Finance Committee Meeting 2008

• Board Meeting Date: 9/16/2008
• Description: Finance Sub-Committee Meeting September 16, 2008
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Meeting

STATE OF COLORADO
Colorado Water Conservation Board L„cows,.
Department of Natural Resources .ov lo,P`�,,
1313 Sherman Street,Room 721 ��.
Denver,Colorado 80203 C 0 -
Phone:[phone] ** *y
Fax:[phone] � *1876*a
www.cwcb.state.co.us i g 31 ' 4
TO: Colorado Water Conservation Board Members GGoovernoovernr,Jr.
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FROM: Joe Busto,Weather Modification Program Coordinator DNR x Sore Director
� DNR Executive Director
Watershed Protection and Flood Mitigation Section
Jennifer L.Gimbel
CWCB Director
DATE: July 31,2008
Dan McAuliffe
CWCB Deputy Director
SUBJECT: Non-Reimbursable Investments
CWCB Weather Modification Program—Water User Cost Share Assistance
Background
Through previous CWCB non-reimbursable investments, cloud seeding grants have been made available to
local entities for weather modification operations in Colorado. The CWCB provided$20,000 in 2004-05,
$60,000 in 2005-06, $75,000 in 2006-07, and$150,000 in 2007-08 for cloud seeding cost-share grants. CWCB
funding assists water conservancy districts, water conservation districts, and local governments with cloud
rya seeding programs, with an overall goal of increasing mountain snowpack and water yield. During the May
2008 CWCB meeting, Staff presented a Weather Modification Strategic Plan and the proposed funding request
was discussed. The CWCB funding will be used for an appropriate mix of grants to local entities for cloud
seeding operations, technical assistance and funding for equipment upgrades, studies, and program evaluations.
Discussion
Collaborative cloud seeding has been a highlight of the Colorado River Seven Basin States process and the
CWCB has agreements with and receives funding from three Lower Basin Water Users and the New Mexico
interstate Stream Commission. The agreements relate to grants for seeding operations, equipment upgrades,
scientific studies, and program evaluations. The Lower Basin Water Users provided$45,000 in 2005-06,
$57,000 in 2006-07, and$135,000 in 2007-08. If this collaboration continues the CWCB should receive
somewhere between$135,000 and$150,000 for winter 2008-09. In addition, a separate but similar agreement
was signed between the CWCB and New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission that provided$42,000 in
funding for seeding in southwestern Colorado. Current cloud seeding programs eligible for CWCB non-
reimbursable investments include: The San Juan Mountains Program(Southwestern WCD&others),Upper San
Miguel Basin Program(Southwestern WCD&others), Gunnison Watershed Program(Gunnison County&
others), Central Colorado Rockies (Denver Water), Central Rockies(Colorado Springs Utilities), and the Grand
Mesa Program(Water Enhancement Authority).
Staff Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Board request that the General assembly authorize $175,000 from the
Construction Fund to be appropriated to the CWCB Weather Modification Program to be used for non-
reimbursable investments to assist water providers in the development of Colorado weather modification
activities.
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Water Supply Protection•Watershed Protection&Flood Mitigation•Stream&Lake Protection•Water Supply Planning&Finance
Water Conservation&Drought Planning•Intrastate Water Management&Development