BOARD00870

• Board Meeting Date: 11/25/2002
• Description: Draft Summary Minutes and Record of Decisions - September 10-12, 2002
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

.8.

f41prellimately 509<' afthe amt~frl funds ayailable for mitigation af eldsting
water supply faeilHies will be set aside fer the pUfeflaSe ar aequisitiaR af HlStream flaw water
fights. Instream flow water right acquisition aJild river restoration project grants will be limited
to 25% of the total acquisition cost or project.cflllstruction cost respectively, up to a maximum
of $250,000. The project applicant must have tompleted a fully executed funding contract with
the CWCB within 2 years of the grant authoriz.ation by the CWCB, or the Board will consider
de-authorization of the grant.
PURPOSE: To establish an approval proce~s for instream flow and river restoration
construction project grants from the Fish and Wildlife Resources Fund.
APPLICABILITY: This policy and proce4ure applies to applications for instream flow or
river restoration construction project grants from the Fish and Wildlife Resources Fund.
PROCEDURE: Prior to a Board meeti*g, the CWCB staff will prepare for the Board's
consideration a summary of the technical, financial, and institutional characteristics of each
proposed instream flow water right appropriation or acquisition, river restoration feasibility
study or construction project. Each application will be reviewed for conformity with the
goals and objectives of the CWCB Strategic Plan. Grant applications will be considered only
in the following two categories:
1. The appropriation or acquisition of water rights for the purpose of
preserving or improving the natural environment to a reasonable
degree to mitigat~ the impact of an existing water facility.
2. River restoration' feasibility studies and construction projects that
are designed to d,irectly mitigate or significantly improve the
environmental impacts of existing water facilities.
The Board will consider and CWCB staff will evaluate and recommend to the Board
grant applications for appropriation or acquisition of water rights to be held by the Board
based on the following project types: .
. Instream flow water rights that assist ill the administration of compact-entitled waters,
or address problems relating to compact-entitled waters,
. Instream flow water rights that facilit~te the resolution offederal water rights issues,

and

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. Instream flow water rights that assist in the recovery of threatened or endangered
wildlife species or the conservation of existing wildlife species within riparian ecosystems.
The Board will consider and CWCB staff will evaluate and recommend to the Board
grant applications for river restoration feasibility studies and construction proi ects based on
the following: I
. Soundness of the project design, workjplan or plan of study,
. The need for the proposed project,
. The need for financial assistance.
. Financial, technical, or administrative ,participation or coordination by all affected
local govemments.
NOTE: Recognizing that future needs 1md responses to those needs cannot be
predicted with certainty, the Colorado Water Conservation Board reserves the right to
recommend for funding any instream flow acquisition, river restoration construction project,
or study that it determines is affeeted by woujd mitigate the effects of an existing water
supply facility and furthers the purposes of the Fish and Wildlife Resources Fund. .

The motion was seconded by Bob Burr and approved 9-0.
Flood Protection. Water Project Planning and ;Financing. Stream and Lake Protection
Water Supply Protection. Conservation Planning