BOARD00180 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

. . . SECTION 11 creates a new account in the Construction Fund for loans to the , Colorado River and San Juan River Recovery Programs. This section is related to proposed federal legislation which will limit both state and federal financial commitments to the two endangered fish recovery programs for Colorado River fishes. This legislation is being prepared for introduction with broad support from the Colorado congressional delegation as well as the Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico delegations. This proposed legislation anticipated a $17 million contribution from the four states (collectively) and a matching contribution of $17 million from users of hydroelectric power produced at Colorado River Storage Project facilities. The electric power users have generally agreed to this proposal with the condition that their contribution can be structured in a way which does not require them to raise their electric rates. Therefore, the CWCB proposes to finance their $17 million contribution from this new account over a period 000 or 40 years at an interest rate favorable to the CWCB construction fund. The Board recommends a transfer of $2 million into this new account this year, with the understanding that is all the cash available at this time and that additional cash should be transferred into this account as its available during the next several years. The CWCB recommends legislative approval of this arrangement as a clear indication of the state's willingness to support the proposed federal legislative allocation and limitation of recovery program costs. SECTION 12 is the standard Safety Clause. A NEW SECTION will appropriate up to $90,000 for a geo-hyclrologic investigation of the Denver basin aquifers. The Board recommends that the state participate with the Denver Museum ofNatura1 History and U.S. Geological Survey to obtain a 2,000 core from the center of the Denver Basin aquifers near Kiowa in Elbert County and conduct a gee-hydrologic analysis. The core hole is part of a $467,000 three year National Science Foundation research proposal that will focus on the evolution of the Denver Basin and its landscapes. Drilling and coring of the 2-inch diameter hole is estimated to cost $170,000 and is planned to begin in 1999. The geo-hydrologic analysis will measure the specific yield, hydraulic conductivity, and porosity of 50 samples taken from the core. The results will develop a more quantitative understanding of the geometry and yield of the aquifers. 7