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<br />the consultant in late May, We will hold a formal review meeting with WRC in June, Funding for Phase II,
<br />the final phase is contained in the 2003 Projects Bill. Our expectation is that the manual will eventually
<br />impact your review of approval of flood related information,
<br />
<br />We regularly review 100-year floodplain information and recommend designation and approval during you
<br />regular meetings, Designation actions by the Board are under the direct authority of Section 37-60-1 06( c),
<br />C.R,S, In addition, our "Rules and Regulations for the Designation and Approval of Floodplains and of
<br />Storm or Floodwater Runoff Channels in Colorado" (Rules and Regulations, 2CCR -408-1) were developed
<br />in 1987 and became effective on January 30, 1988, Since that time, we have utilized those rules while
<br />reviewing 100-year floodplain information to ensure conformance with acceptable engineering standards,
<br />
<br />We believe our current Rules and Regulations need to be revised and modemized and will pursue updating
<br />these rules in the future, Our manual is related to this effort in that it will expand the floodplain standards
<br />that currently exist in our Rules and Regulations, We intend to recommend incorporating the completed
<br />Manual into our Rules and Regulations so they can be relied in with confidence by engineers, developers,
<br />local govemments and others,
<br />
<br />A further function of the CWCB, related to technical review of flood-related documents, is related to funding
<br />and technical assistance provided to local governments and other recipients, In order to be eligible for state
<br />and/or federal funding assistance, recipients must meet certain technical standards and requirements for
<br />completing the studies/projects, Status reports, along with draft and [mal product reviews take place when
<br />CWCB has direct, pass-through, or indirect involvement with flood-related studies/projects, Board action is
<br />not necessarily requested in all cases, and we often use the Director's Report to inform you and the public
<br />about these issues, These activities, notices and requirements also need to be reflected in updated Rules and
<br />Regulations,
<br />
<br />Substitution Supply Plan Legislation: The General Assembly has passed HB 1414, The Governor has
<br />indicated that he supports this legislation, This was a legislative response to the Colorado Supreme Court
<br />decision in Empire Lodge v, Moyer, This legislation recognizes the State Engineer's authority to approve
<br />substitute supply plans, under certain circumstances,
<br />
<br />Weather Modification Permit Fees: We will be writing to holders of current weather modification permits
<br />to advise them that our permit fees will be increasing from $100 per permit, for the life ofthe permit, to $250
<br />annually, We are authorized to spend up to $7,100 per year on the program, but can only spend what we raise
<br />in fees, As a result, we have been subsidizing the permitting process - which includes hearings in the
<br />affected counties - with funds designated for operating other programs, We estimate that the new fees should
<br />provide adequate funds,
<br />
<br />ISF Digitizing Effort: We have contracted with Reclamation to complete the digitizing of our instream flow
<br />water rights, Reclamation expects to complete this project by the end of May, The digitized water rights will
<br />comprise one of the "layers" to be included in the ISF DSS and will allow users to map the spatial
<br />distribution of instream flow and natural lake water rights in user -selected geographic areas of the state,
<br />
<br />Drought Assessment and Tech Team: To assist in the completion of Statewide Drought Planning
<br />Assessment we recommended the establishment of a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) to serve as
<br />"Blue Ribbon Team," The team would attend two presentations regarding the project - one in August 2002
<br />prior to the CWC Summer meeting in Vail, and one in August 2003 prior to the CWC Summer meeting in
<br />Steamboat. This Committee would receive and comment upon monthly project status reports and project
<br />white papers, review and critique consultant findings and project recommendations and generally provide be
<br />available for consultation as necessary, This group would also help us choose the survey beta test group and
<br />support our outreach and education plans,
<br />
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