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I also believe the availability of severance tax revenues for such initiatives has finally reached <br />the point where proving such funding would not jeopardize the agency's cash management <br />strategy or prejudice its existing borrowers. <br />However, in order to make the financing effective and address the challenges we currently face, <br />as identified by the Statewide Water Supply Initiative (SWSI), much study and discussion needs <br />to occur about the terms and conditions placed on such financing. To that end, you are discussing <br />a new Policy #18 during this Board meeting. But, in summary, if the policy is implemented, the <br />result will be that we will be seeking to enter into agreements with local project sponsors that <br />will result in the CWCB owning a portion of the developed water for addressing compact calls, <br />drought impacts, endangered species or state species of special concern needs, instream flow, <br />river restoration, recreation or other purposes deemed appropriate by the CWCB. <br />The ownership would most likely be in accordance with a storage or other decree to be jointly <br />sought by the owners and the CWCB. The ownership would most likely be implemented through <br />an operations agreement enforced by the CWCB or the State Engineer. <br />An example of an existing Water Partnership Projects is Elkhead Reservoir. Elkhead Reservoir <br />vas enlarged and the enlargement resulted in the Board receiving a donation of water for <br />instream flows to benefit endangered fish. Examples of potential future projects include the Rio <br />Grande Reservoir ($18-$30 million depending on whether the dam is enlarged or rebuilt), Ovid <br />Reservoir ($12-16 million), the Chatfield Storage Reallocation Project ($100 million), Long <br />Hollow Reservoir and Plateau Creek Reservoir . Each of the projects would help address serious <br />compact and environmental needs. <br />Further, the CWCB and the State Engineer have identified many dams that hold between 5,000- <br />10,000 AF of water that need to be repaired or improved to meet storage capacity expectations. <br />Many of the owners of these projects may not be financially able to repair these facilities <br />themselves using their own assets and would not qualify for a CWCB loan. <br />However, many of these facilities, if repaired, could help the CWCB meet its mission objectives <br />of developing, conserving and managing Colorado's water resources. Specifically, repairs may <br />allow the owners to put their water rights to beneficial use in accordance with their decrees, <br />make water available for beneficial uses and contribute to the preservation or improvement of the <br />environment. <br />We have undertaken a Restricted Dam and Recovery of Lost Storage Inventory and Analysis <br />Project from which we can develop a list of possible projects that could be cooperatively <br />undertaken by the CWCB and the project's owners. <br />The CWCB could offer the owners of these valuable "small" projects non-reimbursable <br />financing to pay for the entire amount of the costs of the repair and rehabilitation of their <br />facilities if the owners of the project agree to donate a portion of the water made available by the <br />improvement to the CWCB. <br />Colorado Water Conservation Board 2 <br />Flood Protection • Water Project Planning and Finance • Stream and Lake Protection <br />Water Supply Protection • Conservation and Drought Planning • Intrastate Water Planning <br />