BOARD01505

• Board Meeting Date: 11/15/2005
• Description: CWCB Director's Report
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

operations, and continued use of the Model reservoir. The Colorado State Engineer hIlS asked for a .
review of the gaging stations needed for project administration. The PRWCD has asked that it be
authorized to store additional amounts of water, outside existing volumetric limits, pursuant to direct flow
ditch rights in recognition of the historical practice of winter irrigation. Neither the eWCB, nor the State
of Colorado, is a party to the Operating Principles, however staff will be participating in the current
review to assure that the PRWCD is allowed to ltIlIl(imize the beneficial use of water and project benefits
pursuant to its water rights and the Compact - so long as there is no injury to senior water rights or
material depletion to useable Stateline flows [modeled as inflows to John Martin Reservoir).

Arkansas Valley Drainage Study: The CWCB contract was signed Aug. 31 and the study is underway.
Staff attended a public meeting in Las Animas on Wednesday, Oct. 12. The purpose of the meeting was
to provide landowners and other interested parties with an update on the study and to organize a local
advisory committee for the project. The advisory committee would add important value to the project in
terms of better interaction with landowners and facilitating various aspects of the study. Approximately
25 people attended. Work activities accomplished to date have included: 1) completion of a hydrologic
study of agricultural drainage in the area; 2) inventory and base mapping of field tile drains in Prowers
and Bent counties, with mapping in Otero County just beginning; and 3) identification and selection of
suitable demonstration sites for jet-cleaning of older tile drains.

Arkansas Valley Conduit: Work on the Conduit is progressing. The current estimated cost of the
project is about $280 million. Earlier this year the House authorized $69 million for the conduit through
the Water ResourcesJ!Ild J)evelopment Act(WRDA). The Senate could act on WRDA authorization
either late this year or early next year. The WRDA bill would provide 75% federal ftmdingffiroughthe
Anny Corps of Engineers. Even if money is authorized an appropriation would still have to be approved. .
A second effort in Congress would allow 80".4 federal funding with U.S. Bureau of Reclamation as the
lead agency. In July 2005, Senators Wayne Allard and Ken Salazar and Representative Marilyn
Musgrave held a public meeting in La Junta to solicit input on the project. The two main questions they
raised were: I ) Water Availability. What is the WIlter supply need for all participants and do they need to
purchase more water? and 2) Ability to Pay - Can the local entities afford the 20 to 25% local match?
As a follow-up, the Conduit Committee is undertaking a new study to address a number of important
unanswered questions, pertaining to water rights and supply, conduit size, treatment needs, costs, benefits
and funding. The study cost is expected to be between $100,000 and $150,000, with SECWCD
contributing $50,000, the study participants $50,000, and Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy
District $50,000. An RFP was sent out and four proposals received in October. The study is expected to
start in mid-December and be completed by the end of May 2006.

Springs Utllltles Hit with Work Order, Fine: On Oct. 6, the state health department fined Colorado
Springs Utilities $110,470 and ordered it to perform a complete inspection of its sewage system after a
series of spills sent 377,000 gallons of raw wastewater charging into Fountain Creek this spring. The
penalty covera a total of 21 sewer overflows and two releases from electrical transformers that occurred
between Jan. I, 2004, and Oct. 4, 2005.

Colorado River Basin

Glen Canyon Dam Adapdve Management Program - State of Colorado River Ecosystem In Grand
Canyon (SCORE Report): The SCORE Report is an important milestone in the efforts of Interior to
implement the 1992 Grand Canyon Protection Act (GCP A). The report provides relevant scientific
information on the status and trends of the natural, cultural and recreational resources in those portions of
the Grand Canyon National Park and the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area affected by Glen .
Canyon Dam operations. The report is a product of the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management
Workgroup (AMWG), a federally authorized initiative to ensure that the primary mandate of the GCPA is

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