Rio Grande - Rio Grande Initiative_Water Activity Summary_2008

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Discussion: As you may recall from the September 2007 CWCB meeting, this application did not receive the necessary votes to be awarded the grant. Since that time, several key events occurred: The applicant addressed nearly all of staff’s concerns identified in the September 2007 Water ? Activity Summary Sheet; At the January 8, 2008 Rio Grande BRT meeting, the members voted unanimously to request ? funding from WSRA funding; and To emphasize the community’s commitment to this project, the BRT is requesting $200,000 ? from the Rio Grande Basin Account. Aside from the projects’ key partners (Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust, San Luis Valley Wetlands Focus Area Committee, Ducks Unlimited and The Nature Conservancy), the applicant emphasized deep-rooted support for the Rio Grande Initiative, as well as a sense of urgency, from all sectors in the RGRT, from all four counties, from representatives of the Basin’s water districts and water users associations, as well as from farmers, ranchers, environmentalists, and landowners. Through their portion of the GOCO Legacy Grant, the CDOW is directly partnering on two parcels that are of prime importance to them, in the reach between Monte Vista and Alamosa. At the same time, a project of this landscape-scale is only possible through broad based participation and diverse support in the local community, and beyond. In addition to the support of Rio Grande Basin Round Table and allocation of $200,000 of Basin funds toward this application, the project has garnered support from both traditional consumptive water interests (including matching funds from the Rio Grande Water Conservation District, and support from all major water districts, water users organizations, and the CDWR) and nonconsumptive interests (such as the CDOW, USFWS, USFS, BLM, NRCS and others), all of whom see the importance and effectiveness of this contribution to addressing the intrabasin needs. The extensive support for this project is demonstrated by the supporting votes of all four Boards of County Commissioners in the project area and support and participation from the following local, state and federal governmental entities, districts and agencies, as well as local, state and national conservation organizations: Mineral County* USFWS- Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge* Rio Grande County* SLV Chapter of Trout Unlimited* Alamosa County * Conejos Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Conejos County* Federation* Rio Grande Water Conservation District* Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust Rio Grande Basin Roundtable* Trust for Public Land Colorado State Land Office* The Conservation Fund Colorado Division of Wildlife* San Luis Valley National Heritage Area Colorado Rio Grande Headwaters Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Restoration Foundation* SLV Water Conservancy District* Southern Rockies Ecosystem Project Division Engineer, Division 3, CDWR* CSU Extension Service SLV Watershed Association of U.S. Forest Service* Conservation Districts* Bureau of Land Management* Rio Grande Water Users Association* Silver Thread Scenic Byway* State Senator Gail Schwartz* Natural Resources Conservation Service* Representative Rafael Gallegos* * Letter of Support attached - 3 -