City of Aspen Enhanced Hydrologic Measurement: Streamflow Gage and Snow Telemetry Station Project WaterSMART Drought Response Program: Drought Resiliency Projects for FY 2021 Funding Opportunity BOR-DO-20-F002 Prepared By: City of Aspen Project Manager: Steve Hunter Water Department 130 Galena Street Aspen, CO 81611 steve.hunter@cityofaspen.com 970.429.1983 August 4, 2020 Table of Contents 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..................................................................................................... 1 1.1 APPLICATION INFORMATION .......................................................................................... 1 1.2 PROJECT SUMMARY ..................................................................................................... 1 2. TECHNICAL PROJECT DESCRIPTION .................................................................................. 2 2.1 PROJECT LOCATION ...................................................................................................... 2 2.2 TECHNICAL PROJECT DESCRIPTION ................................................................................... 3 2.2.1 2.2.2 USGS STREAMFLOW GAGE ............................................................................................ 4 NRCS SNOTEL SITE ..................................................................................................... 5 2.3 PERFORMANCE MEASURES ............................................................................................ 6 3. TECHNICAL PROPOSAL: EVALUATION CRITERIA ............................................................... 7 3.1 EVALUATION CRITERION A ............................................................................................. 7 3.2 EVALUATION CRITERION B ........................................................................................... 10 3.3 EVALUATION CRITERION C ........................................................................................... 12 3.4 EVALUATION CRITERION D........................................................................................... 13 3.5 EVALUATION CRITERION E ........................................................................................... 15 3.6 EVALUATION CRITERION F ........................................................................................... 15 4. PROJECT BUDGET ........................................................................................................... 18 4.1 FUNDING PLAN AND LETTERS OF COMMITMENT ............................................................... 18 4.2 BUDGET PROPOSAL .................................................................................................... 19 4.3 BUDGET NARRATIVE................................................................................................... 20 4.3.1 4.3.2 4.3.3 4.3.4 4.3.5 4.3.6 4.3.7 4.3.8 4.3.9 4.3.10 5. 6. 7. 8. SALARIES AND WAGES ................................................................................................. 20 FRINGE BENEFITS ........................................................................................................ 20 TRAVEL..................................................................................................................... 20 EQUIPMENT .............................................................................................................. 20 MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES ............................................................................................ 20 CONTRACTUAL ........................................................................................................... 20 THIRD-PARTY IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS........................................................................... 21 ENVIRONMENTAL AND REGULATORY COMPLIANCE COSTS ................................................... 21 OTHER EXPENSES........................................................................................................ 21 INDIRECT COSTS ......................................................................................................... 21 ENVIRONMENTAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES COMPLIANCE ....................................... 21 REQUIRED PERMITS OR APPROVALS.............................................................................. 23 OFFICIAL RESOLUTION ................................................................................................... 23 LETTERS OF SUPPORT ..................................................................................................... 24 City of Aspen PAGE ii Figures Figure 1: City of Aspen General Location Map.......................................................................................... 2 Tables Table 1: Potential Future Drought Impacts. ........................................................................................... 12 Table 2: Total Project Cost: Summary of Federal and Non-Federal Funding Sources ............................... 18 Table 3: Proposed Project Budget .......................................................................................................... 19 City of Aspen PAGE iii 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.1 APPLICATION INFORMATION Submittal Date August 5, 2020 Applicant Funding Group City of Aspen, Colorado Steve Hunter, Utilities Resource Manager Water Department 130 Galena Street Aspen, CO 81611 970-429-1983 I Grant Funding Requested $59,446.55 Total Project Budget $118,893.10 Project Duration October 2020 through December 2022 (27 months) Estimated Project Completion Date December 31, 2022 Project Location Project will be located in the Roaring Fork river basin near Aspen, Colorado. Specific locations for new measurement instrumentation will be determined through the project implementation. Project location is not located on a Federal facility. 1.2 PROJECT SUMMARY The City of Aspen (Aspen or City) is located in Pitkin County, Colorado within the Colorado River Basin. Aspen has recently completed its Municipal Drought Mitigation and Response Plan (DMRP) and has been operating a drought response program for over a decade through its Water Shortage code. Beginning with the drought of 2002, Aspen has declared drought and enforced water use restrictions a total of four times. At the time of this grant submittal, Aspen is currently operating under a Stage 1 drought declaration. The City heavily relies upon available hydrologic data in the area, including streamflow, snowpack, and climate data to inform drought declaration decisions. Because the City does not have significant storage as part of its water system, speedy drought response is paramount to mitigate damage and respond to water supply shortages. Currently, the City does not have an active streamflow gage on its primary potable water supply source, Castle Creek. There are also no local snowpack measurement sites within basins providing Aspen’s primary water supplies. The project that is subject to this application is the installation of a new United States Geological Survey (USGS) streamflow gage on Castle Creek above the City’s municipal intake and the installation of a new Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) snow telemetry (SNOTEL) site. The City has partnerships with both organizations and has been coordinating with both to develop these new measurement sites. Data collected at these new measurement sites will support the City’s City of Aspen PAGE 1 active drought monitoring program and will be used to develop local drought monitoring tools and will ultimately be integrated into existing water supply planning models. Enhanced data to support drought monitoring and water supply planning will allow the City to more quickly and accurately predict and declare droughts, prepare for and mitigate operations prior to drought, implement more targeted drought responses based on each drought’s unique conditions, and more efficiently operate its municipal supplies. 