Arkansas - Upper Ark WCD Hydrologic Water Balance Study_Application

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Water Supply Reserve Account- Grant Application Form Form Revised May 2007 Climate change impacts are assumed to be increased temperature in Colorado, and earlier onset of stream flow from melting snow, according to the Colorado Climate Change Report (CWCB 2008). The window of opportunity is related to the USGS commitment to fund -33% of the project. Each year, the USGS Colorado Water Science Center makes an initial allocation of 75% to 90% of federal matching funds that have been earmarked for hydrologic investigations. The initial allocation is sub-allocated to various sections within the State and each section generally has until December 31 to finalize cooperative funding agreements associated with this initial allocation. If funding agreements have not been finalized by December 31, the uncommitted federal matching funds go back into a general pot for other projects waiting for funding. USGS internal planning provides some flexibility regarding project start dates. For instance, if firm dates regarding cooperative funding agreements can be demonstrated, then the local USGS manager can request an extension beyond December 31 and, if granted, can hold those funds for a few more months. The Pueblo USGS project manager must work with Denver to justify holding funds for this study and not allowing others access to money. There are no guarantees without executed funding agreements. By awarding WSRA funds for this March 2009 grant cycle, CWCB will leverage -33% of the study costs and secure USGS federal matching funds for the Phase II and Phase III in the Upper Arkansas basin. Additional windows of opportunity relate to timing of other CWCB and UAWCD projects, including: • UAWCD's -$815,000 structural water project consisting of 15 automated data collection platforms at its six high mountain reservoirs and at nine stream locations implemented with funds including -$285,000 each from BOR and WSRA; the new dcps substantially improve the areal extent of data collection points in the study area, specifically at high elevations reservoirs and on high mountain tributaries that have never been gaged. The Colorado State University three year 2009-2011 project funded by WSRA at $875,000 for "Data Collection and Assessment in Support of Improved Water Management in the Arkansas River Basin" to gather data needed to implement the Arkansas Basin DSS; on January 12-13, 2009, UAWCD and USGS conducted field reconnaissance in the study area with CSU to jointly select locations for CSU's flow measurements at 8-12 additional streams and canals, CSU's -30 new alluvial wells, and CSU irrigation canal data collection points. Joint decision-making ensures that data will be collected at points appropriate for both CSU and the hydrological water balance study. • The CWCB 2009 Scope of Work for a Feasibility Study for an Arkansas River Decision Support System for a nine-month 2009 project to assess data needs and data gaps by conducting -30 interviews with water resource managers and others; the study will allow for precise identification of data needs, especially region-specific spatial delineation of data gaps. e. The length of time needed to implement the water activity; preference will be given to activities which can be implemented in the least amount of time taking into consideration the complexity of the activity. Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District (UAWCD) Page 14 of 42