NPSS1 PEAA 2018-164 SOW.pdf

Exhibit A Page 1 of 3

Notice of Proposed Sole Source

NPSS1 PEAA 2018000164

Hydrogeology Investigation for Updates to the RGDSS

STATEMENT OF WORK

HRS Water Consultants, Inc. Phase 7 PRT Participation and Phase 7 Hydrogeologic Evaluation & Refinement, including Diamond Springs, Alamosa-LaJara, Ortiz Basin, Russell Springs For Improvements to RGDSS

Introduction This Scope of Work describes the activities, schedule, and cost for HRS Water Consultants, Inc. (HRS) to provide expert consultation from July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2021, on agreed-upon topics on the hydrogeology and groundwater of the San Luis Valley (SLV), particularly to include Diamond Springs (aka Arroya Springs) and vicinity; upper Alamosa-LaJara and vicinity; Ortiz Basin; and Russell Springs, as part of continued improvements to the Rio Grande Decision Support System (RGDSS), response zones, and related topics. This Scope proposes to continue HRS’s expert consultation on the RGDSS and participation on the RGDSS Peer Review Team (PRT), for which HRS has provided hydrogeologic consulting services to the State since RGDSS inception in 1998. The RGDSS is being developed, among other things, to develop tools to assist in efficient replacement of stream depletions due to groundwater pumping in the Rio Grande Basin and to assist in the maintenance of Rio Grande Compact operations.

Need The RGDSS groundwater model is being used to develop presumptive Response Functions for the proposed Division of Water Resources (DWR) Rio Grande Basin Groundwater Use Rules which will identify depletions and replacement obligations and will assist in maintaining Rio Grande Compact compliance. Additional hydrogeologic data and information are needed, particularly in the areas of Diamond Springs, upper Alamosa – LaJara stream area, Ortiz Basin, and Russell Springs and vicinity, which are pertinent to RGDSS operations and must be incorporated into the RGDSS model to assure accurate depletion/replacement calculations. HRS has been intimately involved in the development of the hydrogeologic conceptualization, aquifer layering, and parameter values in the model, and has supported the State in four Water Court trials (2006, 2009, 2012, and 2018).

Needed Expertise HRS Water Consultants, Inc., herein “Contractor”, is intimately familiar with the modeling and hydrogeology of the Rio Grande basin in Colorado. The contractor has experience in SLV litigation and has acted as an expert witness for Colorado on hydrogeologic issues related to the RGDSS. DWR needs to contract with HRS to provide technical expertise on ground water and hydrogeologic issues identified by the Peer Review Team (PRT) in regard to needed improvements to the RGDSS groundwater model.

This Scope of Work describes the activities, schedule, and cost for HRS Water Consultants, Inc.

(“HRS”) to provide expert consultation and PRT participation in regard to the hydrogeology of the areas including Diamond Springs, upper Alamosa – LaJara, Ortiz Basin, and Russell Springs, of the San Luis Valley, Colorado, and related issues.

Objective Provide expert technical advice for enhancements and improvements to the RGDSS based upon expert consultation, by or under the supervision of Matthew J. Seitz, PG, or David S. Lipson, Ph.D., PG, Exhibit A Page 2 of 3 specifically on the hydrogeology of Diamond Springs, upper Alamosa – LaJara stream area, Ortiz Basin, and Russell Springs and vicinity, and on related topics on the hydrogeology and groundwater of the San Luis Valley. This includes participation in PRT meetings and ancillary discussions with PRT members for resolution of hydrogeologic concepts in the Rio Grande basin, to guide modeling efforts, and presentation of hydrogeology results, to the State and the PRT for Fiscal Years 2019 through 2021 (7/1/2018 through 6/30/2021).

Approach Ongoing PRT discussions and comments from parties to the Rules have shown a need for an improved hydrogeologic understanding of the relationship between certain hydrologic / hydrogeologic features of the Rio Grande Basin, including Diamond Springs, upper Alamosa – LaJara stream area, Ortiz Basin, and Russell Springs, to the underlying aquifers. This Scope of Work is for Contractor PRT involvement and detailed hydrogeologic evaluations and refinements of the hydrogeology of these key areas.

