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- 3 - . At the onset of this study the Corps will develop a tour of the South Platte River. They hope that a smaller working group will be formed from the larger group to assist in the final scoping process. . The primary goal is to inventory and forecast natural resources relevant to instream flow and develop a 50-year outlook for the study reach. Any new storage releases for downstream purposes need to be considered to the best of our ability. The work group will help identify habitat types and some sort of ecosystem units affected for the analysis. . A HEC-RAS model was developed as a side product of the study to produce new floodplain information for counties and undeveloped areas that previously had none. There will be a Corps of Engineers presentation to Weld County and the State within the next 30 days. . The Corps will use this HEC-RAS model to evaluate downstream releases to create a depth and velocity grid for analysis. . The 1996 Mayor's Instream Flow Report recommended 60-85 cfs at certain times during the year and alSO cfs flow for special periods. The analysis would study wintertime and summertime goals and tied to wildlife indicator species. . Other data available for this study is the 1990s Audubon Society vegetation survey to determine foliage benefits. . The Corps' Tri Lakes office received a letter from Ray Sperger of South Platte Park that was recommendations that should be considered as well. . In this study there will be a mid point analysis and the study process will strive to find a way to optimize the alternatives. . Rick McLoud stated that this second study would be very detailed and may lower the costs but that the interest parties need to go revisit this, agree, and see if it makes sense to do this. Its possible that for an investment of $561,200 or $857,900 to do the environmental restoration study water users could get some, part, or all of the $24 million in storage space costs that could be waived. The Upstream and Downstream Water Users Groups need a dialogue about the merits and recommendation for going forward with the environmental restoration add on. . This study should be of federal interest and it would be good if evidence of public and environmental support is conveyed for the efforts of the Downstream Group. . Frank McNulty, Assistant Director, Department of natural resources explained that the "Department" oversees the Division of Wildlife, State Parks, and the CWCB and needs to be involved in future meetings and studies. . Marty Timmerwilke, Corps Project Manger, went over the study costs and how the Corps could pay 65% of the storage space costs for the environmental restoration benefit. The Corps is unsure how much of the 10,000 AF can be allocated to ecosystem restoration and they won't know unless the environmental restoration study is funded and completed. . Ralph Roza, Corps Chief of Planning, stated that the Corps would build in decision points or break points in this analysis. The Corps can discontinue the study if deemed that that environmental restoration on the South Platte is not merited for Corps credit. Adding the WRDA language would be helpful to FCSA which has the language "fish and wildlife habitat and enchantment" protection for added clarity regarding Corps authorities. Should the "Environmental Restoration" task be formed under this authority. In the future the Corps will need to ask their lawyers for interpretation. If this new language is added to the 2005 WRDA Bill then we don't have to face that question. By having it defined in WRDA it will save time down the road in the sense that "identified as a project purpose". Then it will only require a letter to the Corps Assistant Secretary for final approval. This will save three to six months in time. However if we are going this route the language in WRDA is not essential just preferable. Flood Protection . Water Project Planning and Finance. Stream and Lake Protection Water Supply Protection. Conservation Planning