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" opportunity to discuss issues with officials involved in the management of water in these headwaters counties. Dan McAuliffe represented us. River District Distributes Cash: The Colorado River Water Conservation District approved the distribution of over $157,00 in grants for projects that provide water, conserve water, improve water quality, orreplace structures. The 14 projects that received grants are spread thought the District's 15 counties. This is the sixth year the District has provided such grants. To learn more about the grant program, visit the District's web site at www.crwcd.l!ov. Presentation to the Roaring Fork Conservancy: In *pril, Dan Merriman and Anne Janicki made a presentation to the Roaring Fork Conservancy about the State's Stream and Lake Protection Program. The Roaring Fork Conservancy is an independent, non~profit organization dedicated to preserving and protecting the Roaring Fork River and its tributaries. Williams Fork Reservoir Hydroelectric Project, FERC No. 2204: On April 25, 2003 we received the Initial Information Package and Scoping Document 1 seeking a small hydroelectric project exemption and a new license for the existing Williams Fork Hydroelectric facility. Proposed Wolford Hydroelectric Project: The Colorado River Water Conservation District (River District) is evaluating the feasibility of a small hydroelectric power project at the existing Ritschard Dam at Wolford Mountain Reservoir near the Towniof Kremmling, Colorado. The proposed facility would be a modest project, generating enough electricity to meet the needs of approximately 350 households in western Colorado. The River District! owns and operates the dam and reservoir. The reservoir is a "multi-purpose" water supply serving hljrnan and environmental needs. The hydroelectric project would take advantage of the reservoir's nornial water supply operations and by-pass flows to generate energy. The project would add generation of renewable energy to the reservoir's other beneficial uses. To obtain a FERC license or license exemption, project proponents can use either a "traditional" or an "alternative" licensing procedure. The alternative procedure emphasizes early consultations between the applicant, government agencies, and the public (0 identify and resolve issues. The River District prefers the alternative procedure because it provi~es more opportunity to work with interested stakeholders. To proceed with the alternative procedure, the River District must develop a "communications protocol" and determine if there is a consensus among stakeholders that the alternative procedure is appropriate for this project. CWCB has been identified as a stakeholder. Gunnison River Basin Aspinall Unit Reservoir Operations: Flows through the Black Canyon of the Gunnison continue to run around 250 cfs and will through the end of March. Reclamation has issued a press release indicating that they will maintain a minimum! flow of only 250 cfs through the Black Canyon\Gunnison Gorge this winter or until runoffJorecasts indicate higher releases and a return to the 300 cfs decreed minimum are justified. As o~ the end of March, Blue Mesa live storage was 310,000 AF. The April I, 2003, most probable Apnl through July forecast for Blue Mesa Reservoir inflow is 510,000 AF or 71 % of average. If the forecast does not improve, and with maintaining 250- cfs outflow, Blue Mesa will still be about 246,000 AF short of full. Thus, we still see a need to consider water reduction measures for next year, as the drought appears to continue in that basin. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park - Federal Reserved Water Rights Quantification: CWCB staff continues to serve as part of Colorad~'s negotiating team working with other Colorado water users and a number of Federal agencies towards the quantification of the National Park Service's . decreed instream flow federal reserved water right.: As you are aware, on April 2nd agreement was . . 17