NPRTmin1 2 26 08

• Basin Roundtable: North Platte
• Title: North Platte Minutes 2/08
• Date: 2/26/2008
• Basin Roundtables - Doc Type: Minutes

North Platte Basin Roundtable Meeting Minutes 0226.08
It was asked if the board wants to bring up the possibility of some excess consumption
under the decree being available for state use if Wyoming and Nebraska were to approve.
It was stated that Wyoming and Nebraska won't allow that to happen.
Barb stated that we should focus on conservation, but that only goes part way.
Subdivisions should have to demonstrate a reliable domestic water supply before
approval. Could we have storage capacity augmented for recreation and multiple use.
Glade Reservoir is projected for the Fort Collins area, and water would be put in it during
run-off periods in the next 5 years. Is there thiiilcing out there to change Colorado water
law to provide water for the most beneficial use?
It was the general feeling of the members to not bring up the possibility of having some
allocated consumptive use in the North Platte that could possibly be available to the state
if could be approved under the decree. If an individual wanted to try to transfer their
consumptive water to the Front Range, the Jackson County Water Conservancy District
and state would probably fight this proposal under the provisions of the decree. The
Supreme Court decree equitably apportions the waters of the North Platte to Colorado,
Wyoming and Nebraska and probably could not increase the transfer of additional water
out of this Basin unless Wyoming and Nebraska would approve this increase in
transbasin diversion. An action to open the decree would have to be initiated by the State
of Colorado.
Barb suggested revisiting non-consumption in-stream flows for recreation. There is
currently a proposal by the CWCB and Jackson County Water Conservancy District to
hold off on proposing in-stream flow appropriations in North Park until the surface water
supply modeling effort is completed. It is a proposal to wait and see what water may be
available. This may take up to 2 years to complete. It was asked if the Roundtable will
still be meeting when this study is completed. Kent stated that it was his opinion that the
North Platte Basin Roundtable should continue to meet, even if there is not a state
mandate to do so.
Dave Meyring stated that he saw storage as the oiily possibility for conserving water.
There are few large sites lift and proposes several small storage units. Kincaid stated that
one year we over-stored. It is not lalown if people are ready for this change yet.
Jim Baller can see multiple use on smaller reservoirs.
Hal Hagen stated that economic growth does not necessarily mean population increase.
Kent stated that a professor at CSU asked if her students could sit in on the Roundtable
meetings for a class research project. The members said they had no objection to this
request.
The IBCC will hold its May meeting in North Parlc in conjunction with the May meeting
of the North Platte Basin Roundtable which will be held later in the day. The IBCC will
meet here in North Park on May 15, 2008 and there will be a North Platte Roundtable