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<br />northeastern Colorado. Junior water well users have been battling with senior water <br />rights holders since the 2002 drought affected water availability in the state. <br /> <br />"Specifically, the task force is to consider whether there are any changes to current <br />water law or policy that will provide relief to junior water users without injuring senior <br />water right holders," Governor Ritter said when establisheing the task force. <br /> <br />Sherman Harris, executive director of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, <br />told the crowd the task force would not seek to change hard-won court decisions or <br />Colorado's historic system of allocating water. "Our function is to listen to what you <br />have to say," Harris said. "We're not a court, we're not here to overturn court decisions. <br />We're here to focus on the facts and potential solutions." <br /> <br />Attorneys Jim Lochhead and Anne Castle, and assistant state engineer Dick Wolfe, <br />provided briefings on the issues. All three are non-voting members of the Task Force. <br /> <br />Nearly 100 people attended the meeting. <br /> <br />A second Task Force meeting devoted entirely to public comment will be from 9 a.m.-5 <br />p.m. July 16 at a location to be announced later. Future meetings are also on July 27, <br />August 27 and September 6. <br /> <br />A briefing document was provided to members of the task force. It is attached for your <br />information. <br /> <br />A copy of the Executive Order forming the Task Force is also attached. <br /> <br />Ted Kowalski will be our designee to attend and report on future meetings. <br /> <br />Please see attachments 13c-4 and 13c-5 for more information. <br /> <br />Ovid Reservoir Comprehensive Feasibility Study: The CWCB staff in <br />conjunction with District 64 Reservoir Company representatives, have developed a two- <br />part work scope to further evaluate the feasibility of Ovid Reservoir. The Company's <br />efforts, through a SB-179 Grant, would focus on technical issues related to the reservoir <br />construction (revised hydrologic/ operations model, final design documents, <br />construction and O&M costs, permits.) CWCB efforts, through SB 01-157 funding, <br />would focus on policy issues related to operation and usage of the reservoir (potential <br />uses/partnerships, legal considerations, reservoir operating plan/agreement, facilities <br /> <br />43 <br />