Board Meeting

• Description: January 28-29,2013 Board Meeting Agenda
• Date: 1/29/2013
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Meeting

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BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
JAMES L. NEWBERRY
District I, Winter Park 80482
NANCY STUART
District II, Granby 80448
GARY BUMGARNER
District III, Krammling, 80459
December 18, 2012
Mr. John McCiow, Chairman of the Board
Colorado Water Conservation Board
1313 Sherman Street, Room 721
Denver, CO 80203
RECEIVED
DEC 19 2012
Colorado Waiter
Conserv9don Board
E -Mail: gmdctylOco.grand.co.us
PHONE: [phone]
Fax [phone] -M
LURLINE UNDERBRINK CURRAN
County Manager
ANTHONY J. DICOLA
County Attorney
RE: GRAND COUNTY WSRA APPLICATION FOR A NON - CONSUMPTIVE RECREATION PROJECT
TO BUILD GORE CANYON WHITEWATER PARK AT PUMPHOUSE ON COLORADO RIVER
Dear Chairman McClow and Members of the Board:
Representatives from Grand County, Colorado River Water Conservation District, Colorado Basin
Roundtable met with Director Russell George, CWCB staff (Jennifer Gimbel and Ted Kowalski) and the
Attorney Generars office on October 31. At that meeting, Grand County was asked by CWCB staff to
request that the pending application for Water Supply Reserve Account (WSRA) funds to construct the
Gore Canyon Whitewater Park be considered at the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB)
January 2013 board meeting rather than waiting until the next WSRA discussion at the March 2013
meeting.
The application for $ 100,000 basin and $400,000 state funds to construct the Gore Canyon Whitewater
Park at Pumphouse on the Upper Colorado River was originally submitted to staff in anticipation of the
September 2012 Board meeting. After learning of concerns expressed by staff, Grand County withdrew
the application in order to allow time for further discussion and better mutual understanding of the
project and other issues raised by staff. We all agreed on several steps to help clarify the issues that
have been raised and much progress has been made since then. We have attached a summary
addressing staff issues with proposed resolutions.
The CWCB Staff has stated that Grand County's project meets all the eligibility requirements as well as
all of the evaluation criteria outlined in the WSRA grant process. Yet, we understand the CWCB Board
and staff may still be hesitant because this would be the first whitewater park funded by WSRA funds.
Grand County requests that the members of the CWCB Board address the root questions that are at the
heart of the staffs concern regarding precedent:
• Are non - consumptive MWITWtional water projects an appropriate use of state funds?
• Will the CWCB Board approve a quaftfled WSRA application to fund construction of a RICD7
P.O. BOX 284 HOT SULPHUR SPRINGS CO 80451 -0284