West regional water commissioner warns Cañon City may face senior calls; urges releases, leases and storage planning

Dan Henrix, the West regional lead water commissioner who supervises five water commissioners across Fremont and neighboring counties, told a Cañon City committee the Arkansas River basin's snow‑water equivalent is sharply below historical averages and that the city should take immediate administrative steps to protect municipal water supplies.

“We're either 19 or 23 — 19% of the peak, but we're 23% of the average,” Henrix said while showing basin graphs, noting the red line on the slide represents the all‑time recorded low from 2002, 2012 and 2018. He warned that, if flows fall further, senior priority calls could be made that limit Cañon City's ability to exchange or divert water.

Henrix recommended several near‑term measures. He advised the city to send a letter to the Southeast board requesting that, for this drought year, Cañon City's project water be released out of upstream reservoirs such as Twin Lakes or Turquoise rather than relying on deliveries through Pueblo. That, he said, would improve the city's exchange potential when flows allow. He also encouraged the city to pursue emergency leases or substitute supply options if contracted space is available in upstream reservoirs, while noting such measures can be costly and limited by reservoir contract space.

Henrix explained technical constraints that govern exchanges and delivery. He said delivery through the Portland gauge is constrained by thresholds commonly referenced as 155 and 190 cubic feet per second (CFS): when native flow is below roughly 155 CFS exchange potential is limited, and some account water allocations require being above higher thresholds. He warned that when other ditches or hydraulic diversions turn on, exchange opportunities can evaporate rapidly and senior rights will be prioritized.

On storage, Henrix urged the city to pursue options that would allow exchanges above the Portland gauge. He highlighted the John Griffin reservoir site (roughly 500 acre‑feet potential) as a project that could provide upstream exchange or storage benefits even without an immediate pipeline, and suggested the city move forward with a feasibility grant to determine viability.

Henrix also discussed interstate and regulatory constraints. He summarized the 1948 Colorado–Kansas compact and the state's pond initiative, noting that post‑compact ponds and evaporation can raise compact concerns; he recommended obtaining augmentation plans or legal leases for reservoirs to account for evaporation and avoid compact injury.

Committee members and staff pressed Henrix on options for leasing Upper Ark water, emergency substitute supply, and administrative deadlines for ditch‑company projects. Henrix and staff agreed to pursue outreach to the Southeast board and neighboring entities (including Florence) and to refine the city's water response/communication plan for residents.

The committee did not take any formal vote during the briefing. Henrix concluded by urging a coordinated, river‑wide conservation and outreach effort — rather than piecemeal municipal restrictions — and by noting the city's next procedural step: follow up letters and feasibility work on storage options, including the John Griffin reservoir grant expected before the city council.