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<br />sponsored a Ditch Bill Forum in Alamosa to discuss recent federal directives related to the "Colorado <br />Ditch Bill." The forum provided an opportunity for the Forest Service to discuss its policies and <br />strategies for implementing the Ditch Bill under its new directives and to have a dialogue with those <br />interested in the Ditch Bill issue. To view the Forest Service power point presentation, a summary of <br />the discussion which occurred at the forum, and other pertinent information relating to the Colorado <br />Ditch Bill, please visit our website at http://www.cwcb.state.co.us/isjlDitchBill.htm. <br /> <br />Since the forum the CWCB and DNR staffs have continued to monitor the issues surrounding the <br />issuance of Ditch Bill easements. Concerns of Ditch Bill applicants and others with interest in the <br />Ditch Biil process have been followed. The Forest Service has had numerous meetings with the forests <br />involved in this process and regional staff responsible for processing the Ditch Bill applications (there <br />are over 900 Ditch Bill applications pending action in Colorado. This a major commitment of time, <br />personnel and other resources for the Forest Service, and currently the regional leadership team is <br />determining how to best proceed. A number of options have been developed and are being evaluated <br />by the leadership team at this time. It is our understanding that the Forest Service hopes to have its <br />process determined in the near future with the goal of issuing easements before January. <br /> <br />Regional Watershed Restoration Program Investigation: We are continuing to work to investigate <br />opportunities for a regional watershed restoration program that could help bring together the elements <br />of our current activities that include the administration ofthe Watershed Protection Fund, the Fish and <br />Wildlife Mitigation Fund, the Instream Flow and Natural Lake Level Program and the individual <br />floodplain and river restoration project we fund using Severance Tax and Construction Funds every <br />year. The following is the status of our current planning efforts: <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />A. Vision for CWCB Watershed Restoration Prol.!ram <br /> <br />The CWCB staff's vision for a unified and modernized Colorado Watershed Restoration Program, as <br />described in September at the Alamosa Board meeting, includes three prerequisite elements to arrive <br />ultimately at watershed restoration implementation projects: <br /> <br />l. Initial Comprehensive Basinwide Studies <br />2. Localized and Specific Feasibility Studies <br />3. Design and Construction of Implementation Projects <br /> <br />Other elements of the proposed modernization of the program would be: <br /> <br />. Outreach for Potential "Customers", (Quarterly newsletters) <br />. A Unified Application and Selection Process, (Annual requestfor project applications) <br />. Standardized Scopes of Work and Budgets (Applicants selected to receive grants will prepare <br />these documents), <br />· An Annual Workshop (Designed to present projects already funded and to solicit future <br />applicants), <br /> <br />A website will present example studies and other information: <br />. Initial Comprehensive Basinwide Studies (i.e. Roaring Fork, Rio Grande, Fountain Creek, <br />Alamosa River, Dolores River at Rico); <br />. Localized and Specific Feasibility Studies (i.e. Basalt, Willow Creek, Lake Fork); and <br />· Design and Construction of Implementation Projects (i.e. Alamosa River, Basalt. Willow <br />Creek). <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />8 <br />