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Water Supply Reserve Account - Grant Application Form <br />Fonn Revised May 2007 <br />TNC in partnership with the RRWCD, DWR, and researchers at CSU has the technical and legal expertise to craft <br />contracts for the purposes described in this application and to ensure that the program is based on sound <br />science and reasonable expectations of achieving desired outcomes. TNC scientists and attorneys working <br />with project staff have reviewed the project concept and details and are confident that the program will be <br />legally and ecologically sound The letters of RRWCD, DWR, and CSU support letters attached to this <br />application attest to the confidence that these partners have in the proposed program. <br />Approximately 5-171,920 in matching funds are being provided for this program directly from the C'REP and EQIP <br />programs. Of these 5471,920, approximately 5396,600 are being provided by the US Department of <br />Agriculaire (5365, -100 for CREP at a rate of S1, 01 S acre for CREP and 531, 200 at a rate of $390.00 acre for° <br />EQIP) and S7.5,320 are being provided by the RRWC'D (S31,320 at O rate of S87 acre for ( REP and S44,000 <br />at a rate of 5550.acre for EQIP). The RRWCD fiends are raised.1rom an annual assessment placed on <br />irrigated acres in the RRWCD. The current annual assessment for this purpose is $5.50 per irrigated acre. In <br />addition, TNC staff has provided hundreds of hours of in-kind services over the last two years to identify an <br />effective and acceptable way, to work with the CREP and EQIP with the RRWCD and DWR, identify and <br />recruit landowners to participate, draft contracts for the incentives, and assure that the program will yield a <br />set of benefits for the different parties cooperating on this effort by researching what the benefits of the <br />program will be. Note that frgures are given in net present valne of cash flows for CREP because it is a I5- <br />year program but in real dollars for E( <br />21P beeazrse it is a .5-year program. <br />TNC' previously worked through the Colorado Water Trzrst to apply for funding for this project. from the Colorado <br />Department of Wildlife 's wetlands program. That application was not mccessfirl because of nncertaino, about <br />the possibility of zrnfzrnded curtailments closing the wells in question. Draft compliance rules published by the <br />Division of Water Resources at the end of'2007 included zones within which unfunded curtailments might be <br />ordered if the ,S'tate Engineer determined it was necessary. The wells described in this application are not in <br />the curtailment pones. Thus, the benefit of their retirement is highly unlikely if the incentives described in this <br />proposal are not available. As the program is innovative, other prospects for potential funding for the <br />program are not strong. TNCdoes not have other funds available for this project <br />Meeting Water Management Goals and Objectives and Identified Water Needs <br />The water activity meets six (6) of the water management objectives identified in the Statewide Water:S'npplyInitiative. <br />These are: sustainably meet agricultzrral demands; optimise existing and fzztzrre water supplies; enhance <br />recreational oppor°tzmities; provide for environmental enhancements; promote cost effectiveness; and comply <br />with all applicable laws, regulations, and water rights. <br />The water activity, promotes water conservation and efficiency by reducing groundwater extraction as part of larger <br />programs reducing groundwater extraction throughont the watershed. <br />The water activity will make water available for use in complying with the Republican River compact and settlement, <br />and will help in preserving other on-going, in-basin uses of water under the compact. <br />The Water Activity Addresses Issues of StateNvlde Value <br />8