Rio Grande - Rio Grande Initiative_Application_2008

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. the function of the river's flood plain; . the function and health of the riparian corridor vegetation and wetlands; . the viability of the farms and ranches on the river corridor; . the health and viability of the many wildlife species (including endangered species) dependent upon the river corridor; . reducing impacts of ground water pumping on surface rights; and . the ability to administer the Rio Grande and its Compact effectively to the benefit of Colorado Rather than develop water use in new ways, this project seeks to keep historic water use patterns in place, through voluntary, incentive-based means, in order to achieve the above benefits. The overall Rio Grande Initiative encompasses the private lands along the entire Rio Grande corridor in Colorado-- encompassing four counties. Rio Grande Initiative mapping identified all parcels 80 acres and larger in the floodplain, totaling approximately 54,000 acres, in this reach. Our overall project target is 25,000 acres of protected land and water, through voluntary, incentive based means. The WSRA funds will be used to acquire the development rights on four of the top priority conservation easements within the overall project, based upon funds awarded, water rights importance, biological importance, and agricultural viability of the parcels. As noted, the specific parcels are not identified in this application to protect the privacy of the landowners and negotiations in progress. With the assistance of the CDWR personnel in the Division 3 office, we roughly estimate that the ranches we plan to protect with the assistance ofWSRA funds divert approximately 4500 acre feet of water annually from the Rio Grande, much of it with senior priorities. Through permanent protection of key land and senior water rights, water availability will continue in its historic patterns, and the expected effect of this project is to sustain the above benefits, subject to the natural range of hydrologic variation overtime. 7. Please provide a brief narrative of any related or relevant previous studies. Numerous studies have identified the Rio Grande as a priority for conservation. These include: . RiGHT's Strategic Conservation Inventory and Plan (SCIP), as cited above, showing that protection of the Rio Grande ranked as the #1 priority for San Luis Valley residents. Every ecological study of this region includes the Rio Grande riparian corridor as a priority area. These include: . The Nature Conservancy's Ecoregional Study . the Audubon Society (recently naming the Rio Grande as a national priority) . Ducks Unlimited (the SLV is one of two priority areas in Colorado) . Southern Rockies Ecosystem Project . Colorado Natural Heritage Program (CNHP-which has several Priority Conservation Areas along the river-and many more would be likely identified if they gain additional access to private lands) . Colorado Cooperative Priorities Project . Numerous national and international bird conservation plans Page 29 of 32 Rio Grande Initiative Janual'Y 2008