BOARD01199

• Board Meeting Date: 1/20/1993
• Description: Agenda or Table of Contents, Minutes, Memos. Partial.
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Meeting

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Lile provided an update on the CWCB Audit. The Audit Report is confidential until the
Audit Hearing and the Legislative Audit Committee have adopted it. The draft report will
be distributed to the CWCB by February I, 1993, then an Executive Session with the
Board will be held at the February 19, 1993 workshop session, Comments on the report
and a Board position will be due February 24, 1993. An exit meeting will be held
between the auditors, key staff members, Salazar and Lile. The Audit Hearing before the
Legislative Audit Committee will be March 9,1993. Requests for additional staff support
has been approved and recommended by the Office of State Budget and Planning. The
CWCB staff has been considering development of a long-term plan for the operation and
use of the Construction Fund. No action was taken.

Lile introduced Bill Brack, Chief of Staff from Senator Hank Brown's office to provide
an overview of the Wilderness Water Right Legislation issue being proposed to Congress,
The objectives are to protect Colorado's ability to store and use water in Colorado, protect
wilderness and eliminate existing private property rights from any of the legislation,
including absolute or conditional water rights in designated areas. This Bill sets two
important precedents, first, it does not imply a Federal Reserve Water Right, and
secondly, it implies for previously designated Wilderness Areas that a water right on
existing Wilderness Areas can be inferred from the intent of this legislation, Downstream
areas are disclaimed from Federal Reserve water rights, The Bill protects wilderness
values and private property rights above and within Wilderness Areas. The major change
is that the Bill does not mandate an agreement between the CWCB and the U.S. Forest
Service, consequently, there is no mandatory State water right in the form of a CWCB
appropriation in downstream wilderness areas. It also limits the scope of the Forest
Service management to impacts inside the Wilderness Areas. Because Colorado is a
headwater state, no Federal Reserve water right is necessary. Approximately 10% of
Colorado's area (3,000,000 acres) being designated as Wilderness. No action was taken.

DNR Executive Director's Report (10:38 - 10:40 a.m,)

Ken Salazar discussed the schedule for legislative briefings by DNR, the CWCB and SEa
for providing briefings/overviews on current CWCB issues (1/27/93) and Colorado River
Issues (1/26/93) to the Joint House and Senate Agriculture Committee. No action was
taken.

State Engineer's Report (10:40 - 10:45 a,m,)

Hal Simpson reported on a meeting with the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) regarding
reorganization of the Corps Divisions from II to 6, and 38 districts to 39. The Reservoir
Control Section that the SEa is involved with closely on the Arkansas and Rio Grande
may move from Albuquerque to Sacramento, The SEa is trying to discourage the move,
as Colorado needs close local support. Other potential location changes were presented,
Simpson said he would first need to communicate with water users on the western slope
and in the Platte Valley, Regarding legislation, at a Water Congress State Affairs
meeting, and at least three Bills involving Statewide water policy: I) Salvage or Water

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