Minutes Oct 2007 CBRT _2_

• Basin Roundtable: Colorado
• Title: October 07 Minutes
• Date: 10/22/2007
• Basin Roundtables - Doc Type: Minutes

IBCC Colorado River Basin
Minutes of Meeting on October 22, 2007
Discussion of Water Availability Study
1. Next Meeting: Monday, November 26, Glenwood Springs Community Recreation Center,
1:00 to 4:00.
a. Agenda: Presentation of new SB 179 Grant Proposals .
2. Approve September 2007 meeting minutes. The September 2007 minutes were approved
unanimously with no corrections.
Reporter: These minutes were prepared by Ken Ransford, Esq., CPA, 970-927-1200,
kenransford~comcast.net.
4. Upcoming meetings:
a. The CBRT non-consumptive needs assessment (NCNA) subconullittee will meet Monday November
26 at 10:00 AM at the Glenwood Springs Communty Recreation Center prior to the regularly
scheduled monthly meeting. The December NCNA meeting has scheduled a demonstration of
computer database tools to monitor river flows, and water quality and quantity.
b. The December CBRT meeting will include a presentation about the Preferred Storage Option Plan
(PSOP), and proposed bills to increase the storage capacity and diversions to the Arkansas River
basin. The PSOP is a proposal to provide additional Arkansas Basin Storage within Fryingpan-
Arkansas Project System to provide for additional uses on the Front Range. Mike McHugh of
Aurora, Wayne Vanderscheure of Colorado Springs, Rose Ann Sullivan of Pitkin County, Rachel
Richards of Aspen, and Chris Treese of the Colorado River District will make presentations.
5. Report from other Roundtables -None.
6. CWCB Report. None.
7. Press release from the Colorado River Water Conservation District. The Colorado River
District at its quarterly board meeting on October 16-17 2007 passed a motion recommending
that Colorado complete the Water Availability Study before the State Engineer adopted n~les and
regulations about how to administer a Compact Call. The Colorado River District is concerned
that new, substantially junior water rights could trip a Compact Call, and it is necessary to first
study how much water can be safely developed under the 1922 and 1948 Colorado River
Compacts. The motion passed by the CRWCD is:
It is premature and distracting for the State Engineer's Office to promulgate n~les and
regulations to administer water rights in the event curtailment is necessary under the 1922
and 1948 Colorado River compacts. It is first necessary to complete the Senate Bill 07-122
Colorado River water availability Study and to evaluate the available supply and associated
risks of a compact curtailment. More importantly, the state's policy priorities should be to
avoid a compact curtailment and to work with water users to develop a plan to mitigate the
adverse impacts of a curtailment. Rules and regulations for an unavoidable curtailment can
then be developed in a more orderly and equitable manner without tremendous controversy.
I:AInterbasin Compact Cominittee~Basin Roundtables\Colorado~Minutes~Ivlumtes Oct 2007 CBRT (2).doc I 12~-