2. TECHNICAL PROJECT DESCRIPTION 2.1 PROJECT LOCATION The City of Aspen, Colorado is located at 39.1911 degrees N, 106.8175 degrees W in Pitkin County. Aspen is situated in the upper reaches of the Roaring Fork Valley near the confluences of the main-stem of the Roaring Fork River with Hunter Creek, Castle Creek, and Maroon Creek at an elevation of approximately 7,900 feet. The Roaring Fork River is a tributary to the Upper Colorado River, as shown in Figure 1 below. Aspen’s service area is located along Colorado State Highway 82 approximately 20 miles west of Independence Pass, as shown in Figure 1 below. The incorporated area (within the municipal boundary) consists of approximately 3.83 square miles. However, at this time, the total service territory is approximately 8.5 square miles, and includes unincorporated areas served by Aspen. Aspen Figure 1: City of Aspen General Location Map *Map from U.S. Department of Interior – Bureau of Reclamation The proposed project, which includes the installation of a new streamflow gage and the installation of a new SNOTEL site, is located within the Castle Creek and Maroon Creek basins and will be located near the City’s service area. Specific locations for the measurement instrumentation will be determined through the project implementation based on field investigations, land ownership, and evaluation of site City of Aspen PAGE 2 conditions. Preliminary investigations for both the USGS streamflow gage and the NRCS SNOTEL site have been completed, and potential locations that have been identified are included as Attachment A. 2.2 TECHNICAL PROJECT DESCRIPTION Aspen is a home-rule municipality that owns and operates its water utilities, providing treated (potable) water to all customers in the service area and raw water for hydroelectric production as well as for irrigation and snowmaking purposes to a small subset of customers. The City is an active leader in water conservation and efficiency in the State of Colorado and is committed to sustainable water use practices and programs both locally and regionally. Aspen Water Utility provides service to approximately 4,000 accounts located inside and outside the Aspen Municipal boundary. Aspen has recently completed its municipal Drought Mitigation and Response Plan (DMRP), which was developed through a collaborative process within Aspen’s staff to define a drought monitoring program, evaluate drought local impacts, and define the City’s staged drought response program. The City’s Municipal Code defines the process for drought declaration under its Water Shortage section, referring to the DMRP for specific response strategies. At the time of this application, Aspen is operating under a Stage 1 drought declaration. The City currently does not have significant storage, which makes drought mitigation and declaration less straight-forward and places heavy dependence on available hydrologic and climate data, which does not always reflect local supply conditions. For Aspen, its surface water supply is heavily reliant upon snowpack and runoff conditions, becoming particularly vulnerable in the late summer after the main snowmelt runoff period and landscape irrigation demands are still high. To interpret local conditions, Aspen staff rely upon several hydrologic and climatic indices including snowpack, precipitation, temperature, wind, evaporation, streamflow, soil moisture, and weather forecasts to support professional judgment in making recommendations for declaring water shortages and moving through drought stages. The combination of conditions makes each year unique and requires ongoing monitoring. The time of year corresponding with each indicator is also important to consider, e.g. snowpack is used as a primary indicator during winter and early spring months while streamflow is used as a primary indicator during runoff and summer months. Because Aspen’s supplies are driven by snowpack conditions and subsequent runoff patterns, it is difficult to accurately predict conditions far in advance. One large snow event can shift snowpack levels from far below average to above average. Similarly, early peak runoff and abnormally high temperatures can result in reduced late-summer streamflow levels even if end-of-season snowpack data had indicated aboveaverage levels. As such, monitoring is an ongoing process. The City’s primary potable water supply comes from a senior surface water right on Castle Creek. There is currently not an active streamflow gage located on Castle Creek, which makes monitoring water supply availability challenging. The City relies heavily on streamflow supply indicators to determine water shortage and drought conditions. Without an active streamflow gage, consistently monitoring live streamflow conditions is not possible. Additionally, Castle Creek and the City’s secondary potable supply, Maroon Creek, are both snowmelt dominated streams. The closest SNOTEL site is located on Independence Pass, which does not necessarily represent local snow conditions in the Castle and Maroon Creek watersheds above Aspen. Snowpack conditions over the winter and spring months can provide a strong indication for what supply conditions may be during the runoff and summer seasons if the site is located in a representative area. City of Aspen PAGE 3 This project includes the installation of a new USGS streamflow gage on Castle Creek and the installation of a new NRCS SNOTEL site within the Castle Creek or Maroon Creek watersheds. The installation and maintenance of a Castle Creek gage will help improve the City’s ability to monitor streamflow and make drought declaration and response decisions. The installation and maintenance of a more locally positioned SNOTEL site will help to improve the City’s ability to monitor snowpack conditions and predict runoff. Data will be collected at each of these sites throughout the year and will be made publicly available. Live streamflow, local snowpack data, and any modelled streamflow forecasts will be used directly by Aspen to monitor for local hydrologic conditions, supporting the City’s drought monitoring and response program. Data will be incorporated into existing drought monitoring tools and, once at least five years of data has been collected, this data can be integrated into the City’s long-range planning tools. 2.2.1 USGS S TREAMFLOW G AGE The USGS Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program supports the collection and delivery of both streamflow and water-level information for thousands of sites. The data represent near real-time measurements and are served online to meet many diverse needs. The streamflow gages are primarily operated and maintained by the USGS, but most are funded in partnership with Federal, State, local, and Tribal agencies or organizations. This unique cooperation results in nationally consistent and impartial data that also aids local decision making. Aspen has begun the process of developing an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with the USGS to install and operate a new streamflow gage on Castle Creek above the City’s municipal diversion. The USGS process will being with a consultation with the City to identify specific needs and benefits for a new streamflow gage. In 2018, Aspen and the USGS began some preliminary investigations to identify potential locations for a new streamflow gage in this area, which will serve as a starting point for this consultation. This will likely be followed by a site reconnaissance trip to determine the best possible gaging locations and pros and cons of each. Once a preferred location is determined, the USGS will work with landowners to obtain permissions and regulatory permits, as applicable. The basic streamflow gage installation includes everything required to collect river level data (stage) and transmit those data in real-time. The typical streamflow gage includes an instrumentation shelter, data collection platform, stage sensor, antenna, solar panel, voltage regulator, batteries, reference gages, crest-stage gage, and benchmark survey points. Additional equipment not covered in the basic installation are methods for measuring non-wadeable flows, e.g. bank-type cableways, or significant channel modifications. While it is Aspen’s hope that a basic streamflow gage installation is possible, for purposes of this grant application, it is assumed that a more complicated setup may be required. Operation and maintenance (O&M) of the streamflow gage includes routine site visits, usually 8 to 10 each year. During these visits, the USGS calibrates the on-site equipment and takes manual discharge measurements. Basic maintenance is often performed during these routine visits. The USGS will also make non-routine site visits as necessary to make unscheduled repairs, run levels to maintain gage datum, upgrade equipment, and perform general maintenance. All equipment is purchased and owned by the USGS, with an annual fee to be paid by Aspen to contribute to annual O&M costs. O&M also includes all computations necessary to compute real-time streamflow, manage and maintain stage and streamflow data indefinitely, provide access to real-time and historic data for stakeholders and the public, QA/QC all data pertaining to the site, provide maintenance and upgrades to computer servers, and the final publication of data. The new Castle Creek streamflow gage will collect detailed streamflow data year-round and this data will be made publicly available through the USGS website. The data will be collected at about hourly intervals City of Aspen PAGE 4 and will be transmitted to the USGS for review. Data will be published through the USGS as part of the National Streamflow Network (NSN), which consists of all streamflow gages that continuously monitor streamflow year-round and from which daily mean streamflows are computed and made available online. The data collected at NSN streamflow gages serve several functions (including flood warning, water allocation, and recreation) and can be used by anyone regardless of whether or not they help fund the network. The use of consistent methods enables data from the many gages to be combined, expanding the use and value of the data from every gage. Aspen will utilize measured streamflow data on Castle Creek to manage its municipal diversions on Castle Creek while supporting the maintenance of Colorado Water Conservation Board’s (CWCB) decreed instream flows. The streamflow will be continuously monitored during normal operations and will serve to identify changes in streamflow that may indicate declining supply availability. During drought or other water shortage conditions, streamflow will be tightly monitored to track drought response effectiveness and to inform adjustments to staged drought levels. Streamflow will be tracked using internal drought monitoring tools and will ultimately be incorporated in longer-term water supply modelling. 