BOARD02103

• Board Meeting Date: 3/26/2001
• Description: ISF Section - Proposed ISF Appropriation 2002 Work Plan Priorities
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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STATE OF COLORADO

Colorado Water Conservation Board
Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman Street, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Pbone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
www.cwcb.state.co.us

e

Bill Owens
Governor

GregE. Walcl1er
Executive Director

To:

Colorado Water Conservation Board Members

Rod Kubaricb
CWCB Director

From: Dan Merriman
Mark Uppendahl

Pan McAuliffe
Deputy Director

Date March 13,2001

Re: Agenda Item 20, March 26-27, 2001 - Board Meeting
Stream and Lake Protection - Proposed ISF Appropriation 2002 Work Plan Priorities

. Workshop Summary

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On February 27,2001, the CWCB staff held a workshop to request instream flow and natural lake level
recommendations. Participants who attended the workshop heard or received written requests and/or
comments for instream flow water right protection from the Division of Wildlife (DOW), Division of
Parks and Outdoor Recreation (DPOR), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Bureau of Reclamation
(BREe), City of Boulder, Trout Unlimited, Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL), and the
High Country Citizens Alliance and other iuterested persons. The intent of the workshop was to give
the staff and Board direction on how it should prioritize future instream flow and natural lake
appropriations and/or acquisitions.

Participants of the workshop heard how the DOW's overall philosophy on setting their priorities came
from the agency's Mission Statement and Long Range Plan. Guidance for those priorities also comes
from other DOW docwnents and programs such as the Wetland Initiative, Colorado Landscapes
Legacy Project, CDOW Real Estate Plan and species recovery/conservation plans. The DOW, DPOR
and CWCB, all Department of Natural Resource Agencies, are also committed to providing instream
flow protection to the State's Parks. The DPOR has requested that its extremely valuable water
resources be protected with instream flow water rights, The DPOR has couducted surveys and found
that its customers have a better park experience along trails with water amenities. Water amenities
increase the use of the area, the more visitors the parks receive the more money is collected to improve
the public's recreational experience.

Participants heard from the BLM on how it looks to the Instream Flow Program as an alternative to
imposing federal bypass flow requirements on new appropriations. BLM priorities were selected by a
Flood Protection. Water Project Planning and Financing. Stream and Lake Protection
WaterSu J Prot 'on. onse' .