BOARD00024 ‎(2)‎

• Board Meeting Date: 9/19/2006
• Description: ISF Section and Flood Protection Section - Consent Agenda - Rio Blanco Restoration Project ‎(Phase 3)‎
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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STATE OF COLORADC)

Colorado Water Conservation Board

Department of Natural Resources
1313 Shennan Street, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
www.cwcb.state.co.us

'MEMORANDUM

Bill Owens
Governor

TO:
FROM:

Colorado Water Conservation Board
Tom Browning, Chief - Flood Protection Section
Dan Merriman, Chief - Stream and Lake Protection Section
Bahman Hatami - Stream and Lake Protection Section
September 6, 2006
Consent Agenda Item 3 - September 19, 2006 CWCB Meeting
Rio Blanco Restoration Project (phase 3)

Russell George
Executive Director

Rod Kuharich
CWCB Director

DATE:
RE:

Dan McAuliffe
Deputy Director

Introduction
The CWCB received a letter from the Lower Blanco Property Owners Association (LBPOA) requesting financial
assistance in an effort to continue work (Phase 3) on the Rio Blanco Restoration Project (Project). The LBPOA
applied for and received a $95,000 grant from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and is
currently attempting to locate sufficient matching dollars (50/50 match program) from willing partners. The letter
specifically requests approval from the CWCB for $25,000 to help pay for Phase 3 Project costs, and staff
believes that it would be appropriate to expend funds for this purpose from the Fish and Wildlife Resources Fund
pursuant to Board Policy #15.

Discussion
The Board may recall that CWCB staff from the Stream and Lake Protection Section has been involved with on-
going restoration work related to the Rio Blanco River near Pagosa Springs. Due to the by-pass flows of the San
Juan - Chama Transbasin Diversion, the River has been subject to hydrologic changes from its natural state.
Degradation of fish habitat in the subject stream reach resulting from the by-pass flows led to the need to restore
the streambed back to a better functioning system for channel conveyance and for fisheries.

The Board approved at its September 2003 meeting an allocation of$80,000 from the Fish and Wildlife
Resources Fund for Phase 2 of the Project, and those dollars were utilized to the fullest extent possible combint:d
with available funds from other sources. The recipient returned back to the CWCB approximately $26,000 oftbat
grant since they received additional money from the NRCS to cover Phase 2 Project costs. There appears to be
widespread agreement that the restoration work finished to date has been successful and has met or exceeded
expectations regarding the desired outcome.

The current request, which represents approximately 13% of an overall funding goal of $190,000 for Phase 3 of
the Project, would essentially allow for completion of restoration work on the remaining one mile (+/-) reach of
the River. Staff is supportive of this request and feels that the leveraged dollars would be well spent. A copy of
the letter from the LBPOA is attached for reference purposes and for additional background information.

Staff Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Board approve a $25,000 non-reimbursable expenditure from the Fish and Wildlife
Resource Fund (also known as the Fish and Wildlife Mitigation Account) for the purposes of providing cost..
share matching dollars for continued work (Phase 3) on the Rio Blanco Restoration Project.

Flood Protection. Water Supply Planning and Finance. Stream and Lake Protection
Waler Supply Protection. Conservation and Drought Planning