Windy Gap Firming Project

Currently, an estimated 65% of the natural flow in the Upper Colorado River drainage is being diverted from the mountains to the front range, already causing stress to fisheries, the aquatic environment and agriculture, the ability of streams to adequately assimilate water from sewage treatment plants, recreational opportunities, the beauty of naturally flowing water courses and the quality of life in mountain communities.

The Denver Water Board (DWB) and the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District (NCWCD) have proposed new water diversion projects, the Moffat Tunnel Expansion and Windy Gap Firming Projects, which will take an even greater share of this water. Approximately 85% of the average flow from the Upper Colorado System will be diverted. Meanwhile, several front range communities that are participants in the water diversions have not mandated conservation measures.

A number of alternatives are being explored through the Environmental Impacts Statement (EIS) processes. Depending upon the alternatives chosen, the impacts could include the following, as well as consequent deterioration of the economy of the mountain communities - and all of Colorado:

• Three Lakes Water Quality. Current pumping of water from Granby Reservoir to Shadow Mountain and then to Grand Lake causes serious degradation of Grand Lake water through the influx of silt, weeds, algae and algae toxins. This increased nutrient loading depletes oxygen necessary for aquatic life. Moreover, in 2004, samples of Grand Lake showed the presence of bacteria that creates a substance that can be toxic to animals and humans. The Windy Gap Firming Project may exacerbate these problems. Moreover, it may increase the already high temperature of the Three Lakes system, further increasing the nutrient load, leading to further die offs of fish and native aquatic plants, causing bad odor, deterring boating and other forms of recreation, and decreasing the beauty of the lakes.
  
• Stream Flows. Reduced flows on the Colorado and Fraser Rivers from out of basin diversions may lower water flows below the minimum needed to support fish even in Gold Medal Fisheries.
  
• Flushing Flows. Annual high water flows which naturally occur with spring runoff, are necessary to clear sediment from spawning beds and maintain stream channel structure. If unmitigated, increased water diversions may prevent such "flushing" high flows. Trout life cycles may be disrupted. In addition, lack of flushing flows may prevent the natural function of wetlands in mountain areas to serve as natural reservoirs and filter and recharge alluvial aquifers.
  
• Rafting and Kayaking. The proposed diversions may cause the high quality rafting and kayaking segments to fall below minimal levels for rafting and kayaking more frequently. For example, the Gore Canyon stretch, one of two premiere Class 5 white water areas for kayaking and rafting in the nation and home of the U.S. National White Water (rafting) Championship may fall below optimal levels for rafting and kayaking.
  
• Ranching. During September 2006, ranchers along the Colorado River above Kremmling were faced with the choice of drying up the river and killing the fisheries or refraining from irrigating during a critical time. Even in better times, low water flows in the Colorado and Fraser Rivers create a lack of positive pressure in ditch heads and pumps for irrigation of hay fields. Finally, low water levels may be stressing ranchers' fisheries, handicapping their ability to lease fishing rights, a critical supplement to the income of many ranches on the riverfront. The diversions will further exacerbate these problems.
  
• Municipal and Domestic Water Supplies. Most water providers will experience shortages under future demand scenarios. Communities in the Fraser River watershed will have municipal water shortages of as much as 2,000 acre feet in the future. Additional in-stream needs, such as dilution of municipal wastewater, already strained, and the maintenance of minimum stream flows, bring this shortage significantly higher.