LEG00134

• Bill Number: HB91-1006
• Year: 1991
• Title: Concerning Authorization of Expenditures from the Colorado Water Conservation Board Construction Fund, and Relating to the Activities of the Colorado Water Conservation Board in Connection Therewith
• Legislation - Doc Type: Construction Fund Bill

'.

Durango West Water
Supply Project

$408,000
$408,000

SB 30-B8

$408,000
$408,000

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TOTAL

SECTION 4. Section 1 (4) of chapter 32, Session Laws of
Colorado 1987, is amended to read:

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Section 1. Project authorizations. (4) In addition to
the authorizations provided for in subsection (1) of this
section, the board is authorized to loan and grant to the
Conejos water conservancy district the total amount of five
hundred, thousand dollars ($500,000) for the district's
purchase from the United States of the existing Platoro
reservoir project. 'Notwithstanding the provisions of section
37-60-121 (1) (b) (IV), Colorado Revised Statutes, one hundred
thousano dollars ($100,000) of the' board's cost for the
existing l'latoro reservoir project shall be nonreimbursable in
recognition of the fact that the state shall receive the right
from the district to use a portion of the said reservoir's
storage capacity for the purposes of meeting Colorado's
obligations under the Rio Grande compact, as such compact is
set forth in section 37-66-101, Colorado Revised Statutes, and
maximizing the use of compact-allocated waters in Colorado.
The board shall not expend any moneys on the Platoro reservoir
project until the state engineer certifies to the board that
an operating agreement satisfactory to him for the state's use
of the reservoir for compact purposes has been agreed upon;
EXCEPT THAT THE BOARD MAY EXPEND UP TO FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS
($50,000) FROM THE LOAN PORTION OF THE TOTAL AUTHORIZATION FOR
PREPARATION OF AN OPERATIONAL MODEL AS THE BASIS FOR THE
OPERATING AGREEMENT. Said operating agreement sha 11 be
incorporated in the contract between the board and the
district. The l!xception set forth in this subsection (4) to
section 37-60-121 (1) (b) (IV), Colorado Revised Statutes, Is
necessitated by the terms of the Rio Grande compact as
ratified by the general assembly on, behalf of the citizens of
the state of Colorado. It is the intention of the general
assembly that the state's funding of the acquisition of
Platoro reservoir cannot be a factor in the administration of
the Rio Grande compact and the state's financial interest
shall not influence decisions concerning that administration.
Such funding shall not justify or otherwise validate any
limitation on Colorado's full use of its interstate
entitlement to the use of water under the Rio Grande compact,
including particularly, but not by way of limitation,
ColoradO'S ability to take advantage of the 100,000 acre-foot
allowable debit under Article VI of the Rio Grande compact.

SECTION 5. Section 1 (I) of chapter 37, Session Laws of
Colorado 19B9, is amended to read:

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PAGE 3-HOUSE BIll. 91-1006

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