BOARD02182

• Board Meeting Date: 7/23/2002
• Description: CF Section - Review of Policy Approval and Prioritization of Fish and Wildlife Mitigation Fund Applications
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

acquisition, river restoration feasibility study or construction project. Each
application will be reviewed for conformity with the goals and objectives of the
CWCB Strategic Plan. .Grant applications will be considered only in t.
following two categories: . .

1. The appropriation or acquisition of water rights for the purpose of
preserving or improving the natural environment to a reasonable
degree to mitigate the impact of an existing water facility.
2. River restoration feasibility studies and construction projects that
are designed to directly. mitigate or significantly improve the
environmentalimpacts of water facilities.

The appropriation or acquisition of water rights for instream flow jJurposes to
provide regulatory stability Will be considered and recommended to the Board for
consideration based on the f~llowing project types:
. Instream flow water rights that assist in the administration of compact-entitled
waters, or address problems relating to compact-entitled waters,
. Instream flow water rights that impact federal water rights issues, and
. Instream flow water rights that assist in the-recovery of threatened or
endangered wildlife spe!cies or the conservation of existing wildlife species
within riparian ecosystems.

The Board will consider applications for river restoration feasibilitv studies and
construction proiects based: on available ftmds in each year. CWCB staff will
evaluate each application based on the following: .
. Soundness of the project design, work plan or plan of study,
. The need for the proposed project,
. The need for financial a$sistance.
. Financial, technical, or; administrative participation or coordination by all
affected local governments.

Applications will be recommended to the Board by the CWCB staff for projects,
programs or studies that meet any or all of the following objectives:
1. Protection of compact-entitled waters
2. Protection of agricultural irrigation facilities
3. Protection of wildlife habitat and recovery of threatened and endangered
species
4. Improve floodplain management
5. Protection of recreation, or other industries that economically impact the
downstream area.
6. Other projects that may fulfill the needs of the Board. ..

NOTE:

Recognizing that future needs and responses to those needs cannot be predicted
with certainty, the Colorado Water Conservation Board reserves the right to
recommend for ftmding. any instream flow acquisition, river restoration
construction project, or study that it determines is effected by an existing r.
water facility and furthers the purposes of the Fish and Wildlife Resources Fund.