PLANNING STUDIES

Pueblo Water Agricultural Shares Change Case (2018-2019)

Precision participated on a team of experts on behalf of Pueblo Water to support their water rights change case though Colorado Water Court. The case sought to change existing Bessemer Ditch agricultural water rights owned by PBWW to allow for municipal and storage uses. However, as PBWW has numerous existing supply sources from water rights and projects of varying yields and reliability, the case was subject to an anti-speculation clause requiring PBWW to demonstrate a legitimate need for the additional Bessemer yields within a 50-year planning horizon. Precision performed the surface water modeling using the ABRW model to simulate the addition of the Bessemer shares, projected demands for the next 50 years, and future supply including supply being altered by climate change and potential Colorado River Compact calls limiting imported supplies available.

TMWA Annual Storage Objective Determination (2016-2017)

Precision was hired by the Truckee Meadows Water Authority (TMWA) to develop guidelines to determine the drought storage reserves required to meet TMWA’s demands. The study developed methods to determine an end of year TMWA system storage target that would be sufficient to meet TMWA’s annual surface water demand if a significant drought occurs. The end of year system storage target is the sum of TMWA’s privately owned stored water and its upstream credit storage which is allowed under the newly implemented Truckee River Operating Agreement. The RiverWare Operations model of the Truckee-Carson basin was used for this study.

City of Fernley TROA operations study (2016-current)

Precision was hired by Taggart & Taggart, Ltd. to perform a yield study for the City of Fernley, NV’s surface water rights. The purpose of the study was determine the annual surface water demand volume which could be served reliably through the utilization of upstream credit storage as allowed under the Truckee River Operating Agreement. Precision performed runs of the Truckee-Carson RiverWare Planning Model to determine the firm yield.

Newlands Project Planning Study (2011-2012)

Precision partnered with MWH Global to conduct the Newlands Project Planning Study. This project was commissioned by the Mid-Pacific region of the Bureau of Reclamation. The purpose of the study was to formulate, develop, and evaluate a range of alternatives to deliver water to Newlands Project water rights holders while also reducing risk to local communities from operating the Project's Truckee Canal. Precision was responsible for the modeling and technical analysis associated with this project. The RiverWare Planning model of the Truckee-Carson basin was used for this study.

City of Fernley Groundwater Study (2012) 

Precision was hired by the City of Fernley, NV to collaborate with the Desert Research Institute and Stanka Consultants to model the city's groundwater resource.  Precision performed runs of the Truckee-Carson RiverWare Planning Model to generate a series of surface water hydrographs in the Truckee River and the Truckee Canal to be used to drive a groundwater model of the area to determine the sustainability of the city's goundwater supply into the future.

Rio Grande EIS (2014-2015) 

Precision has teamed with Environmental Management and Planning Solutions, Inc to develop an Environmental Impact Statement on the Rio Grande Operating Agreement.  The Rio Grande Operating Agreement is a written detailed description of how Reclamation allocates, releases from storage, and delivers Rio Grande Project water to users within the Elephant Butte Irrigation District in New Mexico, the El Paso County Water Improvement District No. 1 in Texas, and to users covered by the 1906 international treaty with Mexico.  The Rio Grande Project includes Elephant Butte and Caballo dams and reservoirs, a power plant, and five diversion dams.  Precision is responsible for developing the Water Resources section which involves analysis of modeling results and technical writing. 

Boca Reservoir Study (2014-2015)

Precision used the Truckee Carson TROA Planning Model to support a study conducted by the Dam Safety division of the Mid-Pacific Regional Office in Sacramento.  The study focused on Boca Reservoir Dam and evaluating alternatives for mitigating seismic risk issues with the dam.  Precision performed model runs and participated in the results analysis in support of this study.