2.2.2 NRCS SNOTEL S ITE The NRCS installs, operates, and maintains an extensive, automated data collection network called SNOTEL, which is short for snow telemetry. This network is designed to collect snowpack and related climatic data in the western United States and up into Alaska. This program operates under technical guidance from the NRCS National Water and Climate Center (NWCC). Aspen has begun the process of developing an IGA with the NRCS to install a new SNOTEL station within the Castle Creek or Maroon Creek watershed near Aspen. The NRCS has completed preliminary site evaluations within the desired watersheds, considering elevation, road access, representative hydrologic conditions, and existing sites located within nearby watersheds. Upon completion of the IGA, the NRCS and Aspen will work together to determine the most desirable site location and will conduct an in-situ manual snowpack read over one or two winters, depending on conditions measured. Once the site is confirmed, NRCS will acquire necessary equipment, construct the new SNOTEL station, and install the instrumentation at the selected site. Data collected through SNOTEL sites on snowpack provide critical information to decision-makers and water managers, providing indications for seasonal hydrologic conditions and forecasts. These sites are generally located in remote, high-elevation mountain watersheds and are designed to operate unattended and without maintenance for a year or more. A typical SNOTEL remote site consists of measuring devices and sensors, an equipment shelter for the radio telemetry equipment, and an antenna that also supports the solar panels used to keep batteries charged. A standard sensor configuration includes a snow pillow, a storage precipitation gage, and a temperature sensor. The snow pillow measures how much water is in the snowpack by weighing the snow with a pressure transducer. Devices in the shelter convert the weight of the snow into the snow's water equivalent which represents the actual amount of water in a given volume of snow. SNOTEL stations also collect data on snow depth, all-season precipitation accumulation, and air temperature. The configuration at each site is tailored to the physical conditions, the climate, and the specific requirements of the data users. While SNOTEL stations are designed to operate unattended and without maintenance for a year or more, annual maintenance provides an opportunity to ensure general station integrity. The NRCS will conduct annual maintenance checks at the site to perform necessary preventive maintenance and replace components on a schedule that meets specified sensor calibration or replacement intervals. The annual City of Aspen PAGE 5 site visit/inspection also serves for removing vegetative growth, repairing site facilities, and ensuring proper site drainage. Non-routine site visits will be made as necessary to make unscheduled repairs, upgrade equipment, and perform general maintenance. All equipment is purchased and owned by the NRCS at no cost to Aspen beyond the initial installation. O&M also includes all computations necessary to compute snow-water equivalent, manage and maintain collected data, provide access to real-time and historic data for stakeholders and the public, QA/QC all data pertaining to the site, provide maintenance and upgrades to computer servers, and the final publication of data. Most measurements at automated stations are taken about once an hour and are generally reported as daily values. SNOTEL stations transmit data to master stations in meteor burst format. When data are received by a master station, they are instantly available for the Water and Climate Information System (WCIS) storage application online. An initial validation screening procedure is automatically applied to data received from each SNOTEL station using the sensor profiles assigned to each station. Data editors review each prior week’s data on a weekly basis and make any needed editing changes. Over time, editing decisions made previously can be re-evaluated for correctness. Depending on the correlation of the measured data at this site, the data collected at this site may be integrated into water supply forecasts produced by the NRCS NWCC in partnership with the National Weather Service. Aspen will utilize measured snowpack data in the local basin to monitor local snowpack and climate conditions during winter months as an early indicator of water supply conditions for the coming summer. Over time, the measured snowpack and the observed water supply will be evaluated for trends between snowpack levels over the season and timing and volume of runoff. Snowpack will be tracked using internal drought monitoring tools and will ultimately be incorporated in longer-term water supply modelling. 2.3 PERFORMANCE MEASURES Generally, the two methods for confirming the project performance and reliability are as follows: 1. Evaluation of the reliability of the data collection, transmittal, and quality of data. This is managed through standard processes developed and implemented through the USGS and NRCS. 2. Evaluation of the applied data for drought monitoring and how well data represents water supply availability in the local watershed. This will be managed through the City of Aspen over time as enough data from both stations are collected, applied, and evaluated through drought monitoring and water supply modelling. Performance Measure #1 For the new streamflow gage, continuously measured water levels are used to compute hourly (or more frequent) time series of streamflows from gage-specific rating curves that were developed using onsite streamflow measurements made by USGS hydrographers. The data are quality assured and made available online. The evaluation of the reliability of the data collection, transmittal, and quality of data are the responsibility of the USGS and all internal processes and procedures will be followed. For the new SNOTEL site, data goes through an initial automatic validation screening on daily data. Manual reviews are made weekly by data editors and any data corrections are made. Longer-term, data modifications may be made on prior data based on trends and observations in the station’s data. At the end of each water year, a full data audit on all daily data for the entire year is performed. This annual review is completed by February 1 of the following year. The evaluation of the reliability of the data collection, transmittal, and quality of data are the responsibility of the NRCS and all internal processes and procedures will be followed. City of Aspen PAGE 6 Performance Measure #2 Once installed and calibrated, data will be collected at each of the new stations and will be transmitted back to the corresponding network for review, validation, and storage. Once the new stations are established, Aspen will take the available data from the streamflow gage to monitor live streamflow yearround, using this data to inform standard operations and to act as a real-time drought indicator should flows drop below a certain threshold during different times of the year. Snowpack data will be utilized by the City during winter months to predict runoff timing and volume. Lower than average snowpack will indicate lower than normal runoff and supply availability. In these conditions, Aspen will strongly consider early irrigation season drought declaration and will increase monitoring and public messaging activities. Aspen will develop and establish an internal monitoring and data management plan for each of the datasets created through the new stations. These sites will be operated long-term and data will be used to inform drought monitoring program operation and modification. Data reliability will be reviewed through the modelling efforts and data trends will be used to update or adjust internal water supply modelling to best represent supply conditions and drought forecasts. 