Laserfiche WebLink
Presentation by Lynn McCullough and Ray Wright - Subdistrict #1 <br /> <br />Lynn M cCullough presented — <br />last July district water court authorized formation of S ubdistrict #1 — north of river -- to <br />address unconfined aquifer <br /> <br />Goals: <br />1) T o prevent further declin e <br />2) To rebuild aquifer <br />3) To p rotect river and senior water rights <br /> <br />Requesting funds for C onservation Reserve Enhancement Program (C REP ) — there is <br />an extensive application process -- cited Republican River app lication which was 68 <br />pages — will require experi enced per son to achieve this. Seeking to hire Tim Davis from <br />Sterling area , who has be en throu gh procedure - will take about $36,750 – successful <br />completion and acce ptance into CREP will take about 40,000 acres out of prod uction <br />north of the river – the amount they think will be needed to bring back aquifer <br /> <br />$ being requested by C olorado Rio Grande Restoration Foundation, which upon <br />receiv ing funds will contract wi th Tim Davis <br /> <br />Encourage us to provide funds as very important step in future of water sustai nability in <br />SLV <br /> <br />What does CREP do? <br /> <br />Similar to the CRP program used to take land out of production and turn it back to <br />grassland — CREP will reimburse farmers at an irrigated ag rate to take land out of <br />production, not use water, not use surface rights , ins tead will contribute to restoration of <br />aquifer - surface rights will be used to recharge — <br /> <br />Subdistrict includes lands that hav e a lot of surface rights to none. It’s a challenge to be <br />fair to everyone across the spectrum . <br /> <br />Ray — reminder that CREP requires a non - fed 20% cost share – that’s why this <br />app lication is only directed to S ubdistrict #1 which is the only one officially established <br />to date and which has the ability to insure that the matching 20% is avai lable — as other <br />Subdistrict ’s become active, will want to consider if CREP w ill serve them as well — <br />lessens financial impact on local landown ers — huge potential for federal money to <br />soften blow of land and water retirement - <br /> <br />A nother t hing the Subdistrict might consider is similar to Repub lican river — RRWCD has <br />offered to add in additional payments on top of fed payments if landowners agree to <br />abandon wells completely once CREP program expires after 15 years — eliminates <br />future prospect of boom and bust <br /> <br /> Page 2 of 8 RGB RT Minutes <br /> <br /> March 13, 2007 <br />