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<br />10/23/2003 10:~6 FAX <br /> <br />~ ) <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />eNVIRONMeNtAL DeFeNse <br />finding the Ways that work <br /> <br />October 23, 2003 ~ <br /> <br />Mr. Rick Brown <br />Colorado Water Conservation Board <br />1313 Sherman Street) Room 721 <br />Denver, CO 80203 <br /> <br />VIA FACSIMILE: 303..866-4474 <br /> <br />Dear Mr. Brown~. <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />Thank you for the opportunity to provide' comments on Colorado's Statewide Water \ <br />Supply Initiative. I am writing this letter on behalf of Envrronmental Defense and Tro-qt <br />Unlilnited to requesr that the Colorado Water Conservation Board) in irs work on the II <br />SWSI, address environmental water needs. Environmental water needs include water J <br />needed for freshwater aquatic species1 as well as water needed to maintain n~tural1y I <br />functioning rivers and riparian corridors: in the arid West, up to 80% of aJ1l1ertebra te <br />species depend on riparian corridors at some stage in their lives.! I <br /> <br />Given the SWSI's mandate to "help Colora~o maintain an :adequate water supply for its I <br />citizens and the environment"2 (emphasis added), it is appropriate that a significant I <br />portion of the SWSI effort address instream flows for the environment. To this end, we\ <br />suggest that ,the SWSI define targets for optimum b~ologica1 insrream flows for j <br />Co!oradoJ's nvers and stteamSJ define supply alternatives that meet some of these flows, i <br />and identifY all instances where supply alternatives identified in the SWSI process I <br />preclude meeting optimum biological instream flows. <br />I <br />Relying on minimum streamflow targets already set by the CWCB)s instream flow I <br />program is not adequate\" The CWCB, through its instream flow program, has identified <br />instream flow needs on some rivers and streams in the state, def1l1ed as the "rn.inimum I <br />flow or lake level or volume necessaiy to preselVe the narural environment to a reasonable <br />degree."3 As of this writing1 the CWCB has proposed new rules for its instream flow I <br /> <br />Ial 002 <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />1 DavidJ~ lUueper, Conservation Priorities in Namrall}r< FLagmented and 1-1.u.m~n"altCred Riparian HabitatS' <br />ofcheArld West in the proceed.lngs of the 1995 conference ofStratcgies For Bird Conserva.cion: <br />The Parmers In Flight Planning Process, found lit http://birds.comc11eduJpifc~pemay. <br />2 Statevvide Wa.ter Supply Initiative Project Overview Fact Sheet. 2003 ~ <br />~ CWCB~ Rules Concerning The Colorado Instrcam Flow And Narur1lI Ln.k~ Level Program7 6..03(A) <br /> <br />Rocky Mountain Office' 2334 ~orth Broadway' Boulder, CO 8?304 · Te130~ 440 4901 ,Fax 303 410 8052 . www,environmentaldefense.org <br />New York, N'Y · Wa.ahlngfoM I DC I Oakland~ CA . Ra'e~gh~ NC . Auatin, TX . 8oston~ MA Project Office: Loe AngeJa3. CA <br />TOl:lljy cl1IOflfltt (tee 1 OOl)b po~t~ccn.slUrnet rac;yoh~d pELlllJr I <br />~ <br />