3. TECHNICAL PROPOSAL: EVALUATION CRITERIA 3.1 EVALUATION CRITERION A Project Benefits (40 Points) How will the project build long-term resilience to drought? How many years will the project continue to provide benefits? Because Aspen does not have significant water storage, water shortage declaration is a near real-time decision made by analyzing and interpreting monitoring data, cross checking with other regional and local water resources experts, and applying historical experience coupled with professional judgment. Installation of a new USGS streamflow gage along the City’s primary treated water supply, Castle Creek, will support the City’s long-term resistance to drought by better informing the City of streamflow conditions and availability of supply. Trends in streamflow will provide the City with critical information to support drought declaration and inform the City of potential drought severity. Without a gage on this stretch of river, the City is reliant on neighboring rivers and visual cues in the watershed to project supply availability. Using the real-time streamflow measurement to inform operations will allow the City to modify operations early and mitigate the severity of drought impacts. Because the City’s surface supplies are driven by snow runoff, snowpack levels during winter months provide a strong indication of what levels of surface supply to expect during the summer months. The City currently relies upon snowpack readings at SNOTEL sites that do not necessarily represent local watershed conditions. Because one snow event can significantly impact runoff availability and timing, measuring snowpack in the local watershed provides a more representative indication of local supply availability. As with the new streamflow gage, the addition of a new local SNOTEL site supports a more robust, locally representative monitoring program for the City. Adding two new local measurement stations that support drought monitoring year-round builds the City’s long-term resilience to drought through more locally informed monitoring that influences drought responses specific to each drought’s unique characteristics. The City has a hydrologic model that is no longer actively used but had been used historically to support drought declaration decisions. This model relied on historical streamflow conditions from a discontinued City of Aspen PAGE 7 gage on Castle Creek. The basic structure of this model is sound, however, modifications to utilize measured streamflow data available through the new Castle Creek gage would provide a more representative and real-time representation of hydrologic conditions. Snowpack is currently not part of the City’s internal modelling because available SNOTEL sites are not directly tied hydrologically to Castle Creek or Maroon Creek basins. The addition of a locally positioned SNOTEL site will provide more relevant data for the City to track internally or include in a drought monitoring tool or model. The duration of the project benefits will continue in perpetuity. The City, with support from City Council, is committed to supporting both the USGS and the NRCS to maintain and continue to operate the new monitoring sites well into the future. Aspen has agreed to provide annual funding to the USGS to maintain and operate the new streamflow gage. NRCS has committed that all O&M costs and labor will be provided by NRCS. The City will continue to update or build more robust hydrologic models and internal drought monitoring tools using the new streamflow and snowpack data. This information will also be relied upon for longer-term water supply planning and drought mitigation programs after 3 to 5 years of data is collected and available. Will the project make additional water supplies available? Please explain where the water that will be conserved is currently going (e.g., back to the stream, spilled at the end of the ditch, seeping into the ground)? The proposed project will include the installation of two new measurement devices, which will provide near real-time streamflow measurements and local snowpack and hydrologic data. This will be used for the City’s near-term drought monitoring efforts and for its long-term water supply and management planning. Additional water supplies will not be made available directly through the installation of these monitoring sites, however, the data collected and used through these sites will support water management and drought response, which may ultimately result in more surface water supplies becoming available for Aspen’s municipal supply, to support maintenance of decreed instream flows, and throughout the watershed. Will the project improve the management of water supplies? For example, will the project increase efficiency, increase operational flexibility, or facilitate water marketing (e.g., improve the ability to deliver water during drought or access other sources of supply)? • • • • • • If so, how will the project increase efficiency or operational flexibility? What is the estimated quantity of water that will be better managed as a result of this project? How was this estimate calculated? Provide this quantity in acre-feet per year as the average annual benefit over ten years (e.g., if the project captures flood flows in wet years, provide the average benefit over ten years including dry years). How will the project increase efficiency or operational flexibility? What percentage of the total water supply does the water better managed represent? How was this estimate calculated? Provide a brief qualitative description of the degree/significance of anticipated water management benefits. Will the project make new information available to water managers? If so, what is that information and how will it improve water management? Yes, the addition of a new streamflow gage and a SNOTEL site will improve the management of water supplies. The streamflow data will be used to manage diversions for potable water production and to support the maintenance of CWCB instream flows. Castle Creek is the City’s primary potable water supply, supplemented with its Maroon Creek diversions only when Castle Creek cannot meet all potable demands. City of Aspen PAGE 8 Because of this, the percentage of the total water supply that the water better managed represents up to 100% of the City’s potable supply, an average of about 3,400 acre-feet per year 1. Timing of drought stage declaration is very important for Aspen to allow ample time for staff to implement and engage the public in the staged response program. If a water shortage declaration does not occur with enough lead time for implementation and response effects to be achieved, decreed instream flows may be depleted and demands may exceed supplies, resulting in emergency situations. Public response lead time is a crucial consideration, as many of Aspen’s customers are not full-time residents and may not initially be engaged enough to quickly react to an early water shortage declaration. This also highlights the importance of fostering an ongoing and engaged efficiency culture. Conversely, declaring a water shortage or advancing a drought stage prematurely can result in unnecessary restrictions, impacting community confidence as well as City revenue. Additional streamflow data combined with local snowpack data will provide the City with more reliable information to more effectively manage anticipated water shortage conditions. With more time to prepare for a water shortage utilizing increased local data, the City will be better positioned to mitigate water shortage conditions and improve its ability to deliver water during drought. Outside of the City, other local and regional agencies, including municipalities, environmental groups, and regional partnerships, will benefit from additional streamflow and snowpack data as well. These also add stations for the USGS and NRCS, which enhance each agency’s data portfolio and streamflow projection models. Will the project have benefits to fish, wildlife, or the environment? If so, please describe those benefits. Aspen is committed to protecting decreed instream flows and has adopted a policy to maintain streamflow in the creeks downstream of its diversion structures at flow rates that are at or above the CWCB’s decreed instream flow rights for the protection of the fishery and the associated aquatic habitats in those streams. At times, Aspen limits its river diversions to prioritize protection of the environmental flows. As defined in Aspen’s DMRP, the City’s top priority is to preserve the health and safety of the community, followed by the City’s commitment to protect the natural environment through the preservation of decreed instream flows. Early drought response and effective response efforts minimize drought impacts to Aspen’s customers and allow the City to continue to prioritize instream flow protection. Aspen has an intergovernmental agreement with the CWCB to protect the natural environment of Castle Creek by operating the City’s water rights on Castle Creek in a manner that will allow the decreed minimum streamflow of 12 cubic feet per second to be maintained under all but the most severe drought conditions, or emergencies. CWCB instream flows are administered by the CWCB and flow rates that will sufficiently benefit the natural environment in a given stream reach are determined by conducting hydrological analyses. The CWCB’s instream flow water rights protect diverse environments in Colorado. The instream flow program can address important emerging issues such as water requirements for declining, sensitive, and threatened and endangered species, protection of macroinvertebrate populations and rare riparian vegetation assemblages, or restoration of the natural environment. 