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<br />, <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Colorado River: <br /> <br />Meetings continue with the Colorado River Basin states regarding the 7/10 process. There has <br />been progress, but no major breakthrough, and we are monitoring the situation and plan to attend <br />the next meeting. The staff continues to work on the annual reservoir operating plan which will <br />be finalized in late summer. Additionally, efforts are being made by the U.S.B.R. to develop a <br />plan which is acceptable to the Basin States as well as to the environmental community <br />concerning spike flow releases, and the placement of flash boards in Glen Canyon Dam. <br /> <br />We wish to congratulate Mr. Frank "Sam" Maynes for his recent appointment by President <br />Clinton as Chairman and Federal Representative on the Upper Colorado River Commission. Mr. <br />Maynes has served as a legal advisory and chairman of the Commission legal committee. He is <br />very active in water issues, particularly in Southwest Colorado where he serves as council to the <br />Southern Ute Tribe, Southwestern Water Conservation District, and Animas-La Plata Conservancy <br />District. He will be an excellent commissioner and certainly is well qualified to serve as <br />Chairman to the Commission. <br /> <br />Reclamation Reform Act/Conservation Guidelines: <br /> <br />We are making every effort to provide comments and direction to the U.S.B.R. concerning their <br />proposed rules and regulations and conservation guidelines. We have attended several meetings <br />as well as supplied comments in coordination with reclamation water users in Colorado. The <br />Western States Water Council is also quite active in the process. Attached to this report is a <br />revised resolution for the Board to consider on this process, as well as our most recent comments <br />to the Bureau and a letter which was sent to Commissioner Beard from the Western States Water <br />Council. We would appreciate your thoughts and guidance on the issue. <br /> <br />State Legislation: <br /> <br />Attached is a copy of HB-1155-95, which was signed into law on May 4, 1995 by Governor <br />Romer. In my opinion, we had a successful legislative session which included obtaining our full <br />budget request for FY 95-96, one additional employee for the Floodplain Program, an additional <br />vehicle, additional staffing for the Attorney Generals Office to improve the contracting process, <br />full funding for CRDSS, establishment of a small projects loan account, monies to study the Rio <br />Grande, funds for loans in the Arkansas River, support for the State Engineer, and funding for <br />$13,154,500 in construction loans. <br /> <br />Western States Water Council <br /> <br />Along with the State Engineer, we hosted the quarterly meeting of the Western States Water <br />Council in Durango. A tour was conducted of the Dolores Reclamation Project as well as <br />irrigation facilities on the Ute Mountain Ute Indian Reservation. Numerous issues of west-wide <br />interest were discussed and positions were developed on the Reclamation Reform <br />ActIRules/Guidelines, federal Advisory Committee Act, reauthorization of the Clean Water Act, <br />Md the Safe Drinking Water Act. State Engineer Hal Simpson gave an overview of Colorado's <br />water resources, and Ross Bethel updated the Council on CRDSS. Copies of position statements <br />are attached for your review. <br />