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<br />" <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Colorado Water Conservation Board <br />Tamarisk and Russian Olive Control Cost Sharing Grant Program <br />Guidance and Procedures <br />March 2009 <br /> <br />I. <br /> <br />Backaround <br /> <br />A. Introduction <br />The purpose of this Guidance and Procedures is to establish and describe the criteria <br />and competitive process for the issuance and administration of grants from the <br />Colorado Water Conservation Board ("Board" or "CWCB") for the Tamarisk and Russian <br />Olive ("TRO") Control Cost Sharing Grant Program. The Board is the state executive <br />branch agency responsible for state water policy and planning. The Board's mission is <br />to conserve, develop, protect, and manage Colorado's water for present and future <br />generations. Its major programs include Watershed Protection & Flood Mitigation, Water <br />Supply Protection, Water Supply Planning and Finance, Water Conservation and <br />Drought Planning, Stream and Lake Protection, Water Information, and Intrastate Water <br />Management and Development. Targeted control of invasive phreatophytes and <br />riparian restoration meets the objectives of many of these programs and is consistent <br />with the Board's overall mission. More information about the CWCB and its sections <br />can be found at http://cwcb.state.co.us. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />B. History <br />This grant program is intended to provide cost share assistance to eligible entities to <br />control and/or eradicate Tamarisk (also known as salt cedar) and/or Russian Olive <br />("TRO"), two woody invasive phreatophytes that have degraded the state's riparian <br />areas, restricted channel capacity thereby increasing flood risk, and resulted in <br />increased non-beneficial consumptive use of water. This grant program will meet needs <br />identified and prioritized in state approved, watershed based TRO control plans. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />The CWCB has had substantial involvement in developing a well planned strategy to <br />solve Colorado's TRO problem. In 2003 then Governor Owens issued Executive Order <br />0002-03 which directed the Colorado Department of Natural Resources ("DNR") and <br />the Colorado Department of Agriculture ("CDA"), and any other state agency"... to take <br />measures necessary to eradicate tamarisk on public lands within 10 years ... (and to) <br />submit a report ... outlining a viable plan". In January 2004 DNR submitted the required <br />plan to the Governor's office and it was accepted. The plan recommended a local <br />watershed based approach to TRO control, with the state providing technical assistance <br />and coordination. The CWCB took on this challenge for DNR and has been moving <br />ahead. In 2006 and 2007 CWCB funded a statewide mapping and inventorying of <br />TRO infestations. In 2007 the Colorado Headwaters Invasives Partnership (CHIP) plan <br />was completed for the Colorado, Gunnison, and Dolores rivers and endorsed by <br />Governor Ritter. Currently, companion plans for the Arkansas, Purgatoire, Republican, <br />South Platte, White, San Juan, and Yampa rivers are in various stages of completion. <br />All are being completed utilizing, in part, the prior mapping work and other grants for <br />technical assistance from the CWCS. On Oct. 11, 2006 the President signed the Salt <br />Cedar and Russian Olive Control Demonstration Act, PL 109-320. Sponsors included <br />Rep. Udall and Rep. Salazar, and Sen. Allard and Sen. Salazar. The Act authorizes <br /> <br />CWCB TRO Grant Guidance and Procedures <br /> <br />Page 1 <br />