1 Baseline treated water demand defined in the City of Aspen Municipal Water Efficiency Plan dated October 21, 2015. This value represents treated water production, which includes all potable demands plus water loss. City of Aspen PAGE 9 To what extent are the methods tested/proven? To what degree will the project improve the ability to predict the onset of drought earlier and/or with more certainty? To what degree will the project improve the ability to anticipate the severity and magnitude of drought? To what degree will the project improve the likelihood/timing of detecting mitigation action triggers? The methods for measurement under both the USGS streamflow gage and the NRCS SNOTEL site are proven and have been supporting the collection of streamflow and snowpack data throughout the United States. The USGS Groundwater and Streamflow Information Program supports more than 8,500 sites and water-level information alone for more than 1,700 additional sites. Near real-time data are served online to support many diverse needs. The SNOTEL network is composed of over 800 automated data collection sites located in remote, high-elevation mountain watersheds in the western U.S. The data collected at SNOTEL sites are transmitted to a central database and made publicly available. Data received and analyzed by Aspen through these new stations will provide earlier indications of drought conditions, improving the City’s ability to predict the onset of a drought earlier than with currently available data and with more certainty. Data collected at the streamflow gage and SNOTEL site will also improve the City’s ability to predict and potentially mitigate the severity and magnitude of an impending drought. This is because these stations will be more locally representative and provide more direct hydrologic information in the Castle and Maroon Creek basins. The City’s drought response strategy is based on five stages representing increasingly severe drought conditions. With more localized data, the City’s movement through these stages will be more aligned with actual conditions, customizing the City’s responses to directly reflect each drought’s unique characteristics. 3.2 EVALUATION CRITERION B Drought Planning and Preparedness (15 Points) Municipal Drought Mitigation and Response Plan Explain how the applicable plan addresses drought. Proposals that reference plans clearly intended to prepare for and address drought will receive more points under this criterion. The City of Aspen adopted its municipal Drought Mitigation and Response Plan (DMRP) on July 28, 2020 (Attachment B). The plan generally followed guidance developed by the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) for DMRP development. This DMRP focuses on managing the supplies that are available under the City’s current surface water system operations as most of the the City’s supplies are met through its surface water rights. The DMRP provides a framework for Aspen to use water sustainably, particularly during drought and other conditions that create a water shortage. Water shortage occurs when water demands exceed available water supplies and is often driven by a combination of snowpack and precipitation conditions, streamflow, temperature, and water use. The plan identifies key drought mitigation activities, formalizes internal drought monitoring resources and processes, and defines the City’s staged drought response program. This is supported through Section 25.28 of the City’s Municipal Code. Implementation of the DMRP: • • • Supports the wise use of water under all conditions; Helps preserve essential public services; and Minimizes the adverse effects of a water supply emergency on public health and safety, environmental resources, economic activity, and individual lifestyles. City of Aspen PAGE 10 The DMRP works in concert with the City of Aspen Water Efficiency Plan (WEP) and programs implemented through the WEP. These plans and programs encourage the efficient use of water at all times by establishing “normal” condition guidelines that are in place unless restrictions are imposed through action by City Council. Implementation of the WEP represents a significant component of the City’s drought mitigation efforts. Explain whether the drought plan was developed with input from multiple stakeholders. Was the drought plan developed through a collaborative process? Aspen created a Drought Response Committee (DRC), which includes staff members across different departments throughout the City. This includes Utilities, Parks, Legal, Climate Action, and Communications. These departments are involved in monitoring drought conditions, communicating with elected officials and the public both before and during drought, evaluating the effectiveness of drought response, enforcing drought restrictions, and developing recommendations for declaring a water shortage related to drought and associated responses. The DRC was integral in the development of the City’s DMRP and provided a recommendation to City Council that the plan be adopted. Does the drought plan include consideration of climate change impacts to water resources or drought? Impacts to the City during future droughts may be similar to those experienced in past droughts, depending upon how climate change impacts local conditions. Future droughts may be more frequent, intense, and/or prolonged relative to historical droughts due to climate change. Climate change impacts to water resources and future demands are integrated into the City’s long-term supply planning, including drought mitigation efforts. While the City’s long-range planning specifically addresses climate change impacts to water resources, the DMRP is designed to address drought responses for current and nearterm conditions. The intent is that the DMRP will be revisited and updated every 7 to 10 years, similar to the municipal Water Efficiency Plan. This allows Aspen to adjust drought response stages and programs as conditions change in order to allow the City to respond appropriately to a drought under current hydrologic conditions. Climate change from internal long-range planning and impacts defined under the City’s Climate Action Plan were considered in the development of Aspen’s drought mitigation programs. Describe how your proposed drought resiliency project is supported by an existing drought plan. Does the drought plan identify the proposed project as a potential mitigation or response action? Does the proposed project implement a goal or need identified in the drought plan? Describe how the proposed project is prioritized in the referenced drought plan? The City’s water supply depends upon diversions from Castle and Maroon Creeks and therefore datainformed monitoring of these watershed conditions is of critical importance. Monitoring and data assessment are most intensive starting in February when snowpack levels start to show trends that can be compared to historical averages, continuing through August when Castle Creek and Maroon Creek flows are declining, and outdoor uses are still high. Currently, monitoring of drought indicators is complicated by the fact that there is not an active streamflow gage located on Castle Creek and nearby SNOTEL site data do not indicate local watershed conditions for Aspen’s supplies. Because Aspen’s supplies are driven by snowpack conditions and subsequent runoff patterns, it is difficult to accurately predict conditions far in advance. One large snow event can shift snowpack levels from below average to above average. Similarly, early peak runoff and abnormally high temperatures can result in reduced late-summer streamflow levels even if end-of-season snowpack data had indicated aboveaverage levels. As such, monitoring is a continuous process. A water shortage declaration is a near realCity of Aspen PAGE 11 time decision made by analysing and interpreting monitoring data, cross-checking with other regional and local water resources experts, and applying historical experience coupled with professional judgment. The installation and maintenance of a Castle Creek streamflow gage will help improve the City’s ability to monitor and make drought declaration decisions in a timely manner. Additionally, the installation and maintenance of a new SNOTEL site located within Aspen’s local watershed will provide critical snowpack information that will help Aspen identify drought conditions early. The need for a streamflow gage on Castle Creek above the City’s municipal diversion location as well as a locally positioned SNOTEL site is specifically identified in Section 4.1 and Section 5.2 of the City’s DMRP. Enhancing the City’s monitoring program through more reliable and relevant data is a high priority to support the DMRP. 3.3 EVALUATION CRITERION C Severity of Actual or Potential Drought Impacts to be Addressed by the Project (15 Points) Describe the