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<br />storage agreement calls for releases of water in other CBT West Slope reservoirs to <br /> <br /> <br />maintain instream flows for fishing and aesthetic purposes.85 <br /> <br />A limited attempt was made--but defeated--in 1988 to amend the statute through <br />House Bill 1151. The proposed legislation would have required any entity transferring <br />"base water" out of a water conservancy district to "implement a plan for the protection of <br />beneficial uses of water within the conservancy district. . . (which] shall provide within the <br />conservancy district the same degree of protection as was provided by the district to the <br />natural basin of the Colorado River through subparagraph (IV) of this paragraph (b) (of <br />Colo. Rev. Stat., 37-45-118]." <br /> <br />Broader approaches at extending mitigation in Colorado were likewise defeated <br />during the 1990 session. House Bill 1210 would have required an applicant proposing to <br />transfer water from any basin in Colorado "to prevent or mitigate the harmful effects" and <br />"to compensate to a reasonable degree the compensation area for any unmitigated adverse <br />economic and environmental impacts in a manner and in an amount determined by the <br />water court." The bill defined compensation to include <br />(a) Aquisition of water rights... ; <br />(b) Fish and wildlife enhancement. . . ; <br />(c) Improvement of river-based recreation opportunities... ; <br />(d) Provision of alternative supplies of water to meet the future nlleds of <br />the basin of origin. . . ; and <br />(e) Construction or expansion of water and sewage treatment facilities." <br />The bill also would have required the use of the Colorado joint review process--which <br />provides a hearing forum in communities potentially affected by natural resources <br />developments..to assist the water court in determining appropriate compensation. <br /> <br />42 <br />