Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District Minutes September 15 2005

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SECWCD September 15, 2005 4 RECORD OF PROCEEDING Mr. George said the CWCB continues to struggle with making rules to deal with a new kind of water right for recreation. He spoke about recreational in- channel diversions. Mr. George reported earlier this week, CWCB held a hearing on rules, but won't reach a decision until later this year or early next year, depending on the shape of new legislation regarding RICDs. An attempt to clarify RICDs failed in the legislature earlier this year. Mr. George then discussed HB 1177 (Colorado Water for the 20 Century Act). He said a total of nine roundtables will meet, each appointing two members to a statewide Inter -basin Compact Committee. In the Arkansas Basin, each of the five water conservancy districts have one seat on the roundtable. The initial meetings of each group are organizational, with a complicated process outlined by the statute. Mr. George said that the Arkansas Basin is one of the toughest, how to match supply and demand, because all issues come to a head in the Arkansas Basin. Mr. George said each basin has its own page on the Web site. President Stealey recessed the meeting at 11:08 a.m., and reconvened at 11:20 a.m. CORPS OF ENGINEERS REPORT: Phil Boawn reported the Corps and the City of Florence signed a Feasibility Cost Sharing Agreement in 2004 in the amount of $898,000 to prepare a Section 205 Flood Control Study along Oak Creek in Florence, Colorado. The feasibility study is cost shared 50150 federal/non- federal. The proposed project will consist of a multi - purpose dam in the Oak Creek drainage. The Corps is preparing to conduct Geo- technical investigations at the proposed dam site prior to initiating the full feasibility study. Construction under the 205 Authority is shared 65 percent federal and 35 percent local. The federal share of project construction under the 205 Authority may not exceed $7,000,000. Mr. Boawn reported the Corps is preparing two Section 206 Environmental Restoration Studies along the lower Arkansas River. The Preliminary Restoration Plans (PRPs) are scheduled for completion in November 2005. The PRPs are prepared at full federal expense and establish the basis for further study of project features. Projects constructed under the 206 Authority are cost shared 65 percent federal and 35 percent non - federal. The federal share of a project constructed under the 206 Authority may not exceed $5,000,000. Colorado Parks and Recreation and the Colorado Department of Wildlife will jointly sponsor the first study, the John Martin Habitat Restoration Project. The project will cover two separate sites, one within the upper John Martin Reservoir above the conservation pool boundaries, the second below the Dam in the area around Lake Hasty. Mr. Boawn reported the second 206 Study is sponsored by Bent County. The proposed project area lies along a six -mile reach of the Arkansas River inside the Las Animas levees. Both projects will look at removal of non- native vegetation and restoration of native riverine habitat.