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<br />Arkansas River Basin including recharge rates, storage capacity, and water quality impacts. With the <br />increasing demand due to growth in the eastern portion of the Pikes Peak Region, water planners need to <br />address the water supply solutions by emphasizing efficient use and sustainable supply. The findings <br />should provide better approaches to water storage and full utilization of non-native water sources from . <br />the Denver Basin and perhaps transmountain imports. <br /> <br />Water Planning Relationship: The El Paso County Water Authority assists water providers and <br />planners by providing usable information to establish their water plans. Among the recipients are <br />agricultural, existing and future municipal suppliers and individual well users. Groundwater <br />management and increased storage capacity is an intrinsic part of their water planning efforts. <br /> <br />Recommendation: Staff gives a high recommendation to this project because of the relationship to <br />meeting anticipated gaps in water supply identified by SWSI, and the high priority CGS assigns to <br />taking this next step in analyzing groundwater recharge potentials, building on its recently completed <br />study. <br /> <br />11. Colorado River Watershed Tamarisk Control Project <br /> <br />Beneficiary/Grantee/Contractor: Tamarisk Coalition, Various <br />Amount of Request: $50,000 <br /> <br />Ranking: <br /> <br />High <br /> <br />Product Produced: The Tamarisk Coalition will provide educational materials, technical assistance, <br />and coordination efforts within each watershed to efficiently plan and implement tamarisk control and <br />re-vegetation. The Coalition will identify long-term management and funding strategies for five <br />watersheds enabling them to take advantage of new and existing funding sources from state and federal <br />programs, foundations, and other sources. The application submitted by the Coalition proposes targeting .- <br />this effort in the Colorado River Basin. ,., <br /> <br />Water Planning Relationship: Tamarisk is a non-native phreatophyte tree/shrub that uses more <br />water than native vegetation. The development of comprehensive tamarisk control and restoration plans <br />can direct the conservation of water that is currently being lost, provide added stream conveyance <br />capacity and flood protection, and enhanced wildlife habitat. <br /> <br />Recommendation: Staff gives a high recommendation to this project because development of water <br />shed plans is the logical next step following the infestation inventories being completed by the Coa,lition. <br />These plans will form the basis for funding requests to federal programs anticipated to be authorized in <br />proposed federal legislation. Staff has modified the proposal to have the Coalition work with <br />watersheds throughout the State, rather than exclusively in the Colorado Basin. This will dilute the <br />funds somewhat, but provide a comprehensive and consistent approach to developing regional <br />watershed plans for the control of invasive phreatophytes. <br /> <br />12. McElmo Creek Drainages Tamarisk Control Project <br /> <br />Beneficiary/Grantee/Contractor: Dolores Soil Conservation District, Dolores River Tamarisk Action <br />Group <br />Amount of Request: $20,000 Ranking: Low <br /> <br />Product Produced: The goal is to eradicate tamarisk from the drainages that feed into McElmo Creek . <br />and into McElmo Canyon. Montezuma County has some of the highest concentrations of tamarisk <br />infestation in the State of Colorado (per 2002 Quarter quad Survey compiled by CDA and CSU). Also, <br />Montezuma and Dolores Counties are mineral impacted areas of the State of Colorado. <br /> <br />8 <br />