Bureau ordered to release water from Bonny Reservoir

DENVER -- Colorado State Engineer Dick Wolfe has ordered the Bureau of Reclamation to release approximately 2,000 acre feet of water from Bonny Reservoir.

The reservoir, located on the South Fork of the Republican River near Burlington, Colo., just west of the Kansas border, has increased its pool due to heavy rains over the last week.

Wolfe explained that the Republican River Compact required the release stating, "Colorado must comply with the compact, and in order to do so, we must release that water."

The Republican River Compact apportions the waters of the Republican River and its tributaries between the States of Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska. The Compact imposes strict limits on the amount of water Colorado may consume, and Colorado continues to put great efforts into Compact Compliance.

Wolfe explained that the order slightly modified his previous order of Aug. 9, that the bureau begin releasing water. "We've been working with the bureau for some time on this issue, and have tried to accommodate some of their concerns regarding administration of Bonny Reservoir," Wolfe said. "We will continue to work closely with the Bureau on this difficult issue."

Bonny Dam has a limited release capacity and the release of approximately 2,000 acre-feet is expected to take several weeks. Wolfe said that his office will work with the Bureau of Reclamation to assure that the correct volume of water is released and that future inflows into Bonny Reservoir will pass through the reservoir and into the South Fork of the Republican River as quickly as is safe and practicable.