Ranchers in Grand County say the Colorado River is dangerously low, forcing them to limit irrigation withdrawals or risk draining the river.
The dip in river levels started about a week ago when Denver Water, the state’s largest water provider, began reducing flows out of the Williams Fork Reservoir, which feeds the Colorado River.
As of Wednesday, the reservoir was releasing about 50 cubic feet of water per second – normal flow is about 150 cubic feet per second for this time of year, water managers say.
“Fifty cubic feet per second? Even in the Colorado River that’s not a whole lot of water,” said Stan Cazier, an attorney for the Middle Park Water Conservancy District.
Cazier said ranchers near Kremmling with senior water rights need the water for late season irrigation, but concerns about river levels are preventing them from tapping the river.
There are also growing fears regarding the river’s fish, which could be susceptible to increasing temperatures due to the low water levels, said Mely Whiting, an attorney for Trout Unlimited.
“If it weren’t for these ranchers keeping water in the river, I’m not sure what would happen,” she said.
Denver Water officials said they’ve increased flows out of Dillon Reservoir and decreased flows out of Williams Fork in an effort to help fill the Grand County reservoir.
Also influencing diminished flows out of Williams Fork, they said, was the call to lift seasonal flow requirements for endangered fish in the Colorado River.
Denver Water typically meets that obligation through flows out of Williams Fork.
“Basically Williams Fork is much lower than we want it to be, and we’re trying to catch up,” said Marc Waage, a water supply manager for Denver Water.
Waage said the decision was made to increase flows out of Williams Fork by 30 cubic feet per second starting today.
Six cubic feet per second is what is legally required to pass through reservoir, Waage said.
Cazier said he was pleased to learn flows would be increased, but was uncertain whether that amount would end problems for irrigators.
“It’s certainly a marked improvement, but it’s not going to be ideal,” he said.
Staff writer Kim McGuire can be reached at 303-954-1240 or kmcguire@denverpost.com.
