Arkansas - Model Transfers Ag to Urban in the Arkansas Basin_Application

Home Browse Search

Water Supply Reserve Account - Grant Application Form .Form Revised May 2007 agreement reached by the roundtable, including any minority opinion(s) if there was not general agreement for the activity. The description must also include reasons why general agreement was not reached (if it was not), including who opposed the activity and why they opposed it. Note- If this information is included in the letter from the roundtable chair simply reference that letter. I LETTER FROM ARKANSA"S-BAS]N_ROUNDT ABLE-CHAIR ]S ATTACHED ~ 4. The water activity meets the provisions of Section 37-75-lO4(2), Colorado Revised Statutes. The requirements/language from the statute is provided in Part 3 of the Criteria and Guidelines. TIle Committee's efforts wiH build on work from eWCB's State Water Supply Initiative (SWSI) and the subsequent work of its SWSI Technical Roundtable: Alternatives to Permanent Agriculture Dry-Up. Among the major findings of the Statewide Water Supply Initiative (SWSI) are that: "Colorado will see a significantly greater reduction in agricultural lands a~ municipal and industrial water providers seek additional permanent transfers of agricultural water rights to provide for increased urban demand" and that as urban demands are met, "there will be tradeoff~ and impacts on other users~- especially agriculture and the environment~ " After the initial SWSI report, "SWSI 2" Technical Roundtables were created. to further examine major issues. The Alternatives to Permanent Agricultural Dry-Up Technical Roundtable concluded. in their draft report: The trend toward reduction of irrigated agricultural lands in Colorado is significantly due to the need for additional water supplies to meet urban population growth, but there are a number of other important factors which must be considered; including agricultural economics. Because urban needs are diverse (base demand, drought needs, dependence on non-renewable groundwater) alternatives to permanent agricultural transfer methods need to be diverse-and flexible. "One size will notfit all". "A key driver that influences how transfers are perceived and implemented relates to who retains ownership of the water (the agricultural user or the new end user) and what type of organizational/institutional structure is 'best' to ensure equity ft)r those involved in the transfer and those affected by the transfer. " Water transfers from agriculture can have significant impact on the culture and economic viability ofthe communities from which the water is transferred. "There may be a rolejor the state, through the CWCB, jar example, to 'level the playingfield' through the use of incentives to encourage municipal and industrial providers and users to use alternatives to traditional agricultural transfers in order to foster the maximum uti! ization of the state '8 waters and to ensure that other non-market values (open space, wildlife habitat) are retained. " The Committee proposes to develop models which provide answers to some of the issues discussed by the SWSI 2 Technical Roundtable. 4. Please provide an overview of the water project or activity to be funded including ~ type of activity, statement of what the activity is intended to accomplish, the need for the activity, the problems and opportunities to be addressed, expectations of the participants, why the activity is important, the service area or geographic location, and any relevant issues etc. Please include any relevant TABOR issues that may affect the Contracting Entity. Please refer to Part 2 of Criteria and Guidance document for additional detail on information to include. 4