South Platte Basin Roundtable Jan 9 minutes.do

• Basin Roundtable: South Platte
• Title: Minutes
• Date: 1/9/2007
• Basin Roundtables - Doc Type: Minutes

15 areas have been identified; comments will be in to committee by next
week; report in by March 1 2007.

3. Legislative Report: Diane Hoppe
CO Water Congress Meeting on 1/8: 3 bills reviewed; one bill aims to
limit payments to water conservancy districts;
Jerke: asks for DNR update and the changing faces at DNR:
Rick Brown: Transition team of Gov Ritter selected Harris Sherman: DNR
director in late 70s, early 80s: Harris said he is willing to be interim
director of DNR and interim director for IBCC; thus will act in similar
capacity as Russ George; traditionally: new director will be briefed on key
issues of this process; info prepared for Gov's office; transition will take
probably 1 month or so.

4. CWCB Report: Rick Brown: no major changes;
Current activities include taking data in first phase of work and focusing
on coming up with solutions; most important meeting in recent past: GAP
process: 151 phase of SWSI takes white papers presented to round tables;
needs assessment leading to statewide issues; other view: needs
assessment never will be done: look at in-basin needs, then look at needs
that reach across basins: debate came forth with request for analysis of
larger structural and nonstructural options; this year, over $1 million in
loans going out this year; scrutiny is heightened over misunderstanding of
Blue Mesa Pump Act... thus, projects' funding of any activity looking at
statewide issues is seen as suspicious; focus on looking at alternatives to
drying up agricultural still open. Other basins, Gunnison basin for
instance, feeling threatened. Uncertainty in west slope basin is evident:
thus, options and discussion around options crucial to process;

Questions/discussion:
Fred Walker: expresses hope for open and frank discussion on all sides of
water issues; seems as though communication not clear. Would there be
an opportunity to meet with other roundtables on West Slope? Would it be
possible to take a proactive role to go to West Slope to try to start
dialogue?

Jerke: Question to go to Eric Wilkinson and Mike Shimmin:
Eric Wilkinson: West Slope Roundtables have had meetings among the
four tables, looking together what they need and how they will protect
their water supplies; Eric agrees with Fred Walker: good idea because the
reason this was started was to put things out on the proverbial table and
look at all options and everyone's issues. GAP committee that Rick
Brown talked about is exactly this option: look at everyone's issues; a
thorough analysis of the water situation in CO was the intent ofSWSI and
the intent ofIBCC was to put real actions to the analysis.

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