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Agenda Item _, Native Species Conservation Trust Fund Recommendations
<br />January 27 -28, 2009 Board Meeting
<br />Page 4 of 5
<br />storage that has not been contracted for). One -half of this amount is to be provided from other sources after 2012
<br />(10,825 AF). While negotiations on how to accomplish this are in- progress the most likely plan at present involves
<br />Redtop Ditch water rights held by the Northern Colorado WCD located along a tributary upstream of Granby
<br />Reservoir (5,412 AF) with the balance still hopefully coming out of Ruedi Reservoir. The CWCB will very likely
<br />be called upon to help fund this project given commitments made by the State at the time Ruedi was authorized for
<br />construction as part of the Fryinpan - Arkansas Project (State committed to pay for water that was not contracted for).
<br />The Redtop costs are estimated by Northern to be approximately $17 million. Ruedi costs are estimated at
<br />$1,300 /acre -foot, or about $7 million in capital costs at current levels. The west slope participants may want to take
<br />advantage of potential opportunities to reduce those costs. The 5,400 acre -feet in the 2012 agreement is currently
<br />set at $800 /acre -feet. This could reduce costs, particularly in the near term. Another option is to convert the 5,412
<br />west slope cost obligation to a non - reimbursable use of Ruedi water, in which case there will be no cost for the
<br />water. This would require federal legislation, which the State should seriously consider supporting.
<br />4. Colorado Division of Wildlife Recommendation: $4,000,000 SCTF O &MAccount
<br />The CDOW species conservation program is responsible for maintaining the health of 900+
<br />species. Currently the CDOW expends $7 million per year (excluding land acquisitions associated
<br />with species conservation) on species conservation work, concentrated on about fifty specific
<br />species. The CDOW species conservation projects are generally multi -year, ongoing projects.
<br />Funding is essential to their success. Therefore the CDOW proposes that $4.0 million of the O &M
<br />account funds be used to provide financing for CDOW species conservation
<br />Need to find out what CDOW is proposing, does it continue previous projects?
<br />a. Sagebrush- dependent species, including Gunnison Sage Grouse, Greater Sage Grouse,
<br />Columbian Sharp - Tailed Grouse, Gunnison Prairie Dog and others. Work includes enrolling ranches
<br />in Candidate Conservation Agreements with Assurances (CCAAs), regular ongoing monitoring of
<br />CCAAs, population inventories, habitat assessments, habitat management, translocations, genetic
<br />analyses, surveys and population research.
<br />b. South Platte River / Arkansas River Native Species, including plains minnow, brassy
<br />minnow, northern redbelly dace, common shiner, lake chub, suckermouth minnow, Arkansas darter,
<br />flathead chub, southern redbelly dace, and others. Work includes population inventories, genetic
<br />evaluation, population research, habitat assessments, habitat improvements, propagation, and
<br />population monitoring.
<br />c. Shortgrass prairie- dependent species, including Mountain Plover, black - tailed prairie dog,
<br />burrowing owl, swift fox, and others. Work includes research into chick survival, nest clearing in
<br />fields, population monitoring, population inventories, habitat inventories, development and
<br />implementation of management plans, cooperative programs with private landowners to advance
<br />agricultural practices that minimize adverse impacts to the species, and population research.
<br />5. Rio Grande Acquisitions: ($500,000)
<br />Need to find out what this is.
<br />Discussion
<br />The capital account currently contains adequate appropriated funds to meet the anticipated
<br />expenditures of the SJRIP through 2023. The UCRIP cost share obligation has been paid in full
<br />Flood Protection • Water Project Planning and Financing • Stream and Lake Protection
<br />Water Supply Protection • Conservation Planning
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