BOARD00607

• Board Meeting Date: 11/22/1999
• Description: Directors' Reports
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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Grand Valley Flood Control Meetings: On September 28, 1999, we attended a public hearing
regarding the flooding that was experienced in the Upper Grand Valley during July, August and e
September 1999. These flood events were the result of extreme, intense thunderstorms that battered the
area on a weekly basis.

The Grand Junction Drainage District, Mesa County, and landowners have made a formal request
to the CWCB for technical assistance to address the basin flood problems for Bosley and Douglas Wash.
Staff has recommended a Bosley Wash Feasibility Study in response to their request for assistance in
addressing the basin needs and issues - See Agenda Item 16e for details.

cRDSS Maintenance: The CWCB is implementing a CRDSS plan to maintain software and
hardware. Programming errors are corrected and the various water resource planning models are updated
when appropriate. New water data will be added to the central database at least armually. The plan also
includes maintaining a wide area network to key locations around the state. The DWR has role in the
maintenance program and receives a portion of the funds.

The funds allocated to CRDSS maintenance for FY 1999-2000 totaled $423,769 with the CWCB
receiving $207,539. The bulk of the funds are directed to three full time positions. Other CRDSS issues
relate to enhancing existing tools. These include the Division 5 Workbook that is used to administer the
Colorado River. This tool will be fully implemented by this coming irrigation season.

A consumptive use model has been developed by StateCU. This model was applied in all basins
with extensive review by the Upper Gunnison Water Conservancy District and the Division 4 office.
Based on these reviews and numerous connnents, additional features and enhancements are being added
to StateCU. Because of budget constraints and policy issues, not all of the recommendations may be
implemented. The District has said it would be interested in cost sharing activities to further enhance the
model.

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Finally, the maintenance program did not include provision for updating Western Slope irrigated
acreage. We presumed that irrigated acreage updates would be funded by other means, as irrigated
acreage is not solely needed by CRDSS. As a result, the refreshing of the irrigated acreage database for
the western slope is in progress; we have met with personnel ofDWR and the Bureau of Reclamation
about technical issues facing the database refresh. We are plarming to propose a cost sharing pilot project
to Reclamation that will be used to address their data needs as well as meeting our data requirements.

Central Valley Project: On November 10, Reclamation and the FWS armounced that they had
prepared the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement pursuant to the Central Valley Project
Improvement Act (CVPIA). The alternatives provide a variety of means for implementing the CVPIA.

CVPIA Criteria for Evaluating Water Management Plans Released: To meet the
requirements ofthe Central Valley Project Improvement Act (CVPIA) of 1992 and the Reclamation
Reform Act of 1982, Reclamation developed and published Criteria for Evaluating Water Conservation
Plans, dated April 30, 1993. In September 1996, Reclamation revised the document and renamed it the
Criteria for Evaluating Water Management Plans (Criteria). The Criteria is being revised again for 1999.

The draft 1999 Criteria was revised based on information provided during public scoping and
public review sessions held throughout Reclamation's Mid-Pacific (MP) Region. Reclamation will use
the Criteria to evaluate the adequacy of all water management plans developed by Central Valley Project ..
contractors. The Criteria was developed for the purpose of promoting the most efficient water use ..

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