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South Platte Lower River Group, Inc. <br /> 100 Broadway Plaza, Suite 12 <br /> Sterling, CO 80751 <br /> REQUEST FOR CWCB GRANT <br /> In 1995 a group of water user entities initiated a collaborative effort to address the water <br /> management needs and issues affecting the lower reach of the South Plate River in Colorado. This <br /> part of the South Platte River has become a focal point for water related issues including <br /> additional wetlands and wildlife habitat, threatened and endangered species in Nebraska, species <br /> of concern in Colorado,protection of existing water uses, and Colorado's compact entitlement. <br /> The group's effort is focused upon the evaluation of Colorado's compact entitlement on the South <br /> Platte River and the identification of possible projects and strategies that could secure those <br /> resources for Colorado's needs into the future. <br /> This group became incorporated as the South Platte Lower River Group (SPLRG)and involved a <br /> wide spectrum of users with interests in the lower South Platte River. The primary sponsors of <br /> the effort included the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District (NCW03), the Lower <br /> South Platte Water Conservancy District(LSPWCD), Groundwater Appropriators of the South <br /> Platte river(GASP), and the Platte River Project(PRP). This group worked closely with the <br /> Colorado Division of Wildlife(DOW), the Colorado Division of Water Resources (DWR), and <br /> various water users from the lower end of the river in organizing and initiating the effort. <br /> The SPLRG developed a scope of study that included the investigation, demonstration, and <br /> development of opportunities, locations, methods,criteria,and other facts necessary for capturing <br /> and retiming flows in the Lower South Platte River basin that are available to Colorado water <br /> users under the provisions of the South Platte River Compact. The opportunities and knowledge <br /> developed through this process are essential to protect existing uses of water and to meet new <br /> water needs such as improving streamflows, creating water supply, and developing water related <br /> habitat for wildlife. In order to accomplish the investigation, SPLRG requested and received a <br /> grant from the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB)for$75,000 and matched that <br /> amount with $ 20,000 from the primary sponsors of SPLRG. In addition to the monetary <br /> contributions,there has been a large component of in-kind services in the form of meetings, field <br /> investigations, donation and operation of equipment, and engineering expertise that have also <br /> helped the study push forward. These matching efforts provide an approximate contribution that <br /> exceeds$ 50,000. <br /> In the time since the beginning of the study, the SPLRG has also been able to obtain additional <br /> funding sources from the aquatic section of the Colorado Division of Wildlife and from a <br /> GOCO/Ducks unlimited matching wetlands grant for the development of habitat associated with a <br /> newly identified recharge project located at the Tamarack State Wildlife Area. SPLRG has also <br /> been involved in the selection of projects that provide wetland and waterfowl habitat along with <br />