severity of the impacts that will be addressed by the project: Impacts to the City during future droughts may be similar to those experienced in past droughts depending how climate change impacts local conditions. Future droughts may be more frequent, intense, and/or prolonged relative to historical droughts. The level of severity for the anticipated impacts varies from minor to significant and is influenced by the magnitude and duration of the drought. One operating principle identified through the DMRP is to minimize the severity of potential impacts through planning and mitigation. Table 1 below shows potential future drought impacts and the anticipated level of severity based on historical impacts and the anticipated effects of mitigation and planning. Table 1: Potential Future Drought Impacts. Potential Future Impact Potential Severity Increased costs and staff time to implement drought plan Minor Reduced firefighting capability Minor Changes in water use behavior to conserve water Moderate Costs to increase water use efficiency Moderate Impacts to fish and wildlife habitat Moderate Loss of revenue from reduction in water sales Moderate Loss to recreation and tourist industry Moderate Restrictions/limitations on landscaping companies Moderate Disruption of water supplies Moderate to Significant Domestic landscaping stressed or lost Significant Increased risk of frequency and severity of wildfires/flood hazards Significant Loss of hydroelectric power generation Significant Public landscaping stressed or lost Significant Visual and landscape quality Significant City of Aspen PAGE 12 At the time of this application, Aspen has declared Stage 1 drought conditions and are actively promoting drought response programs to support this declaration and prepare the public for increased restrictions should hydrologic conditions continue to diminish through the coming months. The last drought declaration in Aspen was from summer of 2018 through spring of 2019, during which time the City declared Stage 2 conditions for the first time since enacting water shortage responses through the City’s Municipal Code. At that time, outdoor use was restricted, and surcharges were applied to the higher billing tiers to offset impacts to revenue. Throughout Colorado, water supply availability is expected to decrease as a result of a hotter and drier climate future. This change in climate is also expected to increase outdoor water demands to maintain the current landscape aesthetic. The City is actively developing an Integrated Resources Plan to evaluate future demands and potential supply availability under future climate modeling scenarios. Prior modeling efforts that considered the effects of climate change on supply availability showed that under certain climate conditions, the City will be unable to meet demands under normal conditions due to reduced supply availability from climate change. Aspen is more vulnerable to reductions in live streamflow because the City does not have significant storage. Under future droughts, the supplies will be further reduced, and drought impacts shown above will likely increase in severity. A 2016 Water Supply Availability Study 2 modelled Aspen’s supplies under historical hydrology and five climate scenarios against present-day and projected demands. For this modelling effort, climate change impacts were applied only to supply availability, not to demand projections. The table below shows modelled supply deficits for each of Aspen’s demand scenarios based on the modelled supply conditions and operational assumptions. Assuming the modelled supply availability represents an average year under various climate change scenarios, future droughts under the projected climate conditions will result in higher supply deficits that will likely impact the City’s municipal uses. 3.4 EVALUATION CRITERION D Project Implementation (10 Points) Describe the implementation plan of the proposed project. Please include an estimated project schedule that shows the stages and duration of the proposed work, including major tasks, milestones, 2 City of Aspen Water Supply Availability Study 2016 Update. Prepared for City of Aspen. Prepared by Wilson Water Group. June 2016. City of Aspen PAGE 13 and dates. Milestones may include, but are not limited to, the following: design, environmental and cultural resources compliance, permitting, construction/installation. USGS STREAMFLOW GAGE Aspen will work with USGS to execute an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) for the cost share of the streamflow gage. The USGS will then consult with Aspen to discuss needs and goals for selecting a location for the gage. This will be followed by a site reconnaissance trip to determine the best possible gaging locations and pros and cons of each. Once a preferred location is determined, the USGS will work with landowners to obtain permissions and regulatory permits as applicable. The USGS will be responsible for all permitting and environmental compliance and will follow internal protocol for acquiring any necessary approvals. The USGS will then acquire necessary equipment based on location requirements and will install the streamflow gage. All equipment is purchased and owned by the USGS. The City has successfully partnered with the USGS on the installation, operation, and maintenance of the streamflow gage on Maroon Creek. NRCS SNOTEL SITE Aspen will work with NRCS to execute an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) for the cost share of the SNOTEL site. The NRCS has already completed some preliminary analyses to identify some potential locations for the SNOTEL site. The NRCS will work with Aspen to conduct some preliminary reconnaissance trips to the identified locations. Any areas that show potential will be identified and NRCS will work with Aspen to conduct on-site measurements for one or two snow seasons, depending on the findings during the first year. It is anticipated that these will be completed during the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 winter seasons. The goal is to determine if measured snowpack at a given site is representative of the area and is correlating with local basin conditions. Once a preferred location is determined, the NRCS will work with landowners to obtain permissions and regulatory permits when applicable. The NRCS will be responsible for all permitting and environmental compliance and will follow internal protocol for acquiring any necessary approvals. The NRCS will then acquire necessary equipment based on location requirements and will install the SNOTEL instrumentation. All equipment is purchased and owned by the NRCS. City of Aspen PAGE 14 PROPOSED PROJECT SCHEDULE 3.5 EVALUATION CRITERION E Nexus to Reclamation (10 Points) The proposed project is not directly connected to Reclamation project activities, however, any data collected from the new USGS streamflow gage and the NRCS SNOTEL site will be publicly available. This streamflow and snowpack data will be relied upon regionally within the Colorado River Basin to support operational, supply management, and modelling efforts beyond just the City of Aspen. According to the US Bureau of Reclamation Upper Colorado River Basin website, “the challenge of the future is to manage the quantity, and maintain the quality of the finite water resources in a region which is experiencing dramatic population growth, and related impacts to aquatic ecosystems, while often during extended periods of drought”. Additional hydrologic data to support drought response and water supply management in the Aspen area directly addresses this challenge. 3.6 EVALUATION CRITERION F Department of the Interior and Bureau of Reclamation Priorities (10 Points) Department of the Interior Priorities Creating a conservation stewardship legacy second only to Teddy Roosevelt The City of Aspen is committed to the efficient and effective use of water as a precious resource. The City takes seriously its responsibility of being located at the headwaters of the Roaring Fork Watershed in the Upper Colorado River Basin, protecting the quality and availability of water through the river system downstream. Aspen has adopted a policy to maintain streamflows in the creeks downstream of its diversion structures at flow rates at or above the Colorado Water Conservation Board’s decreed instream flow rights for the protection of the fishery and associated aquatic habitats in those streams. Aspen has become the first utility in the State of Colorado to adopt the Qualified Water Efficient Landscape (“QWEL”) Certification Program and have recently adopted some of the most rigorous Water Efficient Landscaping and Irrigation Standards in the state. The City takes very seriously its stewardship and leadership position City of Aspen PAGE 15 as a water utility, applying best practices to manage water resources. The City relies on statewide water supply planning and climate change studies for its municipal water supply planning and drought response program development and operation. Utilizing our natural resources In addition to the