Recreational Instream Flow Workshop Tanscription of Meeting Tape

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Eric Kuhn My question is what is the difference in the impact to the upstream county whether you are dealing with a recreation right that has a 1000 cfs, a power right that has a 1000 cfs. You know a right to I don't know um grow tomatoes for a I000cfs. Paul Zilis Well I think and I think my answer to that Eric Kuhn or an instream flow or a minimum in stream flow right Paul Zilis actually my answer was trying to address that Eric because a recreational water right can be established relatively easily and again you know um if Golden were to invest $300,000 in the kayak course, they can tie up the river for almost nothing. Eric Kuhn Well let me just be more specific I really think you have a good point, but I think you need to expand the issue. I think there are mountain counties like Clear Creek whose issues go beyond just this recreation instream you know the recreation right. I think the issue is, how are you going to preserve exchange opportunities as against any downstream significant right. Eric Kuhn Well it's an issue for mountain community Its an issue for any upstream community in any location whether the water right is for power or for recreation for minimum instream flows or for-anything else. And it's a it's a broader, what you raise is a broader issue than just recreation. I will say it may be chgaper to you to develop a recreational right by a little bit, then to build power right there. But you still have that issue that has to be addressed. Its Clear Creek that is you know my understanding with or without that instream flow or with or without that Golden right there. You know, there is not a lot of exchange opportunity upstream. Paul Zilis That's exactly right and again my point Eric goes to, you are right I mean it is a big issue but as far as recreational flow rights go I think its fairly easy to establish this if we are just going to decree them for the full amount and it takes away any of the exchange potential if they are going to take all the unappropriated water in the river. Eric Wilkinson One more question so we can stay on schedule. Patti? Patti Wells Just one a brief comment. One difference with a power right is I think almost all of this in this room have some kind of power interference contract with somebody. Where the power company will take your money instead of the water that you'd like to divert. Um. Out of priority against their power rights. So there is some way that you can economically deal with a downstream power right. Not always but often. Unidentified Speaker Patti that is not true at all you tell that to Eaele Grand and Summit County. That's been, the better part of thirty years developing alternatives because of the Shoshone. Patti Wells I am not saying its always true but it can sometimes be true. We have got contracts. Unidentified speaker Yet we don't have a power agenda. I mean Denver's the only one that has to deal with this. Eric Wilkinson with that I think uh I am down the agenda with Glen Porzak is going to be the next presenter and for the record Glen has handed me four documents. Uh "Local government response to the Colorado Water Conservation Board " and then two papers on the response to the thought piece that was