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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Water Quality Standards: Staffis reviewing the pre-hearing statements and other material filed by <br />parties to the Water Quality Control Commission's December 2002 rulemaking hearing to consider a <br />proposal by the U,S. Department of Army for revisions to the surface water quality and ground water <br />quality standards for diisopropyl methylphosphonate (DIMP) to evaluate potential impacts on water <br />rights. <br /> <br />Drought Assessment Update: The development of the "survey instrument" for the Drought <br />Assessment is in its final stages, We recently reviewed the draft with selected Board members and <br />will be sending the assessment to about 25 entities chosen as a "pilot group." Based on these <br />responses the assessment will be finalized and ready to implement in January 2003, We have been <br />working especially hard to ensure that the assessment produces information for use in making <br />immediate resource allocation decisions as well as for the longer-term Statewide Water Supply <br />Investigation. <br /> <br />New Water Quality Director: Mark Pifuer, a lawyer with the firm of Trout Witwer and Freeman, <br />has been chosen to replace David Holm as the Director ofthe Water Quality Control Division. <br /> <br />Arkansas River Basin Issues <br /> <br />AReA Meeting: The Arkansas River Compact Administration (ARCA) armual meeting normally <br />held the second week in December must be rescheduled because of the on-going Kansas v. Colorado <br />trial. No new meeting date has been determined. ARCA will have a new federal representative and <br />chairman; his name is Robin Jennison of Healy, Kansas. Mr. Jennison is a farmer and served in the <br />Kansas Legislature for 10-years. <br /> <br />Arkansas River Water Bank Pilot Program: The Southeastern Water Conservancy District <br />(SEWCD) is in the process of setting up a web site related to the Arkansas River Water Bank Pilot <br />Program. The water bank is supposed to facilitate water-leasing, loans and exchanges, including <br />interruptible supply agreements, of stored water within the Arkansas River Basin. <br /> <br />The SEWCD agreed to function as the operator of the bank. The District, in cooperation with the <br />Division Engineer's office, is preparing to have the bank operational by January 2003. A large part of <br />the preparation is building a web site. <br /> <br />Although the SEWCD opposes water transfers outside of the Arkansas River basin, the authorizing <br />legislation permits such transfers provided that water is to be made available for use within the <br />Arkansas basin prior to making such water available for use in other river basins. <br /> <br />Therefore, under the water banking policies, in order to promote use within the Arkansas River basin, <br />during the first ten (10) business days ofpublication, only in-basin user's bids can be considered by <br />the seller, The seller must then accept the best offer available, meeting at least the minimum <br />acceptable price during the ten-day period. Ifthe initial listing period expires without the minimum <br />acceptable price being offered, all bids from potential purchasers, including out-ol-basin users may <br />be considered. <br /> <br />The water bank web site is currently under construction and expected to be fully operable by the end <br />of the year. You may visit the site as it is being constructed at www.coloradowaterbank.org. <br /> <br />H.R. 3881: The legislation attempting to move the SECWCD Preferred Storage Options Plan (PSOP) <br />forward has been dramatically altered. At the Sept. 19 board meeting the District decided to remove <br />Section 2 that authorizes the enlargement study for Lake Pueblo and Turquoise Reservoir. As a result, <br />the legislation would only authorize an enlargement study. <br /> <br />8 <br />