06d

• Board Meeting Date: 5/20/2008
• Description: CWCB Director's Report
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

the CWCB's 2008 ISF appropriations, the streams being studied for potential 2009 ISF appropriations,
the ISF Acquisition Program, and ISF related legislation in 2008. Other presentations at the Rendezvous
addressed TU's Strategic Plan and updates on chapter activities. TU presented Linda Bassi with the 2008
Trout Conservation Award. TU members expressed enthusiasm for working together with the CWCB to
achieve stream protection goals. (Linda Bassi)
USGS l DWR/CWCB DIRECTOR'S COORDINATION MEETING - On March 31, 2008,
the Directors of the DWR, CWCB, and USGS Colorado Water Science Center met to discuss ongoing
cooperative efforts between the three entities. These meetings are held at least once a year with the
overall purpose of improving stream gaging and hydrologic science in Colorado. Items discussed
included the status of the USGS NSIP and Coop Streamgaging Programs; the status of ongoing or
completed cooperative projects including snowmelt timing, tracer technology, SNODAS and the
development of regional streamflow equations; as well as future projects and studies such as Denver basin
pumping optimization, Elkhead transit loss, and gridded sublimation estimates. Staff coordination and
training efforts were also discussed.
COST SHARING FOR ENDANGERED FISH RECOVERY PROGRAMS -Upper Colorado
and San Juan River Basins -Proposed 2008 Amendments to P.L. 106-932:
Members of Congress representing the States of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming have been
requested to co-sponsor amendments to P.L. 106-392 for the Upper Colorado and San Juan River Basin
endangered fish recovery programs that would:
increase the authorization for construction of capital projects by a total of $27 million, recognize
additional non-federal contributions of $56 million, and extend the authorized period for capital
construction to 2023 to cover rehabilitation, repair and replacement needs that may arise on the
more than $100 million of capital facilities that have been constructed and are now benefiting the
endangered fish species and providing Endangered Species Act (ESA) compliance, and
• continue annual base funding at current levels for the two programs.
Current authority for construction has been largely expended and ceases after FY 2010. P.L. 106-392
would provide Reclamation additional authority to replace, repair and rehabilitate, as needed,
approximately $100 million in capital facilities (fish passages, fish screens, flooded bottomlands habitat,
hatcheries, and a reservoir) constructed by the programs, ensure completion of facilities needed to achieve
recovery, and provide for protection of critical habitat. P.L.106-392 would also authorize the Bureau of
Reclamation to provide annual base funds from power revenues necessary for the successful
implementation of both recovery programs.
Unless reauthorized by Congress at current levels, the use of power revenues for annual base funding of
recovery program actions will decrease by 39% after fiscal year 201 1. Actions of the recovery programs
to date have provided Endangered Species Act (ESA) compliance for more than 1,600 Federal, tribal, and
non-Federal water projects depleting more than 3 million acre-feet of water per year in the Colorado and
San Juan river basins and no lawsuits have been filed on ESA compliance provided by the recovery
programs. (Randy Seaholrn)
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