential impact on anglers who fish from personal floatation equipment. Fisheries east of the Continental Divide would benefit from potential development of a new flat-water fishery in the proposed Chimney Hollow Reservoir, though some wetlands and big game habitat would be flooded by the new reservoir.

To mitigate impacts from the project on the Upper Colorado River system, Northern is proposing to manage their pumping to maintain water levels in Lake Granby and look for ways to improve flushing flows and provide cooler summer water temperatures in the Upper Colorado River below Windy Gap Reservoir. Northern would contribute to water quality projects to reduce nutrient loading in Shadow Mountain, Lake Granby and Grand Lake. East of the Divide, Northern is proposing to replace lost wetlands and improve enhance wildlife habitat near the new Chimney Hollow Reservoir.

Under state statute, the Commission's authority is limited to a review of plans to mitigate impacts from proposed projects. Restoring the river to a past condition is beyond the scope of the project approval process and Wildlife Commission authority. However, Denver and Northern are voluntarily proposing steps to address impacts of existing water development projects to fish and wildlife resources on both sides of the Continental Divide by enhancing current conditions.

The enhancement plans would support the Upper Colorado River Habitat Project, a collaborative plan that is designed to restore a more functional channel system and improve habitat for trout and other important aquatic species between Windy Gap Reservoir and the Kemp-Breeze State Wildlife Area.

More information on Denver Water's Moffat Collection System proposal and Northern's Windy Gap Firming Project may be found here: http://wildlife.state.co.us/LandWater/W ... nProjects/ .