05 ‎(3)‎

• Board Meeting Date: 11/18/2007
• Description: IWMD Section - Water Supply Reserve Account - Criteria and Guidelines
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

Brief Summary of Discussion -The group acknowledged that there maybe some
reluctance for roundtable members to voice their opinion/opposition to a grant
application. However, the committee felt that this process is to promote dialogue and
discussion of important issues facing the basin. An anonymous review process does not
promote this dialogue and the subcommittee felt the existing procedure to document any
opposition to the project and the reasons for the opposition should remain in place.
- Topic Review of timeframes that roundtables can seek grants from the basin accounts.
Currently it is every two months, would tri-annual or quarterly be preferable`?
Brief Summary of Discussion -The current timelines for the basin and statewide
accounts are working well and no revision is recommended.
- Topic -During the last year a few grants came to CWCB that raised questions as to how
to interpret Section 37-75-102 (protection of water rights see page 14 of Criteria and
Guidelines and Page 2 of SB 179). The Water Supply Reserve Account must comply
with this provision of the Water for the 21st Century Act.
Brief Summary of Discussion -This topic generated the most discussion. Members of
the committee acknowledged that a literal reading of Section 102 would indicate that the
collection of data itself does not affect a water right. However, the group also generally
agreed that it is important that funding from the WRSA should promote collaboration and
cooperation and grants must also comply with Section 104. From a public policy
perspective it was pointed out that we need to be careful to not provide state funding to
advance the interests of one group in anon-collaborative process and thereby causing
another interest group to have to expend their own financial resources. Overall the group
agreed that it will be a case-by-case basis and there is not a specific recommendation
from the committee at this time.
- Topic -Many of the grants applications may not have strongly tied back to the
requirements of Section 37-75-104 (see page 14 of Criteria and Guidelines and Page 2 of
SB 179). Are grant request being strongly enough driven by SWSI or other appropriates
sources/needs assessments?
Brief Summary of Discussion -The committee agreed that the basin roundtables need to
be more focused on how grants related back to their needs assessments and critical basin
needs. The committee encourages the basin roundtables to utilize the evaluation criteria
from the criteria and guidelines and ``tailor"amore systematic review process for their
grant applications. Some committee members also pointed out that some roundtables
have an informal process and may be reluctant to become more formal in their review.
- Topic -The CWCB reviewed and approved a proposal to study an activity outside of the
proposing roundtables geographic area. This appears to still meet the intent of the
legislation for the Water Supply Reserve Account in that a study may examine water
supply alternatives but it is not "a proposed water diversion".
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