Wetland Resource Group Meeting May 4 1993

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1. MINUTES - WETLANDS RESOURCE GROUP MEETING Tuesday, March 9,1993, 1:00 - 3:00 pm Colorado Department of Natural Resources Participants: Chris Pague, Robert Layng, Ed Pokorney, Don Smith, Jon Scherschligt, Jim Lutey, Kate Jones, Bob Crifasi, Terri Skadeland, Laurie Fisher, Kevin Lindahl, Mike Hart, Nancy Fishbein, Steve Dougherty, Peter Evans, and Susan Foster. Wetlands Mitigation Banking Report . Steve Dougherty has had meetings with Julie Kraus in the State Engineer's Office regarding wetlands mitigation banking as it relates to Colorado water law. An issue under discussion concerns circumstances under which the creation or enhancement of wetlands will require an augmentation plan. Will one be required if one is replacing wetlands on an acre -for -acre basis? The recent Senate Bill 120 requires that there be one when gravel mining exposes tributary groundwater. Will the State Engineer be involved if water is diverted to create a wetland? Mike Hart asked if you would be OK to diverting water you already have rights to, to create wetlands. What if you divert water from a corn crop to create another corn crop? If you divert water from a corn crop to create a willow wetland, you will be using more water. What then? Steve expressed concern that there might be potential conflict over issues like these. Not all wetlands creation and restoration activities expose groundwater. Julie Crowse thought those situations would not be in the jurisdiction of the water engineer. In summary, the State Engineer will review the mitigation banking concept in detail as it relates to the intent of Senate Bill 120. Wetland Ecology Field Workshops Four wetlands field workshops are scheduled during June and July. The first will be on June 13 in Steamboat Springs in cooperation with the Colorado Cattlemen's Association meeting. The second will be on June 21 in Breckenridge in cooperation with the Colorado Municipal League's conference. A third will be on July 28 in Gunnison and Crested Butte in cooperation with the Colorado Water Conference. The fourth will be in June in cooperation with the CSU cooperative extension and, hopefully, the Soil Conservation Service in the the Greeley and Ft. Morgan area. Susan Foster would like to know about individuals in those areas who can help to identify wetlands on public and private lands that can be used for field study and interpretation during the field workshops. She would also appreciate knowing about any newsletters that can carry announcements about the workshops.. Steve Dougherty suggested that the next WRG meeting focus on the content of the workshops. Page 1