Draft Hermosa Creek Workgroup Meeting 16 Summary September 1 2009

• State: CO
• Basin: San Juan/Dolores
• Water Division: 7
• Date: 9/1/2009
• Author: River Protection Workgroup
• Title: Draft Hermosa Creek Workgroup Meeting 16 Summary September 1 2009
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Meeting

Hermosa Creek Workgroup
Meeting #16 Summary
Sept. 1, 2009
(draft)
Meeting summaries: The July meeting summary was approved with no
changes.
Update on the work of the Drafting Committee: Facilitator Marsha Porter -Norton
said the Drafting Committee — which consists of Mely Whiting, Ed Zink, Jeff
Widen, Meghan Maloney, Steve Fearn, Bruce Whitehead, Chuck Wanner, and
Thurman Wilson in an advisory capacity — has had a total of five meetings.
Marsha presented a handout on the agreements the Drafting Committee has
reached so far, entitled, "Report to the Hermosa Creek Workgroup for the 9/109
Meeting From the Drafting Committee ".
The committee has decided to move forward with Option 1, which entails working
to craft legislation that would provide land protection for the Hermosa Creek area
while leaving the question of water protection for later consideration. Marsha said
one key issue is the timing of when the legislation would be submitted. The River
Protection Workgroup ( "RPW ") Steering Committee is close to consensus on it,
while the Drafting Committee still has some issues to work out.
Steve Fearn reviewed the Drafting Committee's Report to the HCW.
Marsha said that as the committee began looking at water issues, including
possible Wild and Scenic Rivers ( "WSR ") designation and enhanced instream
flow ("ISF) protection, the broader question was raised of whether it would make
sense to address those issues from a basin -wide perspective. This would mean
waiting until the workgroups for the Animas River, Vallecito Creek and Pine
River, San Juan River, and Piedra River have completed their work. She said the
Hermosa Workgroup seems to have reached consensus on the land- related part
of the picture, but water is a more contentious issue. Are there areas in the basin
where it might make better sense to have a WSR than the Hermosa watershed?
Where are the communities most firmly behind the idea of preserving a river?
These are questions to be considered.
Marsha said it was decided after the input from the Hermosa Workgroup's last
meeting that it would be important to move forward on the land- protection
legislation as soon as possible. The goal is to have the legislation drafted by
November or December. The legislation would involve creating a wilderness area
within the Hermosa watershed, surrounded by some sort of special management
area (e.g., a National Conservation Area, National Research Area, etc.). The
boundaries of the special management area ( "SMA ") would be the geographic
boundaries of the Hermosa watershed, with adjustments based on existing uses
such as mineral - leasing and grazing. Bear Creek would be omitted. The