The following are a list of links to related Intergovernmental Agencies:

1. The Bureau of Reclamation Easter Colorado Area Office
2. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
3. The Colorado Conservation Board
4. The State Division of Water Resources / State Engineers’ Office
5. The Fryingpan-Arkansas Project & Southeast Water Conservancy District
6. Colorado River Water Conservation District
7. The Colorado Division of Wildlife Local Office
8. Basalt Water Conservation District
9. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

The Bureau of Reclamation (BuRec)
Eastern Colorado Area Office
11056 West County Road 18E
Loveland, CO 80537-9711
970-667-4410
Brian Person, Area Manager

U.S. Government agency under the Department of the Interior with responsibilities for water resource development, conservation and various public works. Built Ruedi Dam in 1964-68 as an element of the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project (see below). Responsible for all operational aspects of Ruedi. Manages fills and releases of water, schedules water releases, negotiates and administers contracts for water sales, negotiates agreements with other agencies (i.e. Fish and Wildlife Service) for delivery of water, maintains facilities and coordinates operations with other facilities and agencies. The Bureau is the agency that runs the coordinated reservoir operations, sells Ruedi Water and approves agreements with the USFWS for deliveries to endangered species. The Bureau will also need to approve any Homestake pumpback scheme.

Department of the Interior agency with responsibility for managing and conserving the country’s fish and wildlife resources. It manages federal wildlife refuges, works with state and private agencies on habitat preservation, hunting and fishing regulations and research programs. It also administers the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The Recovery Program is an interstate program between Utah, Wyoming and Colorado (the States in the Upper Colorado Basin). It was organized under the auspices of the USFWS & ESA and includes state agencies, environmental organizations and energy companies. The USFWS determines how to recover the endangered fish in the upper Colorado River Basin and secures recovery resources including habitat and water flows. The USFWS issued the recent Biological Opinions on Ruedi sales and the 15-mile reach that require delivery of Ruedi water.

The CWCB is the state’s policy arm for water related issues. The CWCB and its staff administer the minimum stream-flow and minimum lake-level programs, sponsor various construction, research and planning programs, and rule on water rights disputes. The Board consists of nine members representing the various water basins in the state – local representative is , director of the Colorado River Water Conservation District (see below). The CWCB puts the state’s seal of approval (or not) on federal plans to deliver water to endangered species and speaks for the state on other intergovernmental issues such as federal reserved rights and the Colorado River Compact. The CWCB co-sponsored the recent Roaring Fork/Fryingpan Multi-Objective Study.

The State Division of Water Resources/ State Engineers’ Office
Local Office
50633 Highway 6 & 24
Glenwood Springs, CO 81601
970-945-5665
Orlyn Bell, District 5 Engineer

The State Engineer’s Office assigns water rights administrators to oversee water distribution in the State’s main river basins (Colorado, South Platte, Arkansas, Rio Grande, North Platte/ Yampa, Uncompaghre/Gunnison and Delores). The District Engineers monitor water rights allocations, settle disputes and carry out various management, research and construction projects, most of them related to irrigation works maintenance and streamflow monitoring. Practically speaking, the State Engineer’s office acts as a technical and enforcement arm of the CWCB although they are separate agencies.


The Fryingpan-Arkansas Project & Southeast Water Conservancy District
(Fry-Ark / SEWCD)
P.O. Box 440
Pueblo, CO 81002
719-544-2040

The Fry-Ark project was authorized by Congress in 1962 for the purpose of diverting water from the upper Colorado Basin to the Arkansas Basin. The South East Water Conservancy District (SEWCD), based in Pueblo, was designated as the local management agency for the Fry-Ark. The SEWCD was allocated a pool of about 24,000 acre-feet from Ruedi’s total capacity of 101,000 af to be used to augment western slope water rights and keep them in priority during times of diversion. The 24,000 acre-feet are released as necessary to assure that water rights whose allocation date precedes the dam are not impacted by the diversions. The Fry-Ark project includes the diversion works in Hunter Creek and the upper Fryingpan tributaries, Turquoise Reservoir near Leadville, Ruedi Reservoir and various other facilities. There are a number of diversion canals in the upper Fryingpan (i.e. Lime Creek and Last Chance Creeks) that were authorized but were never built. The Fry-Ark Project does not include the diversions in the upper Roaring Fork, Grizzly Reservoir or Twin Lakes, all of which are part of the Twin Lakes Reservoir and Canal Co. Project.


Colorado River Water Conservation District (CRWCD)
P.O. Box 1120
Glenwood Springs, CO 81601
970-945-8522
Eric Kuhn, General Manager

The CRWCD is one of three Water Conservation Districts in the State, the other two being the Rio Grande District and the South Eastern District, which encompasses the Arkansas River drainage. The CRWCD’s Board of Directors is made up of representatives from all the counties that make up the Upper Colorado River basin. The District is supported by a property tax mill levy and has broad authority to develop and conserve water resources. The District is the most influential voice on water issues for the Western Slope. The District also holds the rights to the water in Ruedi Reservoir, subject to federal programs. The River District is co-sponsoring the Ruedi Futures Study that has been triggered by the Homestake pumpback proposal.

The Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW)
Local Office
50633 Highway 6 & 24
Glenwood Springs, CO 81601
970-945-7228

The DOW has responsibility for the State’s wildlife resources including all game and non-game species. The DOW administers hunting and fishing licenses and regulations and manages various recreational, habitat improvement and wildlife monitoring and management programs. The DOW is managing the controversial lynx reintroduction program because the lynx has been declared a state-level endangered species although it has not been listed as such by the Federal agencies. The DOW is concerned about fish populations and sport fishery access in both Ruedi Reservoir and the Fryingpan River.

Basalt Water Conservancy District (BWCD)
c/o Lori Satterfield
Balcomb and Green
818 Colorado Ave.
Glenwood Springs, CO 81601
970-945-8902

The BWCD was designated as the management agency for the Basalt Project when the Ruedi portion of the Fry-Ark Project was authorized in the early 60’s. The Basalt Project was to divert water from the Ruedi outlet works, run it down the Fryingpan Valley in a conduit and return it to the river in Basalt, where it would generate electricity and provide irrigation water. The outlet pipe that was installed for this project is now in use by the Ruedi Hydro Project which was built by Pitkin County and the City of Aspen in the 80’s. The BWCD owns water in Ruedi and markets it locally to private landowners and developers as augmentation water for private wells.

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
825 N. Capital Street, NE
Washington, D.C. 20426

The FERC is charged with permitting and regulating energy projects, including hydro-power projects. The FERC issued the license for the Ruedi Hydro Project to the City of Aspen and Pitkin County.