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Zeke - how to insure that farmers get the benefit of this and not necessarily investment <br />groups ? <br /> <br />Ray — what we’re seeing here will ca u s e changes — over a wide spectrum of SLV, <br />gov ernments re tax base, don’t like the idea of seei ng these wholesale changes — but up <br />in the S outh P latte basin, 2000 wells and 100,000 acres of farm land were dried up, <br />creating devastating , uncontrolled change, essentially over night — not sure if investment <br />groups might come in an buy low priced land and enroll in CREP for good rate of <br />return — need to be aware of this and watch for changes, be aware of them and try to <br />deal with — wh at subdistri cts are trying to allow good businesses to stay in business and <br />wake up in a changed world <br /> <br />Lynn - alternative is for S tate E ngineer to shut off all wells north of the river — would be <br />very likely to happen if we cannot come up with a plan to decrease use of water <br /> <br />Peter — what is pro gnosis of availability of funds? There’s a lot of optimism here — but <br />we’re ta lking about a large portion of money available to whole state <br /> <br />Lynn — 30,000 acres have been put in CREP in Repub lican - out of 100,000 acres – so <br />funds are s till available for 70,000 acres , -- S ubdistrict #1 would have 40,000 <br /> <br />Ray — states can also reapply for another 100,000 acres <br /> <br />Doug — suggests that we contact Congressional reps and stress how important this <br />program is — can provide a soft landing for municipalit ies, counties, as well as fa rmers — <br />there will still be some money out there vs none if all the wells are shut off <br /> <br />Mike G — reminded about R io G rande R estoration Project origins and ongoing project. <br />They decided that it may be beneficial to have a non - profit organization to access <br />addi tional funds for project. Created Colorado Rio Grande Restoration Foundation and <br />and completed a watershed study. I n that study, id entified priorities for project and <br />recognized relationship between river and aquifer and need to bring wa ter use into <br />balance. Also, en tities subject to TABOR not able to access these funds — so CRGRF <br />will be receiv ing entit y and will be taking a 5% administrative fee and this will go into <br />overall restoration project <br /> <br />John S - how does Subdistrict # 1 intend to address surface water? <br /> <br />Lynn - has no influence on dist h companies, rules or anything — o nly thing can do is to <br />collect money to take land out of production. <br /> <br />Ray — Subdistrict values every drop of surface water that comes into area — will work <br />with d itch companies to optimize – reduce consumptive use — perhaps if a person <br />irrigating with surface water wanted to cease and reduce consumptive use, that might <br />work too <br /> <br /> Page 4 of 8 RGB RT Minutes <br /> <br /> March 13, 2007 <br />