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• Board Meeting Date: 1/23/2008
• Description: IWMD Section - Alternative Agricultural Water Transfer Methods Grant Program - Adoption of Criteria Guidelines
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

STATE OF COLORADO
Colorado Water Conservation Board
Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman Street, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
wuu-. c~vcb. state. co. us
TO: Colorado Water Conservation Board Members
Bill Ritter, Jr.
Governor
FROM: Rick Brown, Chief
Intrastate Water Mana ement and Develo ment xarris D. Sherman
g p DNR Executive Director
DATE: Jariua 2J, 200e~ Jennifer L. Gimbel
CWCB Director
SUBJECT: A ends Item 21 Januar ~ 22-23 2008 Board Meetin Dan ivleAnhtfe
g ~ 3 ~ g~ CWCB Deputy Director
Alternative Agricultural Water Transfer Methods
Grant Program -Adoption of Criteria and Guidelines
Background
The 2007 Legislature approved the Colorado Water Conservation (CWCB) to develop a
competitive grant program to advance various agricultural transfer methods as alternatives to
permanent dry-up in the Arkansas and South Platte Basins. The authorizing legislation directed
the CWCB to work in consultation with the basin water users in developing the grant program
"design". Staff provided draft criteria and guidelines for implementing the program to the Board
in July and November 2007. The current draft which is attached to this memo is proposed for
adoption by the Board at the January meeting.
In developing the criteria and guidelines staff has meet with and exchange correspondence with a
Steering Committee of basin water interests that was formed to assist with the program "design".
The final document reflects changes that were recommended by the Board and Steering
Committee and these changes are shown in redline strikeout format.
Staff believes there are 2 outstanding points of discussion regarding the criteria and guidelines.
First, as drafted evaluation criterion 8 indicates that a proposed project/program would be more
favorably viewed if it provides a "perpetual" water supply for the intended end use of the water
(base demands, drought response/recovery etc.). Some Steering Committee members felt the
criterion should be changed with the word "reliable" substituted for "perpetual". Staff believes
that in order to advance a program to meet long-term needs of a new user(s) the water supply
identified in the proposes project/program should be perpetual. Second, there has been discussion
regarding the appropriateness of the use of funds for legal work. Staff believes the current
document allows the Board the flexibility to fund "appropriate" legal work to help address the
complex legal elements associated with water transfers.
Recommendations
Staff recommends adoption of the Criteria and Guidelines. Staff also requests that the Board
authorize staff to develop a grant application form.
Water Supply Protection • Watershed Protection & Flood bTitigation • Stream & Lake Protection • Water Supply Planning & Finance
Water Conservation & Drought Planning • Intrastate Water Management & Development