BOARD01014

• Board Meeting Date: 9/22/1988
• Description: CWCB Meeting
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Meeting

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Appointed Legislators. HJR 1001
August 29. 1988
Page three

In light of the priority of these items. the Board is of
the opinion that only the latter three can be interrupted for
the HJR 1001 study. This will. however. provide only a minimal
amount of staff time. Thus. the Board believes that oniy one
area can be addressed if the sUbject study is to be well done
and accomplished by January 15. 1989.

In considering which topics to select for study, the
individual issues which were raised at the July 14 pUblic forum
on state water pOlicy and which were specifically enumerated in
HJR 1001 were grouped into several categories. The Board's
observations about each of these categories are set forth in
the enclosure.

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Based upon those observations. and in consideration of
staffing and time constraints. the Board believes that the
category described in the enclosure as "Recognition of Values
Impacted by Water Diversions" constitutes the area which the
HJR 1001 study should address. The Board proposes that the
study summarize how our current water rights system works;
define the extent to which water uses and values impacted by
diversions (e.g.. instream flows. water quality. basins of
origin. recreation. etc.) are accounted for by that system;
analyze how local. state. and federal governments address such
uses and values through regulatory actions or other constraints
on the exercise of water rights; and refine the statement of
issues arising from these circumstances.

While many. the Board included. firmly believe that
Colorado's water rights system and water pOlicies have served
the state well. there undeniably is a wide divergence of
opinion and intense pUblic debate about so-called "public
interest" values and regulatory processes to account therefor.
Thus far. discussion of these issues has been fragmented and
unfocused--even ill-informed. The Board believes that bringing
these issues into perspective and providing an informed
framework for their further discussion would be time
well-spent. The proposed study would seek to provide such an
overview.

Representative Dan Williams suggested that the Board meet
jointly with you eight legislators to discuss how to respond to
HJR 1001. The Board would be pleased to do so. We suggest
that this be done on Thursday. september 22. at our next
regular meeting. which is alreadY scheduled to be held at the
state capitol in a heaiing room.

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