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<br />DNR Annual Report: Copies of the recently released DNR Annual Report are being provided to Board
<br />members, This is the first department-wide report in 15 years, The report is available online at
<br />\vww,dnr,state,co.us,
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<br />Basin Growth Meetings: We are in the process of scheduling meetings around the state to discuss statewide
<br />water supply and delivery priorities, A key focus point will be our recently released growth and water
<br />demand fact sheets, The first meeting will be held in Sterling following our Board meeting,
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<br />Drought Task Force: We will update you about drought issues during the second day of our Board meeting,
<br />However, because of the many media questions we have received concem the impacts of drought on
<br />wildlife, we wanted to highlight that your Stream and Lake Protection staff are participating on the Wildlife
<br />Drought Task Force, The Task Force is:
<br />. identifying potential and existing drought related wildlife impacts,
<br />. recommending measures to prevent or mitigate wildlife losses,
<br />. contacting and obtaining input and assistance from appropriate federal and state agencies, and
<br />. coordinating public information releases regarding drought conditions and impacts,
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<br />The Task Force has recommended the following potential mitigation strategies:
<br />
<br /> Potential Mitigation Strategy Agencies or
<br /> On!anizations Involvedlli
<br />1,
<br />Identify critical stream reaches, lakes and reservoirs - Critical stream reaches
<br /> would be identified based on designated criteria such as, species of concern, CDOW, CWCB, USF&W,
<br /> threatened and endangered species, recreational or historic importance, and USFS, and TU
<br /> instream flow reaches where senior water rights could help mitigation,
<br />2, Develop processes to monitor critical stream reaches, lakes and reservoirs - A CDOW, CWCB, CDPOR,
<br /> process for monitoring flow rates, water levels and temperatures needs to be CDWR, CDPHE,
<br /> developed, This process would incorporate citizens, schools, environmental/ USF&W, USFS, TU,
<br /> wildlife groups, state and federal agencies, In addition criteria would be set Citizen Groups
<br /> for emergency actions,
<br />3, Identify mitigation alternatives for critical stream reaches, lakes and CDOW, CDPOR, CDWR,
<br />CWCB, CDPHE,
<br /> reservoirs where practical. USF&W, USFS, and TU
<br />4, Provide emergency instream flow protection - CWCB will work with the
<br /> Department of Natural Resources, Governor's Office, Division of Water
<br /> Resources, State Engineer's Office, Division of Wildlife and the public, under CWCB, CDWR, CDOW,
<br /> Colorado water law and executive authorities, to provide emergency instream TU and other water users
<br /> flow protection on streams where water rights may be temporarily made
<br /> available for such purposes,
<br />5, Evaluate and optimize State Agency water use as necessary to best maintain CDOW, CDPOR, CWCB
<br /> habitat. stream flows and reservoir levels, Includes development of water mIll CI}"vVR
<br /> conservation measures for state owned water rights,
<br />6, Coordinate and research federal drought assistance funding, Including CDOW, CWCB, USF&W,
<br /> research into whether federal drought relief money may be available to USFS
<br /> compensate irrigators and for CWCB to lease senior rights for instream flows,
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<br />Colorado Water Trust: In April the Colorado Water Trust convened a working group of state, local, federal
<br />and non-profit organizations to assist the Trust in developing guidelines for water acquisitions and
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