BOARD00055 ‎(2)‎

• Board Meeting Date: 11/13/2006
• Description: IBCC Director's Report - Interbasin Compact Committee Annual Report to the House of Representatives Com. On Agriculture, Livestock, Natural Resources, and Senate Com. On Agriculture, Energy, Natural
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

2.7 Rio Grande Basin

2.7.1 Procedural Accomplishments

The Rio Grande Basin Roundtable (RGBRT) was formed
with significant local participation, including those
appointed in accordance with the Act and members of
the interested public. The RGBRT has been meeting on
the second Tuesday of each month in Alamosa. Initially
Ray Wright, of the Rio Grande Water Conservation
District, chaired the RGBRT. Officers were subsequently
elected and appointments made, with Mr. Mike Gibson
as Chairperson, Mr. Doug Shriver as Vice Chair, and
Ms. Rio de la Vista as Secretary. The two IBCC
appointments were made, Mr. Ray Wright and Mr. Steve
Vandiver, with Mike Gibson as an Alternate. Bylaws
were subsequently developed and adopted. These
processes took longer than the RGBRT anticipated and
they were completed without conflict. As required by
Section 37-75-104(a)(I) of the Act, the Rio Grande Basin
Roundtable adopted bylaws on April 11 , 2006, which
included six goals and objectives. The RGBRT has
formed an Education Subcommittee and a Needs
Assessment Subcommittee. The RGBRT elected four
non-voting members.

2.7.2 Rio Grande Basin Educational

Accomplishments

Early in the Basin Roundtable process, it became
apparent that many members were not familiar with the
water issues in the Rio Grande Basin, primarily because
they had not been previously involved with such matters.
In addition, it was recognized that communication among
the members was difficult because of the different levels
of understanding of some of the fundamental issues
affecting the Basin. Consequently, a major effort has
made to include relevant educational topics at the
monthly RGBRT meetings. The topics covered included:

. Doctrine of Prior Appropriation and other water rights
issues

. The history and role of the Rio Grande Compact on
the management of river flows and how this affects
the agricultural users of water

. A history of the reservoirs in the Basin and their uses

. A review of the current study of the Rio Grande
Reservoir and its potential enlargement

S:\IBC Support\Report to Leglslature\SectJon 2 flnal.doc

Section 2
Reports From Basin Roundtables

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. SWSI presentation on the findings for the Rio Grande
Basin

. Water Conservation Workshop (one of the statewide
workshops) conducted by the Great Western Institute

. CWCB - Funding programs for irrigators

The education of the RGBRT members will continue to
be a major goal. In addition, it has been recognized that
educational efforts need to be expanded to the local
communities and plans and opportunities will be sought
to achieve this. The presentations received by the Rio
Grande Basin Roundtable are available on the Colorado
Water for the 21 sl Century section of the DNR website.

2.7.3 Rio Grande Basin Needs
Assessment Accomplishments

As stated above, the RGBRT members were introduced
to the SWSI process and the findings pertaining to the
Rio Grande Basin. In addition, the RGBRT is fortunate to
have access to a broad database, which has been
developed by work sponsored by the Rio Grande Water
Conservation District. These data have confirmed that
the Rio Grande Basin's current water uses and practices
are not sustainable, which has been exacerbated in
recent years by the drought conditions in the Basin.

A number of meetings were held, both with the RGBRT
members and members of a subcommittee, to consider
the Needs Assessment and its form and contents. A
compilation has been made of submissions by RGBRT
members and the public of activities and projects to
address the Rio Grande Basin's water issues.

A Water Supply and Needs Report for the Rio Grande
Basin was prepared utilizing information from the SWSI
Report as required by Section 37-75-104(c)(II). The
report was distributed and presented to the Rio Grande
Basin Roundtable on June 13, 2006.

After the IBCC's development of criteria for potential
funding of activities and projects through SB 06 -179, the
Needs Assessment will be reevaluated. This evaluation
will identify activities and projects to address the primary
issue confronting the Rio Grande Basin, the lack of
sustainability of water uses and practices. It is
anticipated these activities will include, but not be limited
to, the following:

. Potential role of increased storage capacity and its
management in the Basin.

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