BOARD00422

• Board Meeting Date: 9/10/2002
• Description: Flood Section - State of Colorado Resolution in Support of the Corps of Engineers Proposed Salt Cedar Demonstration
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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STATE OF COLORADO

Colorado Water Conservation Board

Department of Natura! Resources
t3 t3 Shennan Street, Room 72\
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: (303) B66-344\
FAX: [phone]
www.cwcb.state.cQ.us

MEMORANDUM

Bill Owens
Governor

TO:
FROM:

GregE. Walcher
Executive Director

Colorado Water Conservation Board Members./
Larry Lang, Chief, Flood Protection /....(K/
Joe Busto, Flood Protection
Sandy Rayl, USACE Colorado Service Office
September 3, 2002
Agenda Item 17 - September 10-12, 20002 CWCB Meeting
Support for the Corps of Engineers Proposed Salt Cedar Demonstration Act of 2002

Rod Kuharich
CWCB Director

DATE:
SUBJECT:

Dan McAuliffe
Deputy Director

Introduction

U.S. Senators Pete Domenici (NM), Wayne Allard (CO), and Ben Nighthorse Campbell (CO)
introduced Senate Bill 2868 during the lO7'h Congress which directs the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
to carry out a research and demonstration program at federal expense to eradicate and control salt cedar
(tamarisk) and other nonnative phreatophytes. Senate Bill 2868 authorizes $10 million in Federal FY
2003 and such sums as may be necessary to carry out the program in FY2003-FY2007. The Bill caps
each demonstration project at $7,000,000 including planning, design, and implementation.

BiII Summary

In addition to the first year funding for projects along the Pecos River and Rio Grande in New
Mexico, SB 2868 provides for eight demonstration projects in the states of Texas, Utah, Arizona and
Colorado (two per state). SB 2868 requires consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary
of the Interior, the Governors of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas and Utah, tribal governments
and the heads of other federal, state and local agencies. As staff understands the Bill, the US Army
Corps of Engineers is directed to consult with institutions of higher education (e.g. Colorado State
University, Mesa State College) and nonprofit organizations that have been actively conducting
research on salt cedar control. The Bill states that project implementation is to be not less than 2 but not
more than 5 years long in order to determine the time period required for optimum use of the control
method. The Bill states that for multiple projects each state shall vary the control methods between
herbicides, mechanical means (chainsaw removal), bio control (goats or insects), and/or a combination
of control methods. Projects will be designed to measure costs and benefits associated with each control
method used, including water savings. After completion, each project shall be monitored or maintained
for not more than 5 years at a cost of not more than $100,000 per project.

Discussion

The board may recall that the salt cedar invasion downstream ofJohn Marin Reservoir was a
major issue regarding channel conveyance. The Corps Sandy Rayl has provided the CWCB with a copy

Flood Protection. Water Supply Planning and Finance. Stream and Lake Protection
Water Supply Protection. Conservation and Drought Planning