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Exhibit A <br /> Statement of Work <br /> WATER ACTIVITY NAME— <br /> Rio Grande Initiative:Haywood Ranch Conservation Easement <br /> GRANT RECIPIENT—Rio Grande Headwaters Land Trust <br /> FUNDING SOURCE-Basin and Statewide Accounts <br /> INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND <br /> The Rio Grande Initiative is a collaborative,community-based,landscape-scale effort to protect the land and <br /> water along the Rio Grande river corridor through voluntary,incentive-based,permanent conservation easements, <br /> with over 22,000 acres and 39 miles protected to date. The requested funds will be used by the Rio Grande <br /> Headwaters Land Trust for the acquisition of a conservation easement on an important,400-acre Rio Grande river <br /> corridor ranch in Rio Grande County.This conservation opportunity will directly protect senior surface water <br /> rights in order to help sustain the historic water use patterns along the Rio Grande,while securing the agricultural <br /> productivity as part of the economic base of the San Luis Valley,important wildlife habitat,the flood plain <br /> function of the river corridor,and beauty of the scenic landscape. This is accomplished through a willing- <br /> seller/willing-buyer process for a voluntary conservation easement,which is purchased through a bargain sale and <br /> includes a substantial charitable donation of value(approximately 35%)by the landowner.The Rio Grande <br /> Initiative provides vital benefits to both consumptive and non-consumptive water needs in the Rio Grande Basin <br /> and contributes to the overall goal of the Round Table to achieve water sustainability. <br /> OBJECTIVES <br /> As part of the overall Rio Grande Initiative, this project will permanently protect a 400-acre working ranch and <br /> its share of the#1 senior water right on the Rio Grande,in Rio Grande County,through the purchase of a <br /> voluntary conservation easement. <br /> TASKS <br /> TASK 1—Implementation <br /> Implementation of voluntary conservation easement on key 400-acre parcel of land on the Rio Grande corridor in Rio <br /> Grande County with associated senior water rights. WSRA funds will be used solely toward the acquisition of a <br /> conservation easement. All other related costs for personnel,due diligence,etc.will be borne by RiGHT,the <br /> landowner and/or other fenders so they are not documented in this application. The WSRA funds would be <br /> expended at closing on the conservation easement through a Title Company and only when all the due diligence is <br /> finalized,in a similar process to the prior WSRA awards. <br /> 1 <br />