BOARD00031 ‎(2)‎

• Board Meeting Date: 9/20/2006
• Description: CWCB Director's Report
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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the cooperative agreement to allow Governor Heineman to have the benefit of feedback from the public,
and to have an additional two months to finalize some logistics that will permit the Program to be put in
. place.

Box Elder Creek Basin Designated: On August 18,2006, the Colorado Ground Water Commission
unanimously decided to proceed with publication on the request to designate the Box Elder Creek basin as
a designated ground water basin.

Lawsuit Filed on Dismissed Petition: The Pioneer Irrigation Ditch Company has filed a lawsuit in
District Court regarding the Ground Water Commission's dismissal of the Pioneer Irrigation Ditch
Company's petition to dedesignate a portion of the Northern High Plains Designated basin.

Grand Lake Organization Wants Alternative Delivery Method For CBT Water: An organization
calling itself the Greater Grand Lake Shoreline Association (GGLSA) fears that the Colorado-Big
Thompson project is degrading Grand Lake water quality as the CBT reverse flow is forcing silt, weeds,
algae and agal toxins into Grand Lake.

In a letter to Fred Ore, Area Manager of the Bureau of Reclamation, the GGSLA states that their group
co-sponsored a "Scoping Study" to evaluate the practicality of "less-harmful means" of moving water
from the Western Slope to the Front Range. Included in several alternative solutions is a new tunnel
under Shadow Mountain, connecting Shadow Mountain reservoir directly to the existing Adams tunnel.
The Association stated the estimated costs ofthe proposed 3-mile tunnel would be $60 million, which
spread over the 750,000 individuals the NCWCD reports as using water on the Front Range would
amount to a one-time fee of $80 per user. The Bureau is urged to take action on their recommendation
and to take the lead in evaluating the best route for the tunnel as quickly as possible.

.

New Law Changes Denver Water Rebate Applications: House Bill 06S-1023, which Governor Bill
Owens signed into law on July 31,2006, restricts who may receive public benefits in the State of
Colorado. This law requires a change in the procedure for Denver Water rebate applications.
Under the new law, anyone 18 years of age or older must prove lawful presence in the United States in
order to receive non-emergency public benefits. This applies to the Denver Water rebate. Although the
new law went into effect on August I, 2006, it applies to rebate applications even if the device was
purchased prior to that date.

Aurora Begins Testing Wells: As of August 17, the city of Aurora has started testing wells between
Fort Lupton and Brighton on its Prairie Waters Project, which is designed to return water to the city from
the South Platte River.

The project is designed to collect water Aurora already owns -- and has used -- from the South Platte and
return it to the city through an aquifer recharge and recovery system. That system uses three pumping
stations to lift the water 1,200 feet through a 34-mile pipeline back to the Aurora Reservoir where a water
purification facility is being built. From there it will go through the city's water treatment plant and on to
its existing 305,000 customers.

The current testing is designed to help water engineers determine whether or not the wells will fill at the
rate they expect. City officials said initial tests were positive, but said testing will continue through July
of next year.

.

Horsetooth Low Levels Cause Concern Among Rec Users: Low water levels at Horsetooth Reservoir
and high demand from all sides has caused some to feel that recreation is not getting enough attention as a
recognized use of water. On one side, officials claim that the reservoir was managed as wen as possible
this year, considering the weather and demands from its priority users - agriculture and municipalities. On

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