Water News: Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District Volume 2 Issue 15

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Arkansas Valley Assista�, e for Water Conduit Continues to 1Ylove FForward Forward The The Arkansas Valley Conduit The Water Conservation Act of 2004, adopted by the 2004 process is continuing to make pro- Colorado General Assembly under House Bill 04 -1365, created a gress as the summer moves along. mechanism for the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) On the legislative side, the House of to provide financial assistance to covered entities that are seeking Representatives approved the Water to develop or update their Water Conservation Plans. Resources and Development Act Any covered entity, or soon to be covered entity, is eligible to (WRDA) legislation that contains apply for and receive grant monies from the CWCB. A covered $69 million for the conduit. This entity would be any entity that sells more that 2,000 acre -feet of piece of legislation is now on the water for non - agricultural or instream uses. This would likely in- Senate side awaiting hearings. Con- clude municipalities and special districts that serve more than gresswoman Musgrave designated 8,000 people. Some municipalities and special districts that serve $35 million, and Congressman Sala- few people, but have sizable industrial or commercial customers, zar designated $34 million in the may also be eligible. WRDA bill for the conduit pro -cess. The grant should be used to develop a Water Conservation We are hoping to see the Senate Plan in accordance with state requirements. The requirements in- move the bill through after dealing clude the following: with the Supreme Court Justice . Consideration of, at a minimum, nine water - saving mea- hearings and the Katrina hurricane sures and programs. relief. • A section stating the entity's best judgment of the role of Also this summer, the Advisory Water Conservation Plans in the entity's water supply Committee recommended to the En- planning. terprise Board that the preliminary . The steps the entity used to develop, and will use to imple- design begin. After discussion, it ment, monitor, review, and revise its Water Conservation was agreed that there is still a need Plan. for answers to several vital issues . The time period, not to exceed seven years, after which the before moving to the preliminary entity will review and update its adopted plan. Either as a design phase. Therefore, the Board percentage or in acre -foot increments, an estimate of the recommended, and the Advisory amount of water that has been saved through a previously Committee agreed to undertake an implemented conservation plan and an estimate of the investigation study to answer these amount of water that will be saved through conservation questions. The group worked on de- when the plan is implemented. fining the still outstanding issues and a request for proposal (RFP) Grant applications will be accepted by the CWCB in Novem- will be issued in late September to ber and December 2005. The grant awards will be made in March hire an engineering firm to answer 2006 at the CWCB Board meeting. the questions and refine the issues An integral part of the Southeastern Colorado Water Conser- prior to preliminary design. vancy District's own Water Conservation Plan is to provide tech - In an act of solidarity, the Lower nical assistance to those entities that are seeking to apply for Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy grants to develop a new or improve upon an existing Water Con - District voted to provide $50,000 servation Plan. It is the District's hope that new or improved Wa- towards the study. This will com- ter Conservation Plans will ultimately lead to more meaningful bine with the participants and the water conservation at the local level. For assistance or informa- District's contributions to pay for tion, please contact Jean Van Pelt at the District office, 719-948 - the study that is expected to be com- 2023. Written by Jean Van Pelt, Conservation Outreach pleted by May 31, 2006. Written by Coordinator Phil Reynolds, Director of Finance & Projects 9