BOARD01179

• Board Meeting Date: 7/25/2006
• Description: CWCB Director's Report
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

Federal and Interstate

Ditch Bill Update - In our continuing effort to keep the Board apprised of the progress by the
U.S. Forest Service on the issuance of Ditch BiJl Easements and the issues surrounding this task
the foJlowing information is provided:
Colorado Ditch Bill Act Easements
Progress Rcport 6/30/2006
. Introdnction: Forest Service Region 2 has been developing methods to speed processing
of Ditch Bill Easements and has closed 23% of the 1053 easement applications open as of
January, 2005. Specifically, the Forest Service has:

1. Better financed Forests for Ditch Bill processing.

2. Maintained a full time Regional Ditch Bill Coordinator.

3. Conducted open houses to explain the Upper Colorado endangered fish recovery
agreements that Ditch Bill easement applicants have been asked to sign.

4. Established Region-wide Ditch Bill processing protocols to speed application processing.

5. Established headgale standards that can be met with headgates and flumes purchased
through many hardware stores.

Forest Service Region 2 is cooperatively developing Dam Safety stipulations in addition to a
dam safety memorandum of understanding with the State of Colorado to facilitate Ditch Bill
application processing, coordination ofColoradolFederal dam safety administration, and non-
conflicting ColoradolFederal operating standards for the dam owner.

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. Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, & Gunnison National Forests (GMUG) - (403 applications) .
The GMUG had 403 applications open as of January, 2005 of which 131 have been
closed to date and another 235 have either been prepared and awaiting applicant signature
or are undergoing public comment and environmental analysis. The GMUG has full-time
Ditch Bill staff.

. San Juan National Forest - (231 applications)
The San Juan had 231 applications open as of January, 2005 of which 32 have been
closed to date. The San Juan area has a rich history and complex existing situation for
processing Ditch Bill applications. The Forest has sent out 94 letters to applicants asking
for additional information or clarification of their applications. The Forest has recently
hired full-time Ditch Bill Staff.

. White River Natiomd Forest - (191 applications)
The White River had 191 applications open as of January, 2005 of which 14 have been
closed to date and another 42 are undergoing public comment and environmental
analysis. The Forest has sent out 28 letters to applicants asking for additional information
or clarification of their applications. The Forest has full-time Ditch Bill Staff.

. Rio Grande National Forest - (84 applications)
The Rio Grande had 84 applications open as of January, 2005 of which 14 have been
closed to date and another 2 have been prepared and are awaiting applicant signature. The
Forest has sent out 28 letters to applicants asking for additional information or
clarification of their applications. Of the 84 applications, 50 are claiming ditch or
reservoir rights pre-dating the Forest Service. Assessing the validity of these claims is a
focus of the Rio Grande. The Rio Grande has a number of Colorado Division of Wildlife

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