7921

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 7921
• Author: Trembly, T. L. and G. A. Gould.
• Title: Opportunities To Protect Instream Flows In Colorado And Wyoming.
• USFW Year: 1987.
• USFW - Doc Type: Biological Report 87‎(10)‎,
• Copyright Material: NO

Colorado Water Conservation Board

The Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) is a 13-member board that is
empowered to promote conservation of waters in the State of Colorado in order
to secure the greatest use of such waters and the utmost prevention of floods
(CRS ~ 37-60-106).

The board consists of nine members appointed by the governor--four from
the Western Slope and five from the Eastern Slope--to represent the various
drainage basins set forth in the statutes (CRS ~ 37-60-104). The Executive
Director of the Department of Natural Resources, Attorney General, State
Engineer, and staff director of the CWCB are ex-officio members.

The duties of the board include a broad range of water resource project
planning and development functions within the statutory prescribed but
undefined concept of IIwater conservation.1I Additionally, the CWCB is the
exclusive State agency empowered by S.B.97 (1973), the State instream flow
program, to appropriate or acquire waters for instream flow purposes (CRS
9 37-60-101 through 104). Due to the varied water interests represented
throughout the State, the CWCB must carefully weigh the potential impacts to
a 11 water users before proceedi ng to request an appropri at i on for i nstream
flow purposes. The CWCB has a very close working relationship with the
Colorado Division of Wildlife, Attorney General, and the State Engineer when
pursuing an instream flow appropriation under the instream flow program.

Colorado Division of Wildlife

The Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW) is the State agency responsible
for management of Colorado's wildlife. The DOW is under the jurisdiction of
an eight-member commission appointed by the governor. Commissioners are
selected from four geographically defined districts (two from each) within the
State (CRS ~ 33-1-101 through 105).

The DOW plays an important role in the State1s instream flow program.
The DOW has an instream flow coordinator who works closely with the Colorado
Water Conservation Board in determining priority in the designation of instream
flows. The division maintains extensive data on aquatic life and conducts
surveys on waterbodies that may be considered for inclusion in the State's
instream flow program.

Colorado Water Resources and Power Development Authority

In 1981, the Colorado Legislature created the Colorado Water Resources
and Power Development Authority (CWRPA) for the purpose of initiating,
constructing, and operating State sponsored water resource conservation and
development projects (CRS ~ 39-95-102(1)).

The CWRPA is empowered to expend public funds for these water development
purposes (CRS S 29-95-102(2)) and to act as a bonding authority to provide
sufficient funds to carry out its responsibilities (CRS 9 37-95-109). It is
essent i ally an autonomous entity. It is not an agency of State government,
and it is not subject to administrative direction by any department,
commission, board, bureau, or agency of the State except as prescribed within
the statutes creating the CWRPA (CRS S 37-95-104(1)).
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