Tamarack Plan Implementation and Governance Issues

• Description: related to the Platte River Endangered Species Partnership ‎( aka Platte River Cooperative Agreement [CA]; aka Platte River Recovery Implementation Program [PRRIP])‎
• State: CO
• Basin: South Platte
• Water Division: 1
• Title: Tamarack Plan Implementation and Governance Issue
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Contract/Agreement

15
APPENDIX 3
Land Use Arrangements
General. In order to develop the full amount of Colorado's water obligation to the Proposed Program, water
re-regulation facilities will have to be developed on both public and private lands. Each category of land
ownership and each type of water re-regulation project have strengths and weaknesses associated with their
acquisition, development, and operation within the Tamarack Plan. This section identifies those
characteristics that will be important in the ultimate formulation and design of the Tamarack Plan.
To date, most of the efforts to develop new projects that will contribute to the Tamarack Plan have been
associated with the public lands owned by the Colorado Division of Wildlife ("CDOW"). A significant
demonstration project at the Tamarack State Wildlife Area has been completed and has allowed the
participants the opportunity to discover many of the unique characteristics associated with developing and
operating a re-regulation project on CDOW property.
Efforts are now focused upon developing re-regulation projects on private lands with the expectation of
accumulating similar development and operating knowledge for this type of project. Again, this type of
information will be instrumental during the formulation of the remainder of what is to be the Tamarack Plan.
The following scenarios are intended as proposals to initiate and invite discussion on these issues.
Resolution of these issues is crucial to enable Colorado to participate in the basin-wide species program on
the Platte River.
Public Land Operations. There are two public agencies owning lands in the lower end of the South Platte
River that would be candidates for water re-regulation projects. The CDOW is the most obvious because of
the relative size of land holdings in the lower river and because of the recent experience at the Tamarack
SWA. In addition, the State Land Board holds at least one parcel of land that would be a potential
candidate.
Strengths. {To be developed}
Problems. {To be developed}
Contractual Issues. {To be developed. Use proposed agreement at Tamarack SWA as example—
see }