Directors Report 14F

• Board Meeting Date: 9/16/2008
• Description: Director's Report - Division of Wildlife
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

• Northern Integrated Supply Project (NISP) - a proposal by the Northern Colorado Water Conservation
District to construct two new off channel reservoirs in the Poudre River basin and the South Platte.
• Moffat Collection Project - a proposal by Denver Water to increase diversions through Moffat Tunnel
in conjunction with an expansion of Gross Reservoir.
• Halligan/Seaman - a proposed enlargement of two existing; reservoirs on North Fork Poudre River.
• Windy Gap Firming Project - a proposed new reservoir site near Carter Lake to store water from the
Windy Gap Project.
INSTREAM FLOW ACTIVITIES
• Data collection and analysis for three FERC Relicensin~; Projects for three existing EXCEL Energy
hydroelectric plants in Colorado -Ames, Tacoma and Cabin Creek. Staff is actively working under the
interagency MOU with DNR staff, CWCB staff, and Forest Service staff to come up with mitigation
alternatives other than federally imposed bypass flows.
• Data collection and analysis for the stakeholder group working on a management plan which would be an
alternative to Wiid and Scenic River Designation for the Colorado River from Pump House to Glenwood
Springs.
• Water Subcommittee participation in the planning for the Wildlife Conservation Summit Conference.
• In an effort to assist the CWCB in the implementation of its recently expanded acquisition authorities,
CDOW personnel have participated in a working group with The Nature Conservancy, Trout Unlimited,
Environmental Defense, the Colorado Water Trust, and the CWCB to develop a Streamflow Acquisition
Strategy for the State of Colorado.
• Continued data collection and analysis activities to support the CWCB's in-stream flow program; data is
being collected and analyzed for new and existing in-stream flow and natural lake level appropriations.
WATER QUALITY PROGRAM ACTIVITIES
• CDOW staff is preparing for the following Water Quality Control Commission hearings:
o Site-specific hearing for the Dolores River, Segment 3, near Rico, CO. This proposal would relax
standards for zinc and cadmium in Segment 3 of the Dolores River.
o Site-specific hearing for revisions to chlorophyll and pho~horus standards for Chatfield
Reservoir. Alternative proposals have been submitted by the Water Quality Control Division and
the Chatfield Watershed Authority. CDOW is evaluating the proposals in the context of the
recreational fishery and aquatic life use at Chatfield Reservoir.
o Issues Formulation Hearing for the 2009 South Platte Basin This is a rule making hearing to
review standards and temporary modifications. This hearings initiates a process that will
continue throughout the remainder of fall and winter culminating in a June 2009 rule making
hearing for the South Platte Basin.
• CDOW staff is evaluating the fishery data in the South Platte and Republican River Basins to provide a
first cut of recommendations for assignment of temperature standards, which will be implemented in the
2009 South Platte Hearing.
• CDOW staff is actively engaged in the following water-quality forum workgroups:
o Standards Framework,
0 303(d) Impaired Waters Listing Methodology,
o Nutrient Criteria, and
o Aquatic Life Use.
• Initial screening criteria for a risk assessment and triage process for invasive aquatic species.
• Improvements in the reporting and responding to spills of~ hazardous substances and fish kills.