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<br />State of Colorado, Department of Natural Resources <br />Water Conservation Board <br /> <br />, , <br />----------------------------------------------------~-------------------------------------- <br /> <br />Comments of Trout Unlimited regarding Instream Flow Program Activities <br />Submitted by Melinda Kassen, Colo!,ado Director, Western Water Project <br /> <br />----------------------------------------------------~-------------------------------------- <br /> <br />November 23-24, 1998 <br />Denver, CO <br /> <br />----------------------------------------------------~-------------------------------------- <br /> <br />Trout Unlimited is a national non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation, <br />protection and restoration of North America's trout and salmon fisheries and their <br />watersheds. TU has over 100,000 members organized into 450 chapters across the <br />, , <br />country, with 6,000 members and 26 chapters in Colorado. TV recently started a <br />Western Water Project, with pilot offices in Colorado and Montana, Working through <br />state legal systems for water allocation and protection of water quality, the Western <br />Water Project seeks to restore and maintain flows for healthy cold water fisheries and to <br />increase meaningful public participation in these state processes by those who value <br />conservation and ecosystem protection. TV appreciates the opportunity to submit the <br />following comments <br /> <br />Agenda Item 5: GOCO Long Range Plan <br /> <br />TU believes that Great Outdoors Colorado funding offers a tremendous opportunity for <br />the Board to energize the acquisition and donation of instream flows. Water is the <br />lifeblood for many GOCO ecosystem protection initiatives, whether the focus is wildlife <br />or open space, The Board is the only entity who can protect those water-dependent <br />systems through decreed instream flow rights. We urge the Board to embrace this <br />opportunity, <br /> <br />In order for the Board to work effectively with GOCO towards the shared goal of <br />protecting these environments, the Board needs to develop some basic tools to enable <br />donations to occur with lower transaction costs and higher efficiency. For example, the <br />Board needs to have available a model donation agreement so that potential sellers to <br />GOCO (and outright donors to the Board) have a better understanding early in the <br />process of who bears which responsibilities for the transfer. In addition, the Board, alone <br />or in conjunction with GOCO should prepare and distribute outreach materials to water <br />users who are potential sellers or donors, These materials would describe the Board's <br />donation program. The Board also needs to develop a priority list of reaches where a . <br />donation of a senior right would substantially protect the **fsr lle:qtli3itisR SRs\lld be env\~ <br />de:. elsJ3etl, so that the Board can focus its efforts strategically on those waters where the <br />need or opportunity is greatest. TV would be pleased to assist the Board in developing <br />these tools, and has already discussed with staff several ways in which we could help, <br />For example, we have begun discussions with CWCB staff, our local chapters, the <br />Division of Wildlife, and federal agencies about priority streams for instream flow <br />protection. <br />