ongoing efforts through projects and programs to most efficiently utilize its water resources, the City of Aspen was the first city west of the Mississippi to have hydroelectric powered streetlights. It was built to service the mines in the area and municipal power was an afterthought. Today, the City of Aspen electric system uses 100% renewable energy (46% hydroelectric, 53% wind power, 1% landfill gas). The City is transitioning all electrical services to Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), which will save energy and build a foundation for energy conservation programs in the future, which is expected to save 1,320,000 KWH annually. The installation of a new USGS streamflow gage and NRCS SNOTEL site will help the City monitor local conditions for potential water shortages, allowing the City to address any anticipated drought or water shortage conditions early. Early water shortage identification and response will mitigate impacts to hydroelectric power generation due to a reduction in available supplies during drought. Restoring trust with local communities Access to data collected from both the USGS streamflow gage and the NRCS SNOTEL site will be publicly available and will provide benefit to other local organizations in the Roaring Fork Basin and the greater Colorado River Basin. Data sharing benefits Federal, State, local, and Tribal organizations, supporting a diverse set of needs. Additional data will also support local and regional outreach and education efforts, contributing information on local hydrology. Bureau of Reclamation Priorities Leverage Science and Technology to Improve Water Supply Reliability to Communities USGS streamflow gages utilize instrumentation to generate continuous real-time streamflow information year-round, applying different technology based on streamflow measurement needs and site access. Measurement methods include the traditional float/stilling-well method and newer methods that utilize pressure transducers, gas-purge (bubbler) systems or radar sensors. Streamflow is computed from measured water levels using a site-specific relation (called a stage-discharge rating curve) developed from onsite water level and streamflow measurements made by USGS hydrographers. The collection of USGS streamflow gages constitute the National Streamflow Network (NSN). The data collected at NSN streamflow gages serve several functions including flood warning, water allocation, and recreation, and is publicly available. The use of consistent methods enables data from the many gages to be combined, expanding the use and value of the data from every gage. NRCS SNOTEL sites utilize meteor burst communications technology to collect and communicate data in near-real-time and are used to monitor snowpack, precipitation, temperature, and other climatic conditions. Data are transmitted to a central database, called the Water and Climate Information System, where they are used for water supply forecasting, maps, and reports. These two types of hydrologic monitoring sites are relied upon by a variety of agencies that support water supply operations, planning, environmental health, and recreation. Increasing the availability of reliable, tested, and maintained data collection instrumentation provides a resource for local communities to support planning and operation of water supplies. City of Aspen PAGE 16 Address Ongoing Drought Localized data provides more reliable and relevant drought monitoring information to the City of Aspen and neighboring communities. This helps Aspen respond more quickly and be better informed of changing or worsening drought conditions. Because these two stations will be located based primarily on Aspen’s needs, the information collected will more directly indicate current and anticipated hydrologic conditions. With better information, Aspen can tailor its drought response actions to the unique circumstances of a given drought, reducing impacts on supply availability as well as impacts to the community. City of Aspen PAGE 17 4. PROJECT BUDGET The project budget includes: (1) Funding plan and letters of commitment (N/A) (2) Budget proposal (3) Budget narrative 4.1 FUNDING PLAN AND LETTERS OF COMMITMENT The City of Aspen will fund the non-Federal share of project costs from their Enterprise Fund for Water Utility which is fully funded through revenue from monthly billing, tap fees, permit review fees, and other miscellaneous revenue sources. There shall be no funding provided by a source other than the applicant. No project costs will be incurred prior to award. Table 2: Total Project Cost: Summary of Federal and Non-Federal Funding Sources Funding Source Costs to be reimbursed with the requested Federal Funding Costs to be paid by applicant Value of third-party contributions Total Project Cost City of Aspen Amount $59,446.55 $59,446.55 $$118,893.10 PAGE 18 4.2 BUDGET PROPOSAL Table 3: Proposed Project Budget Budget Item Description Steve Hunter, Utilities Resource Manager Tyler Christoff, Director of Utilities Robert Covington, Water Resources/Hydroelectric Supervisor Attorney Costs (In-house) $/Unit Quantity Salaries and Wages $ $ 55.69 69.22 Quantity Type Total Cost 60 20 Human Resource Human Resource $ $ 3,341.40 1,384.40 30 5 Human Resource Human Resource $ $ 1,302.30 375.00 1 EA $ 6,710.00 1 EA $ 5,500.00 $ 12,000.00 1 Supplies and Materials EA $ 12,000.00 $ 12,500.00 1 EA $ 12,500.00 $ 40,000.00 1 Contractual/Construction EA $ 40,000.00 $ $ $ 43.41 75.00 Fringe Benefits Travel USGS Streamflow Gage Travel and Vehicle Costs USGS Streamflow Gage Stage Sensor for Basic Installation Additional Instrumentation for BankType Cableways (if needed) USGS Streamflow Gage Instrumentation for Basic Installation NRCS SNOTEL Site Instrumentation Management and Tracking Grant Management and Reporting USGS Streamflow Gage Basic Installation Including Field and Analytical Work, Travel, and Labor Installation for Bank-Type Cableways (if needed) NRCS SNOTEL Site Installation $ $ 6,710.00 Equipment 5,500.00 9,500.00 1 EA $ 9,500.00 $ 11,280.00 1 EA $ 11,280.00 $ 15,000.00 1 EA $ 15,000.00 NA Third-Party Contributions NA $ - Other Administrative Rate City of Aspen Total Direct Costs Indirect Costs Percentage $base TOTAL ESTIMATED PROJECT COSTS $ $ 118,893.10 $ $ 118,893.10 PAGE 19 4.3 BUDGET NARRATIVE The budget narrative provides a discussion of, or explanation for, items included in the budget proposal. The types of information to describe in the narrative include, but are not limited to, those listed in the following subsections. 4.3.1 S ALARIES AND W AGES The salaries and wages include staff time to administer and manage the program and to coordinate contracting entities. The Project Manager for this project is Steve Hunter, Utilities Resource Manager for the Utilities Department at the City of Aspen. Mr. Hunter will be responsible for working with consultants on the development and submittal of a fully completed form SF-425 Federal Financial Report, an interim program performance report, and the final performance report to Reclamation upon completion of the project. Mr. Hunter will be responsible for all technical coordination and installation management for the City of Aspen in coordination with USGS and NRCS. Additional staff time is included for on-site investigations and installation as well as efforts to support development of intergovernmental agreements with USGS and NRCS. Hourly labor rates and estimated hours included in this proposal are included in Table 3. Hourly rate represents staff direct hourly wages. Hours spent directly contributing to this project will be tracked and reported as a portion of the matching fund contributions. 4.3.2 F RINGE B ENEFITS Fringe benefits are not included in this project application. 4.3.3 T RAVEL Travel is included for USGS streamflow gage installation and includes costs associated with vehicle rental, lodging, and other associated expenses. 4.3.4 E QUIPMENT For the USGS streamflow gage, a stage sensor for basic streamgage installation exceeds $5,000 for that piece of equipment. Should a bank-type cableway be required at the selected site, the additional instrumentation is purchased as a single piece of equipment and also exceeds $5,000. All equipment will be purchased by USGS using funding from the City. 4.3.5 M ATERIALS AND S UPPLIES All materials and supplies associated with the USGS streamflow gage will be purchased by the USGS. The typical streamflow gage includes an instrumentation shelter, data collection platform, stage sensor, antenna, solar panel, voltage regulator, batteries, reference gages, crest-stage gage, and benchmark survey points. Likewise, all materials and supplies associated with the NRCS SNOTEL instrumentation will be purchased by the NRCS. A typical SNOTEL remote site consists of measuring devices and sensors, an equipment shelter for the radio telemetry equipment, and an antenna that also supports the solar panels used to keep batteries charged. All materials and supplies for both measurement sites will be funded by Aspen. 