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Water Project Construction Non-Reimbursable State Investment --Project Data Grantee: CWCB Project Name: Arkansas River Surface Water Rules Technical and Financial Assistance Project Type: Technical services and cost-share assistance to irrigators. County: Multiple Drainage Basin: Arkansas River Total Project Cost: $250,000 - $500,000 Funding Sources: CF CWCB Grant: $250,000 While increased agricultural efficiency is generally encouraged across the State as beneficial to water supply conditions, the environment and farm economics, the provisions of Article IV. D. of the Arkansas River Compact require that the potential increased consumptive use does not cause an increase to depletions of usable Stateline flows. The Colorado State Engineer (SEO) has determined there is a need to adopt rules to regulate and mitigate the effects of increasing agricultural water use efficiency in the Arkansas River Basin and has established an Advisory Committee to provide input on the proposed rules. It is expected that water users in the basin may need technical and financial assistance from the CWCB to address the impacts of compliance with the rules which will require specific measures to prevent potential Compact violations. To facilitate compliance with, and simplify enforcement of, those rules it is proposed that the CWCB provide technical and financial assistance to formulate and implement cost-effective means to comply with the rules. Specific activities the CWCB could fund incoordination with the Div. of Water Resources and local water user entities with $250,000 of available funding for technical and financial assistance might include: ~ Acquisition of additional measuring devices for irrigation delivery systems; ~ Compliance planning and recordkeeping; ~ Modeling and database development; ~ Development of cooperative agreements with federal farm agencies; ~ Initial funding that could be used for purchase or lease of replacement water and/or targeted land retirement. The specific technical and financial assistance activities and the eligible entities will be further detailed in conjunction with the Advisory Committee which will be meeting monthly through at least March 2009. CWCB and DWR staff, with input and guidance from the Committee, will formulate a detailed plan and eligibility criteria for use of these funds. This investment will help ensure the state remains incompliance with the Arkansas River Compact. Through the financial and technical assistance, we can simplify and expedite voluntary compliance with the new rules once they are promulgated, thereby reducing the potential for litigation and enforcement expenses. At the same time this assistance will help promote more efficient irrigation water use in ways that do not create Compact compliance issues.