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8. CWCB Instream Flow Program presentation by Jeff Baessler and Linda Bassi: <br />a. Jeff Baessler, a Senior Water Resources Specialist for the CWCB, administers the CWCB <br />instream flow and lake level program. The Instream Flow Program began in 1973 with SB- <br />97 in order to correlate man's development of Colorado water resources with some <br />reasonable protection of the environment. The CWCB holds water rights on 1,500 stream <br />segments encompassing more than 8,549 river miles, or 30% of Colorado's 29,000 miles of <br />streams. CWCB's instream flow rights tend to be held in higher elevation streams where <br />water is colder. <br />b. The Instream Flow Program: <br />i. Acquires water rights for in-chamlel or lake appropriations. <br />ii. Administered exclusively by the CWCB. <br />iii. For nunimum flows, generally to protect fish. <br />iv. To preserve the natural environment to a reasonable degree. <br />Administered within Colorado's water rights priority system. <br />c. The CWCB is currently attempting to eiilarge an existing instream flow right on the Eagle <br />River through Minturn. <br />d. The CWCB Instream Flow Program can be accessed at www.cwcb.state.co.us <br />Stream and Lake Protection <br />Instream Flow <br />Water Rights Database -Existing <br />New Appropriations <br />e. There are four program areas: <br />rights. <br />New appropriations: Each year, the CWCB considers requests for new <br />designations for rivers that require minimum instream flows. The federal <br />Departments of Agriculture and the Interior, the Colorado Division of Wildlife, <br />and any other entity or person may request a designation. The CWCB instream <br />flow staff, of which there are 6 members, does an R2 Cross quantification of the <br />river to deternune the amount of water that trout need to survive, and makes a <br />recommendation to the CWCB. The statute has 3 requirements: <br />Natural environment exists: That is, a cold water fishery is available. <br />Water is available for appropriation. But, the h7stream Flow Program can rely <br />on downstream senior water rights to pull water down the stream. <br />Designating an in-stream flow right will not materially injure other water <br />2 <br />