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<br />Western States Water Council <br />Full Council Minutes <br /> <br />Sioux Falls, South Dakota <br />May 4, 2007 <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />"We're looking for rain!" The Governors' Water Summit was held on April 17th in Burley with some 250 <br />people (water users, water board members, legislators, etc). <br /> <br />Colorado <br /> <br />Hal Simpson reported that Colorado is in ongoing discussions with Kansas on the Arkansas River <br />to complete an agreement in litigation. He said that the legislature had given him seven new staff and eleven <br />last year. He said that 2000 wells have been shut down in the South Platte basin, due to a lack of <br />"augmentation water." Municipal water prices are reaching $20,000/acre foot. Hal is retiring, but has asking <br />to continue as alternate WSWC member. He hasn't heard anything yet from the Governor's office. <br /> <br />Nevada <br /> <br />Roland Westergard noted briefly that the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNW A) ground water <br />use permit applications are viewed by some as encroaching on the water supply in the rest of the state. Tracy <br />Taylor, the Nevada State Engineer is in Carson City dealing with legislation and couldn't make the meeting. <br /> <br />Kansas <br /> <br />Dave Pope said, "We've made a lot of progress with Colorado on the Arkansas." He added that state <br />legislation has been surprisingly difficult to get for a USDA CREP program for water conservation on the . <br />Arkansas. They go up to 40,000 acres and hopefully will get more in the future. The program is to address <br />drops in ground water levels and streamflows. Otherwise, the legislature adjorned Wednesday, "without a <br />great deal of damage." They did approve a major gaming bill for Kansas, allowing state-owned casinos close <br />to Oklahoma and Missouri, in Dodge City and Witch ita. He concluded noting that they are implementing <br />the Republican River Compact, under the first of five year accounting periods, with Nebraska and Colorado <br />also involved. <br /> <br />North Dakota <br /> <br />Dale Frink reported that the Legislature's biennial session had just closed. The Water Commission <br />was treated well. There were no new FTEs, but money for water projects. Ethanol plants are putting pressure <br />on the states water resources. They are usually located near corn, not water. Ifthey locate near the Missouri <br />River, we can get them water, but elsewhere its difficult. Fargo has sold its effluent to a plant, which I'll <br />approve. One plant is half constructed with no water permit, which is in process and has been protested. <br />North Dakota has been dry the last 7-8 years, and there is little run off in the state this year. Most cropland <br />is dryland, but we've had decent crops with rainfall. We've noticed less snow. The drought line is pushing <br />further east. <br /> <br />Wyoming <br /> <br />Pat Tyrrell noted that the new director of the Wyoming Water Development Commission is Mike <br />Purcell, who served in that position from 1986-1994, before Mike Besson was named director and served for <br />11 years. Mike Purcell was the Wyoming representative working on the Platter River agreement, Pathfinder <br />modifications and has made many other contributions. Pat said that this past year his office was in danger . <br />of regulating up to 200 wells, without water to replace depletions along the North Platte. Well owners did <br />find water. These are junior wells that would have been cut of without mitigation water. A bill to give the <br />state engineer clear authority for existing rules failed, due to opposition to the bill by Torrington. The <br /> <br />12 <br />