Oct 14 08 South Platte Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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the fish as opposed to modify the flows. Two proposals from Northern now: one involves meeting requirements of Endangered Species on lower part of river to meet flow in Grand County in summer and fall: (Caroline: well received): and 2) negotiations to smooth course of events for Windy Gap firming project which involves Middle Park and Grand County to have the ability to pump and release some of the water: and to turn some of the water into a fn-in water supply for the County and to allow utilization of the water that was not in the original 1985 agreement. This will include reallocation of water. If we can reach this cooperation. the stream management plan «-111 meet those needs in the best practical way. State funds are available through WSRA: Grand County has applied. So we are looking for cooperative solution as opposed to litigation (WSRA funds cannot be used for litigation.) Taking steps forward and hopeful that combination of stream management plan and new era of cooperation with what we are ti ing to accomplish will go forward. Multi-purpose, multi-beneficial project. 6 pm: Dinner IV. Report by Yuma County on their Tamarisk eradication program - status and accomplishments of your Republican Basin salt cedar and Russian Olive eradication/control effort: Fred Raish --Fred Raish: Project: Started riparian improvement area, 2" d cousin to South Platte: started this project 2 years ago, started talking about it 4 years ago, finally going 1 year. Conservation districts from Yuma, Kit Carson, Washington Morgan Counties, Nature Conservancy, Republican River Water Conservancy District. $70,000 in bank to control Russian Olive, Tamarisk, Salt Cedar and dead wood in riparian areas of north, south Republican, Arikaree and tributaries. 33,000 acres of Russian Olive on Republican. Have not had time to map Arikeree, 20% more. Will pick contractor by end of the week, hope to start on north fork on November 15, hope to clear by March 15. Will have project done by end of summer 2009 on North Fork. Then'kvill proceed to South Fork. Nebraska, on Republican, talking about doing a joint deal. Kansas not willing to participate yet. Strategic plan completed but will be submitted to Kelly and CWCB in timely manner. 4-5 year time frame for first initial clean-up. Not necessarily weak management, riparian improvement in general. Doing some stream stabilization work as well. Bob Streeter: Please address pitfalls in process. Fred: Need to work with larger group has its challenges: communication between landowners and committee can be difficult. Yuma County has two factions that don't get along (Court house issue that happened 100 years ago... still there at every meeting.) Republican River problems, landowners not wanting to work with other landoNvners...trving to go beyond that. Thus, communication and funding main pitfalls. Bill Jerke: County and state government: how to get rid of deadivood0? Seriously, how to get rid of dead wood? Fred Raish: Piling it, chipping it into pellets perhaps. Getting groups to talk most important. And funding. Kelly Uling: Department of Agriculture. CO just formally entered into the Missouri River Coalition - 6 states. Focusing on endangered species. North Platte and South Platte Coalition. Funding: Act passed in 2006 that calls for initial appropriation of $20million and $15million for each year for life of act. $590,000 appropriated initially. This going toward series of assessments. This Act AN-111 not be funded, lame duck. Therefore, this Coalition is finding alternative sources. Water for America: under Bureau of Reclamation that will fund water projects-addresses endangered species. If Congress approves, there will be $39 million. There have been no requests for invasives. Used to be referred to as Water 2025 vis a vis water quality. Have studied Water for America Act (find it online) 10