PROJ01843

• Contract/PO #: C150028
• Contractor Name: Colorado Division of Wildlife
• Contract Type: Grant
• Water District: 0
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Approval Letter

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Colorado Water Conservation Board
Department of Natural Resources
721 Centennial Building
1 31 3 Sherman Street
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]~~1
FAX: [phone]

STATE OF COLORADO

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Roy Romer
Governor

Jilmes S. Lochhead
Executive Director. DNR

Dilries C. Lile. P.E.
Director, CWCB

MEMORANDUM

FROM:

Colorado Water Conservation Board Members

Peter Evans V# ~
Bill Stanton
Bill Green
Sue Uppendahl

TO:

DATE:

January 21, 1998

SUBJECT:

Agenda Item 22, January 28-29, 1998 Board Meeting -
Native Aquatic Species Facility - Status Report

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Back1!l'ound
In November 1996, the CWCB and the Colorado Wildlife Commission approved
a joint resolution for the development and maintenance of a Native Aquatic Species
Facility (NASF). In the 1997 Construction Fund bill, the General Assembly approved a
grant of up to $2.0 million as recommended by the CWCB on the condition that the
Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW) submit a detailed proposal for the facility.

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Discussion
During the last two months, CWCB and Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW)
staffs and their attorneys have continued to meet to discuss the ongoing pre-design
activities for the project. The activities in progress include the acquisition of the site in
the San Luis Valley and preparation of a memorandum of understanding (MOD) between
the two agencies for the design, construction and initial operation of the facility. More
specifically, the issues being addressed at the present time include the adequacy of the
water rights and wells included in the purchase, a water rights title opinion, removal of
rubbish from the property by the current owner, completion of the feasibility
investigation and agreement on a comprehensive planning description for the facility and
its role in the larger program for protecting declining aquatic species and their habitat.
These efforts should be concluded within the next few weeks.

CDOW indicates that purchase of the site should be effectively complete by
March I, and that closing will occur no later than June 30, 1998 in accordance with the