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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Product Produced: This proposal will provide matching funds to the Alamosa Riverkeepers, a <br />501 (3)( c) organization based in Capulin, Colorado, for acquisition of water rights for instream flow <br />use by the Colorado Water Conservation Board ("CWCB"). The provision of matching funds will <br />enable the Alamosa Riverkeepers to access an equivalent amount of Natural Resources Damages <br />awarded for the Project, which is designed to improve the natural environment of the Alamosa River <br />channel that was injured as a result of the release of hazardous substances from the Summitville <br />Mine Superfund Site. Additionally, the funds will enable the CWCB to acquire water rights for <br />instream flow use on the Alamosa River. The Project is part of a larger effort to restore and replace <br />resources damaged in the Alamosa River watershed as a result of the Summitville Mine disaster, and <br />implements conclusions reported in the Colorado Water Conservation Board's Alamasa River <br />Watershed Restoration Master Plan and Environmental Assessment Final Report. The Alamosa <br />River Instream Flow Project includes: (1) increasing the Terrace Reservoir spillway capacity to <br />remove a storage restriction imposed by the State Engineer; (2) acquiring senior irrigation water <br />rights on the Alamosa River from willing sellers; (3) transferring the irrigation water rights to the <br />CWCB for storage in Terrace Reservoir and instream flow use on the reach of the Alamosa River <br />extending from the outlet of the Reservoir to County Road 10; and (4) operating Terrace Reservoir <br />to store and release the water acquired by the CWCB for instream flow use. <br /> <br />Water Planning Relationship: The Alamosa River Instream Flow Project is part of a <br />community-based eff0l1 spearheaded by the Alamosa Riverkeepers and Terrace Irrigation Company, <br />and is one of the key projects identified in the Alamosa River Watershed Restoration Master Plan. <br />The Colorado Water Trust also is working with the Alamosa Riverkeepers on the water acquisition <br />aspects of the Project. <br /> <br />Recommendation: Staff gives a high recommendation to funding for this project because of its <br />importance to local water planning eff0l1s. <br /> <br />2. Water Rights Loans for Instream Flows <br /> <br />Beneficia ry /Gran tee/Contractor: <br />Amount of Request: <br /> <br />CWCB, Various <br />$ I 00,000 <br /> <br />Ranking: <br /> <br />High <br /> <br />Product Produced: Section 37-83-105 authorizes the CWCB to use loaned or leased water rights <br />for temporary instream flow ("ISF") use on decreed ISF reaches. The CWCB staff is working on <br />several fronts to seek out such loans or leases of water rights and to have all of the necessary <br />elements in place for temporary instream flow use when the need arises, such as in a dry year. One <br />key element is a source of funding for leasing water rights, for compiling and analyzing the <br />information required to be submitted to the State Engineer, and for other costs related to negotiating <br />and finalizing loan or lease agreements, obtaining approval of the proposed loan/lease of water, and <br />putting the water to ISF use. The cost of leasing water rights can range from $50 to $500 per acre- <br />foot, depending on the location of the water right and other factors. The CWCB also might lease <br />ditch company shares of irrigation water rights, which vary widely in both yield and price. Having <br />funding in place will provide another incentive to water rights owners to loan or lease their water <br />rights to the CWCB, which will provide the necessary amount of water to preserve the natural <br />environment of streams where the decreed ISF amount is not being met. <br /> <br />Water Planning Relationship: The CWCB staff has been discussing potential loans or leases <br />of water rights for temporary ISF use with several public and private entities, and with individuals. <br />One example is an ongoing discussion with representatives of various private and public entities in <br />the Roaring Fork Basin who are working together on developing the Roaring Fork Watershed Plan <br />and are seeking ways to provide for increased flows in the Roaring Fork River during dry years. <br /> <br />9 <br />