RG Minutes Mar 11 08 Final 032808

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RGBRT 3/11/08 Make recommendations". Ray and Steve agreed it was a fascinating challenge. Steve made a case about growth and limits to growth. Lots of agreement around the state. Ray: Water is still a commodity. Discussion of water "policy" v. more direct process of identifying the problem before you can solve it. Tools for this are maybe not yet imagined. What message might this RT like us to carry back? Metro needs > impact on agriculture > irrigation on western slope in decline due to gobble up of housing. Recreation and environment people wanting more. Energy policy, food policy, transportation policy, land use policy.... Ray sees water following the path of least resistance. Travis made the case that policies affect the availability of options, ag transfer alternatives, current trends are still driven by economics. Ray: You can see why people want to get out of farming because of water. Nothing keeps people on the land like profit. We have a burgeoning regulatory environment -affects farming, immigration policy - whether a guy grows watermellons or alfalfa. Mike: water policy - set up some base parameters. Do we want to keep an ag economy, where should it be, once we figure out what's needed we can then figure out the policies to make that happen. Ray: Perhaps IBCC can start a discussion at higher levels to reset the course to affect how the pressures are applied. Mike: Do we allow growth (state politicians) given water pressures? No one has said so far whether to help or hinder growth. Policies or lack of policies reflect things that we all have concerns about. Steve: If you don't limit growth it's going to continue this way, ag is going to dry up. There's no answer to this. If the economy is based on new home starts, what's the outcome? There's no way to know. We're accused of being anti-city, anti American. Other participant: We've led a high life forever. If we want to see an ag economy let's protect the water we have before the Front Range takes it all... rules are "takings". We cannot stop people from moving to Denver. We are headed to disaster. JB: We could quit encouraging people moving to Denver. Doug: Steve and Ray did a great job - (applause). Fred: If ag becomes more profitable we're going to be able to hold our own. It's money and income which will buy and hold water. Fred made the case for more urbanization in the R.G. basin. Rio explained how land conservation efforts attempt to address these issues under the rules that we have. "I really appreciate your support." CWCB is going to proactivley put our money where our values are. Steve: The May 15 meeting will continue this discussion toward a consensus statement from our Roundtable to advise others. Mel Getz spoke of reservoirs and water storage and his personal story. Experiences with floods, droughts, and the need to store water. The importance of reservoirs and the need to keep water in big water years. Mel complimented this organization and its role in helping our reservoir companies to get them in shape. Travis: Thanked Mel, sating "I want you to know there HAS been progress. Travis thanked Mel and Camille for their huge efforts. 6. Presentation: Paatrick J. McDermott, Water Resources Engineer, Division of Water Resources. Hand out: Report on the Spring Run-off of the Rivers in the Rio Grande Basin, Colorado Division of Water Resources First time since `79 that we have this kind of snow coverage in this part of the state, with the highest March and April. McDermott gave SNOTEL sites summary. The Upper RG Basin is at 150% of normal. We expect snowpack to be high in high elevations, but now we're getting consistently high snowpack at all elevations. Rio Chama Basin is at 158% of normal. Southern end of the Valley in Conejos, La Jara Page3of5