BOARD00085

• Board Meeting Date: 11/23/1998
• Description: CF Section - Non-Reimbursable Construction Projects - Rio Grande Headwater Restoration Project
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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Colorado Water Conservation Board
Department of Natural Resources
721 Centennial Building
131 3 Sherman Street
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
fAX: [phone]

STATE OF COLORADO

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MEMORANDUM

Roy Romer
Governor
James S. Lochhead
Executive Director, ONR
Daries C. Lile, P.E.
Director, eWeB
Peter H. Evans
Acting Director, eweB

TO:

Colorado Water Conservation Board Members

FROM: Larry F. Lang ...f'V
DATE: November 16, 1998

SUBJECT: Agenda Item 25a, November 23-24, 1998 Board Meeting-
Rio Grande Headwater Restoration Project

INTRODUCTION

An application is presented to the Colorado Water Conservation Board by the Citizens
for San Luis Valley Water (CSL VW) for financial assistance for the preparation of a river
restoration plan known as the "Rio Grande Headwater Restoration Project" (Project).
CSL VW is applying to the Board for $200,000 in non-reimbursable planning funds, and
$50,000 in non-reimbursable funds for demonstration projects to address emergency
needs. These Board funds will be matched with $50,000 in local interest funds. The
project will address immediate/emergency river management issues and long term
planning issues in the development of the river restoration plan.

The San Luis Valley irrigation companies, water management districts, local
goyemments, and water and environmental interests find that CSL VW can best represent
their interests in the development of a river restoration and multi-objectiye management
plan.

The project reach will extend from Alamosa, Colorado upstream to the river's
headwaters, with a focus on engineering and environmental investigations on an eighty
(80) mile reach immediately upstream of the City of Alamosa, Colorado.

DISCUSSION

Overview
In the Board memorandum dated September 16, 1998, the project "Objectives" and
general "Scope of Services" were presented to the Board. A summary oyerview of the
"Objectives" and "Tasks" was presented by the interested parties within the September
16, 1998 memorandum. A general consensus of the project needs and issues was
gathered through public meetings which were hosted by the San Luis Valley Water