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To do sq the Conservancy must identify and target potentially harmful land use practices and <br />work with the watershed's counties and municipalities. The Conservancy has already begun to <br />take this approach with its storm water drainage program. Another focus is riparian areas. With <br />the help of local governments, the Conservancy is working to protect critical riparian lands. A <br />healthy riparian corridor plays a critical role in maintaining stream flows. The Conservancy is <br />researching potential funding sources that can be used to lease or purchase riparian areas and <br />their associated water rights where possible. Local government set-back regulations will be <br />reviewed and possible adaptations may be suggested. <br />The Conservancy must also pursue and foster relationships with local farmers and ranchers to <br />identify and encourage implementation of sustainable agricultural systems geared toward our <br />high altitude, semi-arid climate. This may include coordination of regional discussions about <br />sustainable practices (rotational grazing, nutrient cycling) providing finding to implement water <br />efficient irrigation systems (lining of ditches construction or protection of wetlands, <br />implementation of aquaculture systems), and identifying programs geared towards leasing <br />agricultural lands. <br />Continued education and outreach can help influence individual practices of water use. <br />Education/Outreach <br />Education and outreach is central to reaching the Conservancy's long-term goal of restoring <br />healthy stream flows to the Watersheds waterways. It is also recogiuzed as one of the most <br />powerful ways to effect positive change. Since 1997, the Conservancy has conducted education <br />programs with students of all ages throughout the Roaring Fork Valley. Educators teach students <br />about the ecological, chemical, plrysical, and cultural significance of local riparian areas. The <br />Conservancy works with over 25 school and civic groups from Aspen to Glenwood Springs and <br />is committed to a watershed-wide approach to education. <br />The Conservancy hopes to expand its adult education program to increase awareness about the <br />importance of xeriscaping, installing water and energy efficient resources, and generally using <br />water in a sustainable way. To do sq the Conservancy may partner with, and/or support, other <br />groups, such as the Colorado River Water Conservation District and American Leadership <br />Forum, to host adult-oriented forums on various water conservation and policy issues to inspire <br />interested public to take action and become involved in water quantity issues. <br />The Watershed Collaborative provides an ideal forum to reach a member of lc~lowledgeable, <br />interested, and influential entities in the Watershed. <br />Basin of Origin Mitigation <br />The Conservancy will look into future basin of origin nutigation bills and how they could help <br />with water issues in the basin. The last bill was narrowly defeated in the house 2004 Colorado <br />Legislative Session. h7 a decree for a water right that transfers water from one water division to <br />another, John Salazar's bill would have required a water judge to include conditions to ensure <br />that the present appropriation of water and prospective beneficial uses of water within the water <br />division from which the water is exported will not be impaired or increased in cost at the expense <br />of the water users in that division. The applicant for the decree must show that such exportation <br />is needed after the preparation of an integrated water supply and demand plan and after an <br />analysis of reasonable alternatives to such export. <br />Statewide Water Supply klitiative (SWSI) and House Bill 1177 <br />The Conservancy is closely following two statewide projects and will make information from the <br />Stream Flow Survey project available to decision makers. <br />51 <br />