11all

• Board Meeting Date: 7/22/2008
• Description: IWMD Section - Alternative Agricultural Water Transfer Methods - Arkansas River/South Platte River Competitive Grant Programs
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

Colorado Water Conservation Board
Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman Street, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
www.cwcb.state.co.us
T0: Board Members
FROM: Todd Doherty
DATE: July 12, 2008
SUBJECT: Agenda Item 11-July 22-23, 2008 Board Meeting
Bill Ritter, Jr.
Governor
Harris D. Sherman
DNR Executive Director
Jennifer L. Gimbel
CWCB Director
Dan McAuliffe
CWCB Deputy Director
Intrastate VVater Management and Development--
Alternative Agricultural Water Transfer Methods Grant Program
Staff Recommendation:
Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District:
• If the CWCB approves the applicant's analysis regarding the project's effects on
water and property rights (anti-trust analysis), staff recommends funding up to
$320,000 for the LAV~UCD Super Ditch Company project.
• Staff also recommends that the Board approve the applicant's revised scope of work.
Parker Water and Sanitation District:
Staff recommends funding up to $477,500 for the PWSD Lower South Platte
Irrigation Research and Demonstration Project.
Farmers Reservoir and Irrigation Company (FRICO):
• Staff recommends funding up to $202,500 for the Alternative Water Transfers in the
South Platte Basin using the FRICO System Project.
Back rg ound
The 2007 Legislature approved the Colorado Water Conservation (CWCB) to develop a
competitive grant program to advance various agricultural transfer methods as alternatives to
permanent dry-up in the Arkansas and South Platte Basins (authorized under SB 07-122). This
was in part a response to the increasing concern that the growing population and the associated
urbanization is resulting in record levels of agricultural land dry-up. The Statewide Water Supply
Initiative (SWSI) indicated that over 500,000 irrigated acres could be lost by 2030 with most of
those in the Arkansas and South Platte basins. Agricultural has many significant bene~ts
including habitat, open space and helps to sustain rural economies. Without a sustainable
agricultural industry many small rural communities could not survive. When the Legislature
approved this grant program, the goal was to further advance alternative methods to "buy and
dry" that provide long-term reliable M&I water supplies while sustaining those important rural
agricultural dependent towns and economies.
Water Supply Protection • Watershed Protection & Flood Mitigation • Stream & Lake Protection • Water Supply Planning & Finance
Water Conservation & Drought Planning • Intrastate Water Management & Development