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-2 - <br /> Request for an exemption to Board Policy 13 <br /> Since the Board's target growth rate will be unmet this fiscal year, it is understood that there would be <br /> no funding for non-reimbursable grants as described under Policy 13. However, staff is requesting q g an <br /> exemption from this policy and recommends that funds be provided for the DWR Satellite Monitoring <br /> System. <br /> The requested exemption is due to the fact that Stream Gaging activities are critical to the mission of not <br /> only the State's water planning and water administrative agencies, but to all water users throughout the <br /> state. This combined with the fact that Congress has failed to adequately fund the USGS stream gaging <br /> programs has led to a crisis in Colorado where gages are either lost entirely or the cost of gages is passed <br /> on to cooperating entities who increasingly find it difficult if not impossible to pay the increased fees. <br /> On a number of occasions, CWCB and DWR have been able to step in and either take over critical gages <br /> or provide temporary operation and maintenance funds to keep gages running while other cooperators <br /> are pursued. Although Congress is well aware of the funding problems that the USGS is facing in both <br /> its Cooperative and National Streamflow Information Programs (CWP and NSIP), the current Federal <br /> budget does little to alleviate the problem. This year the Obama Administration has proposed a nominal <br /> $5 million increase to the NSIP and a 1.5 million increase to the CWP. It has been estimated that a fully <br /> functioning NSIP would require an annual appropriation of$110 million. In addition, the USGS would <br /> need another$95 million to restore its 50:50 cost share match with state, tribal and other non-federal <br /> entities. <br /> Recommendation <br /> • <br /> Staff recommends that the Board make an exemption to Policy 13 and appropriate $250,000 from the <br /> Construction fund to the Department of Natural Resources for allocation to the Division of Water <br /> Resources (DWR) to enhance, renovate, and replace the Data Collection Platforms in the existing <br /> satellite monitoring system (The details of the DWR Satellite Monitoring System funding request are <br /> explained in the attached memo from Scott Cuthbertson to Jennifer Gimbel dated August 11, 2009). <br /> • <br /> Flood Protection•Water Project Planning and Finance•Stream and Lake Protection <br /> Water Supply Protection•Conservation Planning <br />