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<br />Water Supply Reserve Account - Grant Application Form <br />Form Revised May 2007 <br /> <br />that nourish downstream wetlands, the health of the headwaters is the first link in the chain. Seasonal <br />wetlands created by overbank flooding during spring runoff were one of the most common types of <br />wetlands in the Colorado prior to settlement. Seasonal wetlands purify melt water as it moves through <br />wetland soils and plant roots, recharge aquifers that provide base flow for rivers and streams, and <br />attenuate flood events by retaining runoff from snowmelt and thunderstorms. Ducks Unlimited's <br />conservation efforts with seasonal wetlands help insure that the headwaters of the state continue to flow <br />and provide high quality water. <br /> <br />Although DU goals are measured in acres conserved, the pivotal ingredient is water. By <br />definition, wetlands depend on water, which is seasonally scarce in Colorado and the rest of the arid <br />west. DU must strengthen water rights to existing wetlands and purchase new water rights to ensure our <br />investments in wetland conservation do not dry up due to water extractions, diversions, or <br />consumptions. DU's Colorado Conservation Plan bridges the gap between traditional water users and <br />the conservation community by pro-actively developing wetland restoration and protection projects that <br />benefit both interests. Unless sufficient water is secured for maintaining viable populations of <br />waterfowl over the next decade, staggering wetland losses could occur as the price of water continues to <br />escalate. DU has been successful in acquiring water rights for use on state-owned lands. DU is also one <br />of the only land trusts in Colorado that requires conservation easement donors donate water rights to the <br />easement, thereby securing them in perpetuity. Ensuring that restoration projects comply with all <br />applicable state water laws and that these projects make the most efficient use of water is imperative to a <br />successful and long-term program. <br /> <br />Ducks Unlimited's objectives for the SPR focus on protection, restoration, and management of <br />the public and private wetlands and associated uplands in this critical wetlands corridor. Although the <br />corridor encompasses 425,310 acres it includes 71,000 acres of wetlands, 66% of which have been lost. <br />The water activity will make new water available for use: <br />Project tracts near the state line will be operated using new water appropriations. Preliminary <br />discussions with LSPWCD, SPLRG, the CDWR, and local water interests indicate that there is <br />substantial unappropriated water crossing the state line during winter months. The project will allow <br />DU to further explore this opportunity and put excess water to beneficial use through recharge. Funds <br />from this grant will help DU further explore this opportunity and proceed with survey and design of the <br />recharge facilities. <br />The water activity involves reoperation, enlargement, or rehabilitation of existing facilities: <br />Brush Prairie Ponds will be enlarged to facilitate the original recharge decree and maximize the efficiency <br />of the operation. Other project tracts such as Golden Eagle Ranch will be operated different from historic <br />operations to make use of existing water rights in recharge and augmentation scenarios that benefit waterfowl in <br />addition to agriculture. <br /> <br />The Water Activity Addresses Issues of Statewide Value <br /> <br />The water activity helps sustain agriculture, and open space, or meets environmental or <br />recreational needs: <br />Answered above. <br /> <br />12 <br />