The localities for hydrogeologic evaluations included in this Scope are adjacent to areas in which previous, more general, studies have been performed by Contractor and others in the past. In particular, the Diamond Spring, Alamosa-LaJara, and Ortiz Basin studies all adjoin the Conejos / San Antonio Rivers study area previously investigated in a similar manner by Contractor in the 2012-2013 and 2015 time periods. Those studies resulted in significant improvements to the RGDSS model calibration. The study areas to be evaluated in this Scope encompass key areas that require refinement, including Diamond aka Arroya Springs and adjacent surface water diversions, portions of the Alamosa and LaJara surface streams, the Ortiz Basin (upper San Antonio / Los Pinos rivers), and Russell Springs. The study areas include surface-diversion agricultural water rights, Diamond Spring, and numerous confined-aquifer wells.

Task 1: RGDSS PRT Participation & Project Management (FY 2019-2021)

Periodic meetings and other technical discussions are expected during the planned consultation. Four PRT meetings per year are included in this Scope. Contractor participation will include the following:

• Contractor will prepare for, participate in, and provide requested follow-up, for regularly scheduled meetings of the RGDSS Peer Review Team (PRT) in the Denver area to discuss and facilitate model improvements and to provide technical input regarding SLV hydrogeology. Four PRT meetings are expected to occur per year during this consulting engagement. It is assumed all meetings will be in the Denver area. Meetings in the SLV, or more frequent meetings, will be an addition to this Scope and cost.

• Contractor will participate in technical discussions and coordination with the State, PRT members, and others, outside of but in response to PRT meetings, as needed, during the term of this consulting engagement.

• This task includes necessary project coordination and management of the PRT activities to be performed by Contractor.

Task 2: Hydrogeologic Investigation and Evaluation, Diamond Spring & Vicinity

This task will include installation of a piezometer (monitoring well) to better define the water level elevation at Diamond Spring, and how the spring relates to area water levels in the aquifer layers in the area. The work will include:

Exhibit A Page 3 of 3

• Piezometer design, test hole program design, cost estimation, and preparation of bid package for drilling contractor submittal, and permitting new water level data from the piezometer.

• Participation in stakeholder meetings and coordination of piezometer and test hole locations, work plan.

• Onsite observation of piezometer construction and test hole drilling by a qualified hydrogeologist.

• Groundwater sampling, field parameters, and lab analysis for selected dissolved anions/cations to aid in identification of source waters.

• Data evaluation and documentation: RGDSS technical memo draft, review of State and PRT comments, and production of final deliverable.

Task 3: Upper Alamosa- LaJara vicinity stream / water table refinement & mapping revisions

This task will include hydrogeological work to better define the points of connection and disconnection between these streams and the underlying aquifer layers, for model refinement. The work will include:

• Onsite hydrogeologic observations, depth to water measurements, data evaluation, and coordination with Division 3 personnel for measured gain/loss rates.

• Alamosa - LaJara vicinity model layering revisions and refinement.

• Preparation of documentation (RGDSS technical task memorandum.)

Task 4: Ortiz Basin and Vicinity: Detailed hydrogeologic evaluation

• Coordinate with geophysical subcontractor for Ortiz Basin and vicinity airborne / surface geophysical mapping to improve layer mapping and water table / bedrock definition.

• Evaluate and refine hydrogeologic layers, water table, gradients in the Ortiz Basin and vicinity. Prepare refined Ortiz Basin layer mapping and cross section interpretations for revised model inputs.

• Prepare Ortiz Basin and vicinity layering revisions / refinement documentation (RGDSS technical task memorandum.)

Task 5: Russell Springs and Vicinity: Detailed hydrogeologic evaluation

• Evaluate and refine hydrogeologic layers, water table, and groundwater gradients at Russell

Springs and vicinity.

• Prepare refined Russell Springs and vicinity hydrogeologic interpretation.

• Russell Springs and vicinity documentation / deliverables, including recommendations for any further work needed for hydrogeologic refinement (RGDSS technical task memorandum.)

Schedule Under the terms of this Scope, HRS will complete Task 1 of the Scope of Work on or before June 30, 2021. Tasks 2 – 5 will be completed on or before June 30, 2019. HRS will respond in a timely manner commensurate with the schedule of the State and the PRT. This schedule presumes approval of this Scope of Work and return of review comments in a timely manner. Delays beyond HRS control will extend the schedule for HRS deliverables by a commensurate number of days.