Second Draft Hermosa Creek Workgroup Final Report November 2 2009

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River Protection Group and Starting the HCW This unique community -based process was started by a regional initiative called the River Protection Workgroup ( "RPW'. The RPW was formed in late 2005 by the San Juan Citizens Alliance and the Southwestern Water Conservation Board in response to the San Juan Public Land Center's (USFS /BLM) Draft Land Management Plan which recommended certain segments of the areas' rivers and streams as suitable for the Wild and Scenic Rivers designation (WSR). These two organizations, which represent sometimes competing or conflicting interests, decided to address this contentious water issue by working together. They established an RPW Steering Committee and the members are: • Colorado Department of Natural Resources (Divisions e€ Wildlife a of Water Resources, and the Colorado Water Conservation Board); • San Juan Citizens Alliance (SJCA); • San Juan Public Lands Center (USFS /BLM); • Southern Ute Indian Tribe; • Southwestern Water Conservation District (SWCD); • Staff from the local offices of U.S. Senator Michael Bennet, U.S. Senator Mark Udall and U.S. Representative John Salazar; • Southwestern Water Conservation District (SWCD): • The Nature Conservancy; • Trout Unlimited - Five Rivers Chapter; and • Wilderness Support Center, a project of The Wilderness Society (TWS). Funding for the initiative comes from the State of Colorado and other sources including: • Southwestern Water Conservation District • San Juan Citizens Alliance • Trout Unlimited • Southern Ute Indian Tribe • National Forest Foundation (through SJCA) • CWCB End FY '07 and '08 Severance Tax; CWCB Project Fund 09 • The Wilderness Society ✓ (funding sources as of 10/09) There is an information sheet on the RPW project in Attachment A. Hermosa Creek Workgroup Final Report: Second Draft 11/21, )9 F;.Si0/28/09 3