BOARD01360

• Board Meeting Date: 11/19/2001
• Description: CF Section - Non-Reimbursable Projects CWCB/DWR Satallite Monitoring System
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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STATE OF COLORADO

_O!OradO Water Conservation Board
Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman Street, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
FAX: (303) 866,4474
www.cwcb.state.co.us

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MEMORANDUM

Bill Owens
Governor

Greg E. Waleber
Executive Director

To:

Colorado Water Conservation Board Members

Rod Kuharich
CWCB Director

From:

Dan Merriman
Jeff Baessler

Dan McAulitre
Deputy Director

Date: October 31, 2001

Re: Agenda Item 24a - November 19-20. 2001, CWCB Meeting
Water Supply Planning and Finance - Non Reimbursable Projects
CWCB/Division of Water Resources Satellite Monitoring System.

Introduction

e Last year the CWCB implemented a long range gaging program to address specific agency related needs
such as flood forecasting and waming, instream flow monitoring, compact protection, and Decision Support
System data collection efforts. For FY 02-03, an appropriation of$295,000 is being sought from the
Construction Fund to continue the CWCB gaging program. In addition, the Division of Water Resources
(DWR) is requesting $304,000 from the Construction Fund to continue the operational viability of the state
satellite monitoring system, The CWCB gaging program and DWR satellite monitoring system is a joint effort
between the agencies to strengthen Colorado's data collection requirements. A total appropriation of
$599,000 will be required for these combined efforts for FY 02-03, The statewide gaging effort was initiated
last year with the approval of $573,000 from the construction fund.

Background

As the CWCB's programmatic responsibilities have matured, it has become evident that gaging needs
are not always addressed through the existing network of gaging stations operated by the DWR and the United
States Geological Survey (USGS). The CWCB's mission with respect to floods, stream and lake protection and
compact protection as well as data collection needs for Decision Support Systems is often different from those
of the DWR and USGS. Although many existing gages provide needed data, the DWR's mission is to
administer the state's water rights, while the USGS collects data for long-term scientific record purposes. As a
result, gages are not always located where the CWCB needs them to be or are designed to fit CWCB data
collection needs. However, due to staffing limitations, the CWCB still works cooperatively with the DWR and

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Flood Protection . Water Project Planning and Financing. Stream and Lake Protection
Water Supply Protection. Conservation Planning