BOARD00110 ‎(2)‎

• Board Meeting Date: 1/23/2007
• Description: CF Section - Review of Water Related Legislation - OWC - Expanding the CWCB Water Efficiency Grant Program - ISF - Protection of Water Rights Loaned to CWCB for ISF Use
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

COLORADO WATER CONSERVATION BOARD

Department of Natural Resources
.ill Ritter, Jr., Governor
~arris D. Sherman, DNR Executive Director
Rod Kuharich, CWCB Director

AGRICUL TURAL EMERGENCY
DROUGHT RESPONSE GRANT PROGRAM

Background

The Agricultural Emergency Drought Response Program
(the Program) was created through S.B. 02S-001 of the Colorado
General Assembly. The purpose of the Program is to provide
funding assistance to agricultural organizations, in the form of
loans or grants, for emergency drought related water augmentation
purposes.

A Management Committee composed of the Director of the
Colorado Water Conservation Board, the State Engineer, the
Executive Director of the Department of Natural Resources, and
the Commissioner of Agriculture administers the Program. It is
.xpected that $1,000,000 in loan and grant funds will be available
for any fiscal year in which a drought is declared in the State of
Colorado.

The Program provides grants for the lease of augmentation
water during drought years and loans for the purchase of water
rights for augmentation purposes. The Program also provides
loans for the construction of structures necessary for the delivery
of augmentation water back to the river.

The Program provides grant funds for engineering, attorney
fees and other water acquisition administrative costs equal to 5%
of the grant amount. The Program does not provide grants for
general operational expenses, maintenance of facilities, research,
or individuals.

.

Grant Program
Highlights

. Has provided 22 grants
totaling over $2.5 million for
the droughts of 2002, 2003,
2004 and 2005;

. Provides up to $1 million
annually for drought related
water augmentation purposes
to Colorado's agricultural
water users.

For more information, contact
Mike Serlet at CWCB at
[phone]
CWCB
1313 Sherman Street, Room 721,
Denver, CO, 80203
Phone: [phone]
Internet: www.cwcb.state.co.us