29a ‎(2)‎

• Board Meeting Date: 11/19/2008
• Description: CF Section - Referred Non-Reimbursable Investments - Alternative Agricultural Water Transfer Methods - Statewide Competitive grant Program
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

STATE OF COLORADO

Colorado Water Conservation Board

Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman Street, R oom 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: (303) 866 - 3441
Fax: (303) 866 - 4474
www.cwcb.state.co.us

Bill Ritter, Jr.
TO: CWCB Members
Governor

Harris D. Sherman
FROM: Todd Doherty
DNR Executive Director
Intrastate Water Management and Development Section

Jennifer L. Gimbel

CWCB Director
DATE: November 6 , 2008

Dan McAuliffe

CWCB Deputy Director
Agenda Item 29a , November 18 - 19, 2008 Board Meeting
SUBJECT:
Water Supply Planning and Finance Section

Referred Non - Reimbursable Investments
Alternative Agricultural Water Transfer Methods Statewide Co mpetitive
Grant Program

Introduction
The CWCB staff is requesting funding for the Alternative Agricultural Water Transfer
Methods Statewide Competitive Grant Program in the amount of $1,500,000 to continue the
support of critical projects and activities that advance methods providing for alternatives to
permanent transfer of agricultural water rights to urban areas for municipal and industrial uses.

Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Board request the General Assembly authorize $1,500,000 from the
Construction Fund to be appropriated to the Department of Natural Resources for allocation to
the CWCB to fund the Alternative Agricultural Water Transfer Methods Statewide
Competitive Grant Program.

Background
The 2007 Legislature approved the Colorad o 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 th e 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 benefits
including habitat, open space and helps to sustain rural communities and 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
- term reliable M&I water supplies while sustaining those
important rural agricultural dependent tow ns and economies.
Watershed Protection & Flood Mitigation er Supply Planning & Finance
Water Conservation & Drought Pla