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Chaffee County designates eight days of 1,800 CFS flow for RICD, finalizes 30-day recommendation
Summary
The commission designated eight days in June for recreational in-channel diversion (RICD) flows at 1,800 cubic feet per second and confirmed guidelines for a 30-day recommended flow period; commissioners discussed timing tied to runoff patterns and the voluntary flow management program.
The Chaffee County Board of County Commissioners designated eight days in June during which recreational in-channel diversion (RICD) water rights will be set at 1,800 cubic feet per second (CFS) and finalized a 30-day flow recommendation for the RICD period.
County staff said the eight-day designation is traditionally scheduled around the county’s event period (noted in the meeting as the days immediately before and after the county festival) and identified the likely eight-day window as June 9 through June 17. Commissioners noted that the voluntary flow management program runs July 1 through Aug. 15 and that typical snowmelt runoff timing has generally provided adequate flows for paddle-based recreation.
A commissioner described the 30-day in-stream flow recommendation as typically guaranteeing a lower but steady flow (discussed as approximately 750 CFS in the meeting) during the summer window to avoid shortfalls during peak recreational weekends. “By doing it this way, we ensure that there will be a consistent flow… from the June through August,” a commissioner said.
The board approved the motion to designate the eight days and finalize the 30-day recommendation by voice vote. The transcript records agreement on the dates and the standard approach to timing but does not provide a roll-call tally.
