15d_Directors Report

• Board Meeting Date: 7/21/2009
• Description: Directors' Report - CWCB Director
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

COLORADO RIVER BASIN SALINITY CONTROL PROGRAM -
Reclamation conducted a
review of project applications to be funded with approximately $10 million from the federal stimulus
legislation. We are not privy to the results of that evaluation yet, however we do know that the
Uncompahgre Water Users Association was not one of the successful applicants. We have been working
with UVWUA and the Colorado River Water Conservation District to develop alternate funding plans to
accele rate salinity control implementation in the area.
The report required before initiating the new Basin States cost - sharing program has still not been
submitted to Congress by Interior in accordance with the authorizing legislation. We participated in
sendi ng a strongly worded letter to Reclamation explaining the urgency of getting the new program
started by mid August, or issuing a prompt extension of the existing Parallel Program. This issue is
particularly critical to the Colorado State Conservation Boar d which provides significant staffing to
administer the existing program and would also be the lead on the new Basin States Program. We have
been working with Comm. Stulp and his staff to make sure there is no gap in these important programs.
In addition we are working with a committee of the CRBSC Advisory Comm. to draft a new set of
procedures and guidelines for the Basin States Program in anticipation of the report getting submitted to
Congress. (Steve Miller)
U.S. - MEXICO NEGOTIATIONS -
U.S. - Mexico neg otiations are ongoing. As we have discussed
previously, the seven basin States representatives met with U.S. federal representatives, Mexican federal
representatives, and representatives of the Mexican states, on June 1, 2009, and we are pursuing a
worksh op in August, to further these negotiations. (Ted Kowalski)
UPPER COLORADO RIVER ALTERNATIVES STAKEHOLDER GROUP -
The Upper
Colorado River Alternatives Stakeholder Group continues to meet regarding alternatives to wild and
scenic designation. At the prese nt time, the BLM has requested that the Stakeholder Group submit its
proposal in September, but we may request additional time, per the Board’s direction, if necessary. (Ted
Kowalski)
GRAND JUNCTION BLM FIELD OFFICE PROPOSAL -
A group of stakeholders met in June
to explore alternatives to the Grand Junction BLM Field Office proposal to designate several segments of
the Colorado River, the Gunnison River, the Dolores River, Dominguez Creek, among others, as eligible
for wild and scenic designation. We agre ed to meet again and to explore hiring a facilitator for this
alternative process. This group is seeking funds from the CWCB wild and scenic fund, but given the
current budget crisis, we have not dedicated a specific amount of money to this process at thi s time.
Additional information is available at:
http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/etc/medialib/blm/co/field_offices/grand_junction_field/PDF.Par.3668.File.da
t/Final%20Wild%20and%20Scenic%20Eligibility%20Report%20original%20signature%20web.pdf
(Ted Kowalski)
CO LORADO RIVER WATER USE –
As of June 1, 2009, storage in the four major Upper Basin
reservoirs increased by 2,236,640 acre - feet and storage in the Lower Basin reservoirs decreased by
353,200 acre - feet during May 2009. Total system active storage as of June 1 was 33.941 million acre - feet
(MAF), or 57 percent of capacity, which is 1.438 MAF more than one year ago. (Upper Basin reservoirs
increased by 2.344 MAF, and Lower Basin reservoirs decreased by 0.906 MAF.)
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CWCB Director’s Report – July 21 - 22, 2009 – Crested Butte, CO