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<br />concertwith-economic-development-~€WCB has partieipated-as one of the keyplayers-ilT the-review aRd
<br />distribution of grant dollars related to the tax checkoff.
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<br />The types of general activities funded thus far from the tax checkoff are very diverse and include, but are not
<br />limited to, river mapping and analysis, wildfire rehabilitation, river inventory and assessment, habitat and
<br />aquatic stream restoration, irrigation ditch rehabilitation, stream flow surveys, wildlife habitat and streambank
<br />restoration, educational activities, weed control, rehabilitation of stream segments impacted by gravel mining,
<br />recreational improvements, ecological enhancements, mine reclamation, stream corridor aesthetics, flood
<br />control, stream monitoring programs, water quality, interstate compact requirements, point and non-point source
<br />discharges, population and land use, watershed management policies, and outreach & coalition enhancement
<br />activities.
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<br />Annroved Watershed Restoration and Flood Hazard Mitil!ation Fund
<br />At its November 2005 meeting, the CWCB approved an annual $150,000 fund created from the CWCB
<br />Construction Fund for watershed restoration and flood hazard mitigation activities in Colorado, Extensive
<br />debate took place during the meeting regarding the nature and use of that fund, Staff was asked to prepare
<br />additional information and come back to the Board with a revised recommendation regarding the scope and use
<br />of the approved fund.
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<br />The original memorandum at the November 2005 meeting involved a request for approval by the Board for a
<br />non-reimbursable investment from the CWCB Construction Fund in the amount of $150,000, The request
<br />was to provide funds for planning and engineering services for paying half of the cost of needs assessment
<br />and prioritization planning efforts for each of Colorado's eight maj or river basins, for preparing watershed
<br />restoration plans for individual watersheds within those river basins, and matching dollars for federal grant
<br />programs. The CWCB funds, if authorized by the Board and the General Assembly, would have been made
<br />available for all planning and engineering studies to address technical needs for watershed restoration and .
<br />flood mitigation projects throughout the state, Matching funding (cash and/or in-kind services) would also
<br />have been required from the local governments and other qualified entities receiving assistance from this
<br />Program,
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<br />In response to the original staff request, several important issues were raised during the November 2005 Board
<br />meeting, Those issues can be broadly summarized as follows:
<br />. Overall goals and objectives for a watershed restoration program;
<br />. Watershed planning vs, project implementation;
<br />. CWCB initiated studies vs. local watershed group initiated studies;
<br />. Watershed restoration fund grants to local groups vs. CWCB contracted studies and/or projects;
<br />. Cost share requirements for grants provided from the CWCB watershed restoration fund;
<br />. Scope and scale of watershed restoration fund activities; and
<br />. Nature and extent of watershed restoration activities and the CWCB's authority to engage in such
<br />activities,
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<br />Due to the complex nature of the program and the issues raised, staff is continuing to work on the development
<br />of a meaningful program, as requested by the Board, to address the above concerns along with incorporation of
<br />the core mission aspects of watershed (based on previous legislation), In addition, the newer aspects of
<br />watershed restoration related to the watershed protection fund legislation (tax checkoff) will be addressed in the
<br />proposed program.
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<br />Staff has been most appreciative ofthe Board's guidance and input on this matter, and we plan to solicit
<br />additional input and feedback during a future meeting when a revised program proposal has been fully crafted.
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<br />Staff Recommendation
<br />This agenda item is for informational purposes, and staff is not requesting any specific Board action at this time,
<br />Staff will continue to develop a proposed program for Board consideration at a future meeting.
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