4.3.6 C ONTRACTUAL The City of Aspen will partner with both the USGS and NRCS for installation, calibration, and testing of both the new USGS streamflow gage and the new NRCS SNOTEL site. Each agency will be responsible for all labor associated with the installation and operation of the measurement sites. Costs for installation of the USGS streamflow gage include the basic installation and the potential for a bank-type cableway if City of Aspen PAGE 20 needed based on the selected location. NRCS will cover the full cost of labor associated with installation, calibration, and testing of the new SNOTEL site, so no contractual costs are included. Aspen will be responsible for all installation costs including field and analytical work and labor as completed by USGS for the streamflow gage. The City will work with a consultant to complete all required reporting and grant management efforts to support the City should a grant be awarded. The cost is less than the Simplified Acquisition Threshold, allowing the City to contract without a competitive procurement process. 4.3.7 T HIRD -PARTY I N -K IND C ONTRIBUTIONS No work included with this project will be accomplished by third-party contributors. 4.3.8 E NVIRONMENTAL AND R EGULATORY C OMPLIANCE C OSTS Any environmental and regulatory compliance costs will be the responsibility of USGS and NRCS. The City of Aspen does not anticipate any environmental and regulatory compliance costs to be included under this grant budget. 4.3.9 O THER E XPENSES None. 4.3.10 I NDIRECT COSTS No indirect costs are included in this project budget. 5. ENVIRONMENTAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES COMPLIANCE To allow Reclamation to assess the probable environmental and cultural resources impacts and costs associated with each application, we have included responses to the following list of provided questions focusing on the NEPA, ESA, and NHPA requirements. Impacts from the siting of the USGS streamflow gage and the NRCS SNOTEL site are expected to be minimal due to the small footprint, short construction period, and limited need to access the sites. Final site selection will consider opportunities to minimize environmental impacts by using sites adjacent to existing private or public roads. The USGS anticipates a Categorical Exclusion (CE) under NEPA policy at Departmental Manual 516, Chapter 9,5, Categorical Exclusions. Part 650.6 of 7 CFR identifies the Snow Survey and Water Supply Forecasting Program (data gathering and interpretation) as categorically excluded from detailed review under NEPA. Will the proposed project impact the surrounding environment (e.g., soil [dust], air, water [quality and quantity], animal habitat)? Please briefly describe all earth-disturbing work and any work that will affect the air, water, or animal habitat in the project area. Please also explain the impacts of such work on the surrounding environment and any steps that could be taken to minimize the impacts. Installation of the new measurement sites will have small, if any, environmental impacts and both require minimal earth-disturbing activities. Active installation of each station will take only a few days, depending on weather conditions and site access. Each site’s footprint will be as small as possible to minimize any impacts on the surrounding environment. Vegetation may be removed for installation access and to support ideal conditions for consistent data collection. For the SNOTEL site, ground disturbance may City of Aspen PAGE 21 include leveling a 10-foot diameter pad, digging ten 2-foot diameter holes, digging two trenches, and may involve one skid-steer type piece of equipment used over two days. Total site area needed is about 900 square-feet, but the amount ground disturbance will be limited within this area. Are you aware of any species listed or proposed to be listed as a Federal threatened or endangered species, or designated critical habitat in the project area? If so, would they be affected by any activities associated with the proposed project? No threatened or endangered species or designated critical habitat will be affected by any activities associated with the Project. Pitkin County does not contain any federally listed threatened or endangered species. Many lakes and streams in Pitkin County contain Colorado River Cutthroat Trout, which is a Colorado species of special concern due to its limited numbers and fragile ecosystem requirements. Both agencies will work with the State biologist to determine if any threatened and endangered species are present and will consider alternative locations and mitigation activities if any are present. Are there wetlands or other surface waters inside the project boundaries that potentially fall under CWA jurisdiction as “Waters of the United States?” If so, please describe and estimate any impacts the proposed project may have. Portions of Castle Creek may be considered navigable, however, there are no anticipated impacts to the Creek during the installation or operation of the USGS streamflow gage. In fact, USGS streamflow gages are often relied upon to support the Navigable Waters Protection Rule and help identify waters of the united states. There are no wetlands or other surface waters inside the project boundaries that will be impacted by the NRCS SNOTEL site. When was the water delivery system constructed? The earliest parts of the original water delivery system were constructed in the late-1800s. In 1956, the City of Aspen began operating the Municipal Water Utility. In 1957, Aspen voters approved a bond proposal adopting a plan for acquisition and improvement of the water works system and for repayment of the costs incurred in the acquisition and improvement program. Will the proposed project result in any modification of or effects to, individual features of an irrigation system (e.g., headgates, canals, or flumes)? If so, state when those features were constructed and describe the nature and timing of any extensive alterations or modifications to those features completed previously. There will be no modification of or effects to any portion of an irrigation system because of this project. Are any buildings, structures, or features in the irrigation district listed or eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places? A cultural resources specialist at your local Reclamation office or the State Historic Preservation Office can assist in answering this question. There is no anticipated impact to any buildings, structures, or features listed or eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Are there any known archeological sites in the proposed project area? There are no known archeological sites in the proposed project area. City of Aspen PAGE 22 Will the proposed project have a disproportionately high and adverse effect on low income or minority populations? There will be no disproportionately high or adverse effects on low income or minority populations because of this project. Will the proposed project limit access to and ceremonial use of Indian sacred sites or result in other impacts on tribal lands? The proposed project will not impact tribal lands or access to/ceremonial use of Indian sacred sites. Will the proposed project contribute to the introduction, continued existence, or spread of noxious weeds or non-native invasive species known to occur in the area? The proposed project will not contribute to the introduction, continued existence, or spread of noxious weeds or non-native invasive species known to occur in the area. 6. REQUIRED PERMITS OR APPROVALS Land on which the streamflow gage or SNOTEL station are installed will likely not be owned by the City, the USGS, or the NRCS. A deed, special use permit, easement, or cooperative agreement may be required for each of the sites. Site authorizations will ensure use of the site as a permanent installation to assure continuity of data. The USGS gage will likely qualify for a categorical exclusion under the USGS National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) policy at Departmental Manual 516, Chapter 9,5, Categorical Exclusions. For the SNOTEL site, NRCS anticipates the need for a Special Use Permit through the US Forest Service. Additionally, Part 650.6 of 7 CFR identifies the Snow Survey and Water Supply Forecasting Program (data gathering and interpretation) as categorically excluded from detailed review under NEPA. For the NRCS SNOTEL site, a 400-foot radial vegetation management buffer will likely be applied to minimize impacts to the site where any anticipated changes will be mutually agreed to and communicated with the landowner in advance. Locations that require trees to be removed for either site to be suitable may require special permissions or permits to cut the trees. Any required permits will be identified and obtained through the USGS for the streamflow gage or through the NRCS for the SNOTEL site. 7. OFFICIAL RESOLUTION The next Council meeting will be held on August 25, 2020, during which an Official Resolution will be presented and signed. This will be provided in support of this grant application upon completion. City of Aspen PAGE 23