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<br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />Preface <br /> <br />Fiscal Year 1999 was a year of transition for the State of Colorado. Governor Owens took <br />office in January 1999 and shortly thereafter named Greg Walcher as the Executive Director of <br />the Department of Natural Resources. In February, the new Executive Director appointed me to <br />succeed the late Daries "Chuck" Lile as the Director of the Colorado Water Conservation Board <br />(CWCB). Last spring, I appointed Dan McAuliffe as my Deputy and Mike Serlet as Chief of the <br />CWCB's Water Supply Planning and Finance Program. These changes, together with three new <br />CWCB Board members, newly elected legislative leadership, and a comprehensive performance <br />audit by the Legislative Audit Committee continued to mold the future of the CWCB <br />Construction Fund Loan Program. <br /> <br />Following a 5-year period of significant improvement in the management and financial <br />integrity of the Construction Fund, the September 1998 performance audit suggested continued <br />opportunity to continue business-like administration of this essential program, With the eighteen <br />audit recommendations as a guide, the CWCB completed clarification of several program <br />policies in the areas offeasibility studies, collateral, loan collections, project time limits, and <br />creditworthiness analysis, These policies, together with additional support in project accounting <br />and contract compliance, have provided a new foundation layer to complement an experienced <br />and professional staff. <br /> <br /> <br />Despite the aforementioned policy, personnel, and administrative changes influencing the <br />Construction Fund Program, the existing staff maintained its high standard of customer service <br />that has been the hallmark of this very unique program over the recent years, Eighteen projects <br />were completed in FY99 worth more than $20 million in loans impacting over 80,000 acre feet <br />of water supplies. Additionally, almost $4 million in project planning and technical studies were <br />funded, and/or commenced, utilizing the resources available from the Construction Fund. <br /> <br />The Severance Tax Trust Fund Perpetual Base Account was needed again this year in <br />supplementing the Construction Fund as a new source of water supply project loan funds, As <br />Colorado grows, our water supply infrastructure will require continual improvement and the <br />potential harm associated with future droughts could increase rapidly. Our initial survey results <br />indicate that fewer than 5% of our communities, irrigation districts, and businesses have a <br />realistic plan for "surviving" a significant, sustained drought. The CWCB is initiating programs <br />to support local basin planning in each watershed and drought planning at the community level. <br />These programs are likely to identify many needs, ranging from education to new projects to <br />river channel restoration, that may depend upon state funding. <br /> <br />The funds available through the Severance Tax Trust Fund accounts are quickly being <br />appreciated by the CWCB and the water community as an important supplement to our <br />Construction Fund as we work with the Governor, the General Assembly, the Colorado Water <br />Congress and many others to meet Colorado's dramatically increasing needs. . <br /> <br />?~~ <br /> <br />Peter H. Evans <br />CWCB Director <br /> <br />CWCB FY99 Annual Report, page 3 <br />