BOARD01008

• Board Meeting Date: 1/27/2004
• Description: CWCB Director's Report
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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Environmental Group Releases Water Study: Western Resource Advocates has published a
snapshot of urban water use efficiency throughout the Southwest. Called "Smart Water: A
Comparative Study of Urban Water Use Efficiency Across the Southwest" the report inventories
water use efficiency practices and shows how they can be implemented.

Among the report's key findings:
o Variations in regional climate do not account for variations in metropolitan water use.
o Cities with the lowest consumption rates tend to use an aggressively tiered water rate
structure, where large water users bear a proportionate amount of the costs they inflict on
providers.
o Indoor water use can be significantly reduced without affecting quality oflife. Each
person represents a potential savings of 24 gallons per year.
o Outdoor use is the area of greatest potential savings; landscaping design and plant types
are the most critical factors-switching to 50 percent native landscaping in Denver's
yards could offset new water demand by as much as 80,000 acre-feet each year by 2045.
An acre-foot, or a football field of water one foot deep, is usually enough to supply a
household of four people for a year.
o Over 118,000 acre-feet is unaccounted for in water systems region-wide, through leaks,
improper metering, or other factors.

The report offers detailed recommendations and how-tos for addressing efficiency shortfalls, as
well as providing substantial city-by-city data. For more information, or to obtain a copy, please
visit www.westernresourceadvocates.orl!.

The report may help us because it buttresses many of the initiatives we began several years ago
including our GreenCo Best Management Practices guidelines for outdoor landscaping
conservation, our Technical Assistance to Covered Entities Initiative, our Drought Assessment
and the proposed changes to the Office of water Conservation statute.

New Streamlines: The State Engineer's OffIce has published the latest edition of Streamlines. It
can be found at httjJ:llwater.state.co.us/pubs/streamlines/streamlinesDec03.pdf.

Colorado River of Words Art and Poetry Contest: Each year, in affiliation with the Library of
Congress Center for the Book, the organization called "River of Words" conducts an
international poetry and art contest for youth on the theme of watersheds. The contest is designed
to help youth explore the natural and cultural history of their local watersheds and to express,
through poetry and art, what they discover. To learn about contest rules and guidelines, contact
www.riverofwords.org. The contest ends on February 15.

DARCA Annual Convention: The second armual meeting ofthe Ditch and Reservoir Company
Association will be held on Feb. 27 at the University of Northern Colorado. For more
information contact (970) 535-06790 or visit www.darca.orl!.

Water and Power Resources Development Authority Appointments: Governor Owens has
reappointed Bob Carlstrom and Jim Hokit to the Authority. Mr. Carlstrom, of Walden, serves as
a representative of the North Platte Drainage Basin and is a Republican. He is also Vice-Chair of
the Board. Mr. Hokit, of Montrose, serves as a representative of the Gunnison-Uncompahgre
Drainage Basin and as an individual experienced in planning and developing water projects. He
isalso a Republican. __

Salazar Announces Legislative Priorities: On Jan 5 Attorney General Ken Salazar armounced
his legislative agenda and priorities for consideration by the 2004 General Assembly. With
respect to water, the statement indicated that his two priorities are:

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