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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. Assemble, integrate, synthesize, and interpret information on the combined effects of climate <br />variability and societal activities on natural resources of the South Platte Basin, now and over <br />the next century, <br />. Develop and nurture a partnership between stakeholders, policy, planning, and decision- <br />making communities, and the scientific community that enables the use of ecosystem and <br />climate information for informing policy, management, and decision-making. A successful <br />integrated assessment builds long-term trust and information sharing well in advance of <br />decision-making points and crises. <br />Assessment proponents identified the following "next steps:" <br /> <br />. Form a steering committee. <br />. Assemble what we currently know about the state of the environment in the basin, and <br />develop scenarios of future conditions under different land use and growth policies, and <br />climates. <br />. Build partnerships among the stakeholder, decision-making, policy, and management, and <br />scientific communities. <br /> <br />Staffs perspective is that while this effort appears to be interesting from an academic standpoint it <br />certainly could complicate existing programs and initiatives. In addition, during their discussions it <br />was apparent that their own ideologies in many cases were dominating their discussions and they did <br />not appear to be fully aware of the repercussions of many oftheir "science" driven goals and <br />objectives, At this time it is not clear if they have funding to proceed and may need to seek funding. <br />It appears that the merits ofthis lofty set of goals and objectives are certainly questionable and likely <br />are not attainable. Existing agencies and programs are currently grappling with the difficult issues <br />that "decision makers" are faced with and this effort would appear to create more chaos. <br /> <br />Denver Water Weather Modification Permit Hearing: On Sept. 16 Flood Protection Section staff <br />member Joe Busto chaired a public hearing in Silverthorne to consider issuing a Weather <br />Modification permit to the Denver Water DepartuJent. Approximately 40 people attended the hearing. <br />Three individuals opposed the permit and four endorsed it. <br /> <br />At our request, Denver agreed to undertake a $25,000 to attempt to quantify the benefits of weather <br />modification. Denver is hoping that 48,000 acre feet of additional water can be generated through <br />weather modification at cost of$14.58- $21.86 per acre-foot. The majority of the costs are associated <br />with the purchase and set-up of equipment at various sites. <br /> <br />Copies ofthe permit are available upon request. The permit can be exercised from November through <br />March 31 each year until March 2007. <br /> <br />Holyoke and Phillips Floodplain Report: We and the Corps (Kansas City District), the City of <br />Holyoke, and Phillips County have completed a detailed floodplain study for Frenchman Creek that <br />updates and revises a much older study. One ofthe very positive and significant outcomes of this <br />study is a good working relationship with a Corps office that we have not worked directly with for a <br />very long time. This new study is being proposed for designation and approval by the CWCB at this <br />current (November 2002) meeting. <br /> <br />SPDSS: The South Platte Decision Support System (SPDSS) is moving forward. The detailed scopes <br />of work for all Phase 1 and 2 tasks have been completed and contracts are being circulated. It is <br />anticipated that contracts will be finalized by the end of November, with well drilling and data <br />collection beginning shortly thereafter. <br /> <br />16 <br />