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Platte Task Farce support team Aniie Castle, Aleaandra :Davis, Jim Hall, Jim C,ochhe-ad, <br />Jim iVl.iller aiid Di.ck Wolfe <br />Septembcr C, 2007 was the last meetin.g o.f the South. Platte Task Force. "I'he Task Farce <br />met six times over the past four months. The first bvvo meetaligs were detroted to <br />gatheri.ng public coniment, perception, and information regarding the well issues in the <br />South Platte. Durirlg the last forfr of the six meetijigs, the Task Force deliberated aver the <br />issues and a range nf propased recommendatiotts. i'Vl.atcrials provided to and revievved by <br />the '['ask Farce wcre contemporaneously posted on a Task Force web page on thc <br />Colorado Department o!'Agricult.u.rc web site, allowing all interestieci mem.bers of the <br />pu.biic access t.o the docuznents. <br />The Niembers were provided with a signifcant amount of iniornzation to absorb alid <br />u.nderstand i:n. a sharC period of tim.e. The 1Vlembers wor:kcd hard and diligently to discuss <br />patential solutions in theix efPart to achieve the objectives set forth in the Executive <br />Ordc:r. <br />Given th.at the root of the tivcll problems on the South Platte is simply that there is not <br />enougti water in most years to nieet all the watcr d.emand and decreed apprapriations, few <br />peopie expected a si.lver bullet to emerge .f:rom the Task Force discussions. :Further, the <br />various Members' theories regarding potential solutions raaiged from those seeking to <br />maintain the current sysi:r;ni with iio changes whatsoever to those seeking to institute an <br />entirely riew paradigi7a for distribution of water in Colorada. Thus, the idea that the Task <br />Force would reach consensus on an.y rccomm.endati.ons was not a g.iveii. H:owever, the <br />Task Force did agree to ten recommendations out of more than 20 suggested These are <br />incrcmental but important recoinmendations fihat cumulatively may provide some relief to <br />some well users and may help improve Colorado's water allocation ai}d distribution <br />systeni. <br />In additian, there were somc recommendations cansidered that did not gax-ner the 2113"`j <br />support required by the Ehecutive Order thai may provide legislators or policy makers <br />food for futu.re thought. :Por example, th.ere was a recommen.dation. :for the creation of a <br />South Platte Water Conservation Disirict. Sueh a district could provide an. entity ihat <br />would be charged with developing regional. soluti.ons. A full list of all the proposals <br />voted upon is attached to this letter. <br />Because there is no easy solution to the problems faced by well users on the South Platte, <br />sni1ie wel} users may be d.isappoin.ted that the Task Force did not determine a nieans by <br />which. thosc with curtailed wells could res«me pumpi.ng their well.s. Wc belie:ve, <br />however, th.at the Task .Force inembers strove to provide practical rccom.mendations <br />consistent with the di.rection ta provide some relief to wel.l users without injuring sinior <br />water rights. <br />'t'he fotlowing recommendations are hereby made by the South Platte River Basin <br />Task Force to the Gnvernor, the President of the Senate, the Speakcr of the House af <br />RepresentaYivis, and the Cliair of the tnteri.m Comrnittee on. VVatcr .Resources.