Minutes June 10 08 Final ex mhg - Laserfiche WebLink

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RGBRT - June 10, 2007 Report of IBCC Representative: Mike G. explained to visitors that we have two reps who serve on the IBCC committee, Ray Wright and Steve Vandiver. Steve passed around notes on May 15 Meeting. Harris Sherman wanted IBCC to do a visioning exercise about how the State of Colorado should proceed regarding water supplies of the future and how the state should look at the water supply user, given different views, from Front Range municipalities to people on the North Platte. Extreme diversity on how people use water and consider water. The IBCC was charged to consider what Colorado would look like as transfers were made from agriculture to municipal use: effects; different ideas, strategies, approaches, to meet state needs for consumptive and nonconsumptive use. There were some thoughtful presentations involving Eric and others. Status quo is not what IBCC members want to see. If there is no "new" water available, Colorado going to have to convert current uses to other uses. We're not even sure we have much allocation left out of the Colorado compact. Future water decisions will increasingly involve reallocation of uses. We will have to try to be realistic, see what the future will bring with the potential of 3-7 million more people living in the state. You cannot control growth with water. What can we do to accommodate? "Have nots" going to take from the "haves" whether we like it or not. Doctrine of prior appropriation. Subject to the marketplace. So far, we have resisted raids in the Valley. How long can we continue to do that with ever more growth on the Front Range? Colorado is nearing its limits on appropriation and looking at other sources. If this is the reality, how can we do this with the least impact? A discussion has come out of this. Steve requested members of the Roundtable, to read this summary and be thoughtful, realistic, and pragmatic about how we are going to address these needs. Nobody knows effects of climate change, growth patterns, and energy issues. We cannot wait too long to address processes which are inevitable. Steve said he was committed to fight to keep water in the San Luis Valley. Nevertheless, developers are looking here... Eric -IBCC directs us to follow two parallel paths. Take strategies on page two, do evaluation, look at some what-ifs. Alternatives to agricultural transfers? Compact water? Broader solutions? IBCC members wanted to develop a vision statement for a Colorado water supply future, pulling information together. Making a draft statement for beginning of July. All struggling with these issues. Steve urges all to go to IBCC meetings. Mike Gibson led discussion on the role of the Roundtable, what we should be doing. We have 30 people here who want to be involved. Eric explained a two-step process - IBCC will send a document to RT in the beginning of July. IBCC wants feedback at their meeting August 27. On technical work, IBCC /CWCB do not want to be a top down process. It is a two to three year plan, working with RTs on a quarterly basis. Maybe asking for four meetings per year, on technical process, consumptive and nonconsumptive studies. Technical team SWSI needs local feedback, get SWSI team out here. Next meeting IBCC is August 27. Mike G - We might devote our August meeting to reviewing and responding to this. Other Business: (a) Mike G reported he had a letter from West Slope Roundtables re: possible joint RT meeting to address some common challenges. Suggest three people from each basin. He might be sending RT members an email re this. Please respond. (b) Mike discussed the Water Supply Reserve Account and the drawdown of the basin account - asked RT for feedback on policy re: future applications. Mike G. suggested Page 2 of 4