BOARD01267

• Board Meeting Date: 11/16/2004
• Description: CWCB Director's Report
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

guidelines. sratTis preparing a ""model conservation plan" that can be used to assist waler entities 10
develop their plans. We will be working with stakeholders and may seck input from consultants in
fonnalizing and complcling the guidelines. We hope to ha\"(: a dral1 rcady for Board review at thc
January 2005 Board meeting.

W;Her Anlilahilit.y Task Forct': The Water
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Availability Task Force last met on Sept. n at
the Climalc Diagnostic Center at CSU.
Although Iypically low during this time of the
year. statewide reservoir storage levels were at
72 percent of average. There wen..' no rerons of
signillcant droughl rclaled impacts or areas under special watch. The next mecling will be on Nov. 13.
at which time there \\ ill be a report given on the beginning snow pack assessment.

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CF\,"E: The Colorado Foundation for Water
Education (CFWE) has received 550. 000 oflhis
years' S 150.000 contract. The Board approved
the work-plan lar the annual S 150.000 contract
in May.

The latesl publication. the "Citi/en's Guide to
Colorado Water Conservation." has been
completed and printed and is being distribuled.

A copy oflhe CFWE quarterly rcport is
anached.

GreenCO: Following the release of the Grecn Industries (GreenCO) Best Management Practices
(BMP's). which the C\VCB helped to fund. GreenCO will he iniliating a BMP training and
certification pro,b'Tafll heginning in Deccmber 200.t The program is designed 10 increase the
knowledge and awareness by employees of the landscape and nursery industries about water
conseryalion practices.

Wesft'rn Stall' Instream Flo\\ Program Comparison Study: In 2003. Colorado marked the 30th
anniversary ofils instream flow proleclion program. The Board and slaffrecogniJ'ed that this
annj\'ersary could serve as a point ofreJ1ection -- to analyze what Colorado has done to address
instream flow needs in the state. to explore the experiences of its neighbors. and to identi tY developing
trends and future needs. There certainly is no shortage oflitcrature co\'ering western slale instrcam
nO\\' programs. howcver. none of the prc\'ious studies apply consistent evaluation criteria to every
state. This makes it difficult to delcnninc accomplishments or to dmw comparisons among states.

In August 2004. we contractL"tJ with Sasha Charney to conduct a comparison ofwestcm state instream
flow progmms. This study will document the chamctcristics of each individual state program using
standanl critcria for all states. and will evaluale how well the programs ha\-e accomplishl."tJ their goals
by comparing "in-theory" strengths with "in-stream" accomplishmenls. The study will also look at
emergmg Issues.

Preliminary findings from the study were presented to the CWCB at the September 2004 Board
meeting in Alamosa. During October. final. tallow-up interviews with each stale were conducted. and
an initial dral1 report was prepared lar slan-rc\'ie\\. \\'ork will continue on the report. and a
preliminary dral1 should be available for Board rt;'\'iew in January 2005.

Colorado Ditch Rill Update: On Sept. III we. along with the D;-...'R and the U.S. Forest Service

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