News Release Archive

Reclamation releases final environmental documents for amendments to the Purgatoire River Water Conservancy District Repayment Contract, Operating Principles, and Operating Criteria

Media Contact: Sterling Rech, (406) 247-7669, srech@usbr.gov

For Release: June 28, 2018

LOVELAND, Colo. -- The Bureau of Reclamation has issued final environmental documents for proposed amendments to: 1) Purgatoire River Water Conservancy District (PRWCD) Repayment Contract; 2) Operating Principles, Trinidad Dam and Reservoir Project; and 3) PRWCD Operating Criteria. The Trinidad Dam and Reservoir Project is located on the upper Purgatoire River, a tributary to the Arkansas River near Trinidad, Colorado. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers owns and operates the reservoir with responsibility for flood control. Reclamation is responsible for administering PRWCD's repayment contract.

Proposed amendments to three documents would extend PRWCD's repayment period from 70 to 75 years and would dryup 328.4 acres under John Flood Ditch system increasing water available for municipal and industrial (M&I) and permanent fisheries pool storage in Trinidad Reservoir. The City of Trinidad dry-up acreage limitations would increase from 843.3 acres under the current Operating Principles to a total of 1,171.7 acres under the proposed amendments. Amendments would also accommodate PRWCD, City of Trinidad, and Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife M&I storage in Trinidad Reservoir and releases for augmentation purposes outside the irrigation season.

Five parties are signatory to the Operating Principles including the Arkanasas River Compact Administration, State of Kansas, PRWCD, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Reclamation.

The Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact were prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act and electronic copies are available at www.usbr.gov/gp/nepa/sopa.html. For additional information or to request a printed copy of the Final Environmental Assessment and/or Finding of No Significant Impact, please contact Terence Stroh at 970-962-4369 or TStroh@usbr.gov.

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The Bureau of Reclamation is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior and is the nation's largest wholesale water supplier and second largest producer of hydroelectric power. Our facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation opportunities, and environmental benefits. Visit our website at https://www.usbr.gov and follow us on Twitter @USBR; Facebook @bureau.of.reclamation; LinkedIn @Bureau of Reclamation; Instagram @bureau_of_reclamation; and YouTube @reclamation.

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