BOARD01934

• Board Meeting Date: 11/25/2002
• Description: CWCB Director's Report
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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2002 Flood Documentation Report: CWCB has contracted with ICON Engineering to complete
individual flood documentation field reports to be included in an annual report for the 2002 flood
season, Some flood events were related to conditions created by wildfire burn areas, while others
were not. Examples of site-specific areas under study include Lamar and Wiley, Glenwood Springs,
La Plata County, Rifle, and Cottonwood. The final report will be available for review in January
2003,

Special Districts Meeting: On Sept. 26 Instream Flow and Lake Protection staff member Ted
Kowalski spoke at the Special District Association Annual Conference on the legal implications of
the dn 19ht.

Water Resources Review Committee: The last meeting of the interim Committee was Sept. 23. TL.;
principle topics of the hearing were an overview of the South Metro Study, Denver Basin Aquifer
issues, water education and weather modification, The Committee also made final recommendation"
about legislation.

The Committee made final recommendations about three bills: A) Concerning the Extension of the
Implementation Dates for Certain Water Augmentation Requirements; 2) Concerning the Water
Resources Review Committee; C) Concerning the Increased Regulation of Water Wells, and, in
Connection Therewith, Requiring Continuing Education of Water Well Construction Contractors and
Pump Installers as a Condition of Licensure, Increasing Well Permit Fees, Creating a Cash Fund,
Specifying Additional Well Construction and Pump Installation Enforcement Authority, and Creath,.,;
a Well Inspection Program. Copies of the bills can be reviewed on the Internet at:
http://www.state.co.us/govdir/1egdil./lcsstaff/2002/comsched/02WaterResourcesSched.htm#Staff.1020Reoorts%20an(j.

The Committee also wrote two official letters. The first letter urged DNR Executive Director Greg
Walcher to allow the use of Cherry Creek Reservoir to supply water for agricultural and
augmentation uses. The second letter supported federal legislation to control salt cedar.

ewe Interstate Compact Workshop: Randy Seaholm spoke about Colorado River Compacts and
the "Law of the River" at a Nov. 15 Colorado Water Congress workshop.

GOCO Initiates Dialog: In April 2002 GOCO adopted a revised Strategic Plan that included the
following statement on Water Conservation:

The GOCO Amendment contemplates that acquisition of water rights and resources may be
necessary to achieve the broad mission of GOCO. In recognition of the importance of water
rights in land transactions the GOCO Board may consider the feasibility of including water
resources/water rights in a meaningful way in its goals and programs so long as such
programs protect private property rights and are consistent with Colorado water law.

At its Sept. 5 meeting the GOCO Board heard presentations from Peter Nichols, Executive Director
of the Colorado Water Trust and Tim Tymkovich, former state Solicitor General. Their presentations
acknowledged GOCO's efforts to protect lands along river corridors and encouraged GOCO to
consider providing similar protection for the water resources as well. Discussion centered on the
need for a conservation easement on water and the vagueness of current laws.

We will continue to follow these discussions and will work with GOCO to assist them in
accomplishing their goals.

Presentations on SB 156: The Stream and Lake Protection Section staff recently gave presentations
to several groups regarding SB 02-156 and the resulting changes in the Water Acquisition Program.
Staff presented a poster at the armual South Platte Forum in Longmont and spoke to the Fall Water

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