BOARD02094

• Board Meeting Date: 1/23/2002
• Description: CWCB Director's Report
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

MEGA Board Meeting: The MEGA Board met on Dec. 18 in Denver. The Board passed a resolution
supporting the 2002 Projects Bill and expressed concern about proposals to divert Severance Tax from the
CWCB and other DNR agencies for General Fund purposes. The MEGA Board is writing a letter to the Joint_
Budget Committee. I will provide you with a copy when I receive it. ..

The MEGA Board also set its 2002 meeting schedule. Th.~ next MEGA Board meeting is May 13. By then
we will have received applications and will have made rebommendations for funding from the Severance
Tax Trust Operational Account for 2003,2004 funding,

Qnarterly Streamlines Published: The State Engineer has published its quarterly newsletter Streamlines.
The issue is available on the Internet at www.water.state.co.us/Streamlines/Strmline.htm. Top stories
included: "Water Banking in the Arkansas River Basis" apd "Republican River Compact Litigation,"

CD Law Center Announces 2002 Conferences: The topic of the CU Natural Resources Law Center Water
Conference this June will be Allocating Water: Managem,ent Water for a Sustainable Future: Lessons from
Around the World. For more information visit www.colorlado.edu/law/nrlc/2002conference,html.

Water Center Newsletter: The December Issue of Colorado Water, published by the Water Center ofCSU,
is available on-line at www,cwni.colostate,edu. The newsletter contains lots of information about awards,
grant opportunities, upcoming meetings, summaries of news articles about water issues published throughout
the state and a calendar of events.

State Fair: DNR Executive Director Greg Walcher has a~ked us to work with him to create a water display
for the 2002 State Fair in Pueblo. Greg envisions a display highlighting how water is used and reused, We
are contacting the Museum of Nature and Science and Ocean Journey for ideas and a list of potential exhibit
producers to help us with this project.

RlCD Rules: Our Recreational In,channel Diversion ("RlCD") Rules became effective on December 31,
2001. Two cities have filed for conditional RICD water rights in December 2001, The City of Longmont tit
filed for an RlCD on the St. Vrain Creek for flows up to Qver 1000 cfs, The City of Pueblo filed for an RICD
on the Arkansas River for two different flow amounts-lOO cfs in the winter and 500-cfs in the summer,
claiming a 1982 priority date.

Stream Gaging Activities: We have completed a joint f$ding agreement with the U.S. Geological Survey
(USGS) for the development of methodologies to measure late-season and winter stream flows particularly
in streams that are frequently affected by ice. The USGS will be determining the usefulness and accuracy of
ice-affected streamflow records using a sodium chloride tracer. The tracer will be injected at two different
gaging stations. Multiple-parameter sensors at the two sites will monitor background and peak-tracer
concentrations and relative conductance. These data will /hen be used to determine streamflow at each site
and the tracer-discharge measurements will be compared to discharge determined from standard gaging
station operations, The data collected will ultimately be ppblished in a USGS Open-file Report and a
presentation will be given to staff, We hope this new techjJ.Ology will lead to more accurate flow data during
the late inigation season and winter months. Funding for this activity was obtained from the Construction
Fund Non-reimbursable Account in accordance with the CWCB's gaging coordination and planning efforts.

Arkansas River Basin Issues

Arkansas River Compact Administration: I attended the Arkansas River Compact Administration meeting
in Lamar Colorado on Dec. 10-11,2001, Among the signIficant achievements was the tentative approval of
amendments to the Trinidad Reservoir Operating Principl~s that have been the subj ect of discussion for
several years. The operating budgets for the coming year!were also approved, There will be an additional
meeting on May 9-10 in Garden City, Kansas in an attempt to further resolve John Martin Reservoir _
Operating and Accounting issues, ..

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