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-2 - <br /> Discussion <br /> The CWCB relies upon sound technical investigations to appropriate, acquire, and protect instream flow <br /> water rights throughout the state. Due to a steady increase in water court matters, the workload for the <br /> CWCB staff responsible for the protection of the CWCB's existing instream flow water rights continues <br /> to grow. For example, resume review activities, including injury analyses that provide justification for <br /> filing of Statements of Opposition, requires significant staff resources. In addition, technical <br /> investigations are needed to process the acquisition of senior water rights and to provide technical <br /> support and expertise to change the decreed uses of the acquired water to instream flow use. <br /> Likewise, engineering and technical support services may be needed to conduct water availability <br /> analyses for streams on which the Board is considering appropriating new instream flow water rights. <br /> This includes determination of the amount of water that is physically available for the Board's <br /> appropriation by analyzing available gage records, diversion records, and call records, using available <br /> stream flow models, and developing stream flow models or utilizing appropriate standard methods to <br /> develop hydrographs to predict the natural (virgin) streamflows for each stream under consideration. <br /> Staff also relies on technical support services for database maintenance and development, and for the <br /> imaging, retrieval, and research of ISF documents. Furthermore, technical support is required on a <br /> seasonal basis to augment staff resources in the collection and analysis of field data. <br /> Recommendation <br /> • <br /> Staff recommends that the Finance Committee approve an appropriation of$50,000 in fiscal year <br /> 2010/2011 from the Construction Fund to the Colorado Water Conservation Board for the continued <br /> implementation of the long-range engineering and technical support services program. <br /> S <br /> Flood Protection•Water Project Planning and Finance•Stream and Lake Protection <br /> Water Supply Protection•Conservation Planning <br />