Rio Grande - Rio Grande Initiative_BRT Approval Letter_2008

Home Browse Search

The requested WSRA monies will be a match to the Great Outdoors Colorado Trust Fund ~GOCO} Legacy Grant of $1.385 million for the R~o Gran~e Ir~~tia~~ve, which was awarded to RiGHT in Decer~~iber 2001. As the largest award in the state in this most recent grant cycle, the GOCO Legacy award includes a$2.385 million commitment from the Colorado Division of Ul~ildlife's GOCO funds, directly involving the CDOUI~ in this effort. GOCO's award will be matched by $2.9 million of cash match ~including the UI~SRA funds~ and $3.148 million of donated value from participating landowners. The funds will be used to purchase the development rights ~from willing landowners along the Rio Grande. It is the overall goal of the R~o Gran~e In~tiative to use these incentive-based methods to protect one-half of the intact private land, approximately 25,000 acres, with voluntary conservation easements. The Rio Grar~de Ir~i~~ative has been in development for a number of years as varioi~s planning efforts have proven the Rio ~rande and its water resources to be the top conservation priorityforthe area. The effort has involved the work of many RGRT members in the work of RiGHT and other key partners, including the San Luis Valley Wetlands Focus Area Committee and the national organizations of Ducks Unlimited and The Nature Conservancy. The Rio Grar~de Ir~i~~ative will make an ~mportant contribution towar~ achieving wa~er sustair~abili~y in the Rio Grande Basin. As discussed in this application, conserving key land parcels and theirseniorsurface water rights along the riverwill assist in sustaining historic water use patterns and river flows. These, in turn, suppor# the consurr~ptive uses of traditional agi^iculture, help maintain a functioning flood plain and its public safety benefits, assists the Colorado Division Engineer in meeting Colorado's Rio Grande Compact obligations, and assists in the ongoing effor#s to restore the Bas~n's aquifers. In addition, these conservation efforts will sustain important non-consumptive uses of water as addressed in ~rhe "Water Supply an~ Nee~s Repor~ for ~he Rio Grar~de Bas~n" ~SWSI} dated June 2006 and outlined in detail in this application. The R~o Gran~e Inr~rafive wi{I assist in ach~eving environmental goals through continuing historical vuater management and utilizing the concepts of "conserve, protect and restore", while preventing a future widening of the water supply gap for both non-consumptive and consumptive water needs on the river and basin-wide. By protecting the land and water along the Rio Grande, many opportur~ities for restoration, ecological enhancement, and management improvements are also possible far into the future. If these same lands were to be sub-divided and developed for residential purposes, ortheirwater rights changed to other uses, many community benefits and future opportunities will be lost. Colorado already has too many examples of poorly planned river corridordevelopment and communities are suffering the permanent effects of dewatered riparian areas. The success of the Rio Grar~~e Ini~~a~~ve will help direct growth and development into patterns that sustain the role of the Rio Grande, its water and its important economic and ecological functions forthe San Luis Valley communities and citizens of the State. Once again, I wish to emphasize thatthere is a deep-rooted suppor#forthe Rio Grar~~e lr~ltia~lve, as well as a sense of urgency, from all sectors in the RGRT. The Rio Gran~e Page 2 of 3