Rio Grande Cooperative Project Approval Letter

• Contractor Name: San Luis Valley Irrigation District
• Contract Type: Loan
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Approval Letter

D N R COLORADO 1313 Sherman Street John Hickenlooper, Governor
Colorado Water Denver, CO 80203
CO
Robert Randall, DNR Executive Director
Conservation Board P [phone]
Department of Natural Resources F(303) 866-4474 James Eklund, CWCB Director
TO: Colorado Water Conservation Board Members
FROM: Kirk Russell, P.E., Finance Section Chief 114+1`
DATE: November 16-17, 2016 Board Meeting (Updated November 17, 2016)
AGENDA ITEM: 9d. 2017 Projects Bill
Large Water Project Financing Authorization
(2) Rio Grande Cooperative Project - Funding Increase
Introduction
In November of 2011, the CWCB Board recommended approval of a funding package of $30 million for
the Rio Grande Cooperative Project. This was subsequently placed in the CWCB Projects Bill SB12-165
and was signed by the Governor in 2012. The authorization included a loan for $10 million for the
improvements needed to the Beaver Park Reservoir, owned and operated by Colorado Parks and
Wildlife and was completed in 2015. In addition, a $5 million grant was awarded to the San Luis Valley
Irrigation District (District) to prepare final design plans for repairs needed at the Rio Grande Reservoir
and to fund the seepage control improvements. The authorization also included a $15 million loan-
grant for the repair of the outlet tunnel and spillway.
The District recently received approval of final design by the State Dam Safety Branch for the repairs.
This resulted in an increase in the engineer's estimate of total project cost. The District is requesting
an increase from the current $15 million loan-grant authorization to $25 million in loan-grant
authorization.
Staff Recommendation (Board approved Staff Recommendation on November 16, 2016)
Staff recommends the Board request the General Assembly to authorize an additional $10 million for a
total of $40 million funding package for the Rio Grande Cooperative Project. This increase will be
reflected in the 2017 CWCB Projects Bill as a $25 million loan-grant funding package to the San Luis
Valley Irrigation District's Rio Grande Reservoir Rehabilitation Project.
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Interstate Compact Compliance •Watershed Protection • Flood Planning a Mitigation • Stream a Lake Protection
Water Project Loans a Grants • Water Modeling • Conservation a Drought Planning • Water Supply Planning * *'
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