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<br />,., <br /> <br />2 <br /> <br />H.B. 1313 - Concerning the funding of Colorado Water Conservation Board projects, and, In <br />connection therewith, making appropriations. - This bill is our annual Construction Fund . <br />Projects bill that authorizes appropriations from the Construction Fund and Severance Tax Trust . <br />Fund Perpetual Base Account for project loans and non-reimbursable project investments. This <br />year's bill decreases prior water project loan and grant authorizations from the construction fund, <br />appropriates from the construction fund the fo\1owing amounts and projects: $250,000 for the <br />CWCB stream gauge program; $350,000 for the Division of Water Resources satellite monitoring <br />program; $100,000 for in-stream flow section technical support; $75,000 for weather modification <br />activities; $150,000 for watershed restoration projects; $2,000,000 for the continued development of <br />the South Platte decision support system; $250,000 for the preparation of revised and improved <br />floodplain studies and maps for communities throughout Colorado and to participate in federally <br />sponsored floodplain map modernization activities; $100,000 to continue to collaborate with the <br />United States Bureau of Reclamation on an enhanced snowpack assessment project; $75,000 to <br />continue to provide floodplain management technical services; $48,000 to collaborate with the <br />United States geological survey on a pilot study to improve predictions of snowmelt runoff and the <br />corresponding flood potential; $133,555 to participate in the Rio Grande reservoir multi-use <br />enlargement study; and $100,000 to participate in a demonstration project to evaluate the <br />effectiveness of electronic flow measurement and ditch operation control equipment featuring <br />innovative radio technology. The bill also transfers $150,000 from the construction fund to the flood <br />response fund, transfers $2,000,000 from the operational account of the severance tax trust fund to <br />the litigation fund, specifies that fees collected pursuant to the "Weather Modification Act of 1972" <br />are to be deposited in the construction fund with spending authority, and specifies that contributions <br />from any source may be expended for the weather modification program. <br /> <br />. <br />H.B. 1400 - Concerning interbasln compacts, and, in connection therewith, approving the <br />interbasin compact charter and altering the boundaries that define certain western slope basin <br />roundtables. - Approves the interbasin compact charter. Moves water districts 60, 61, and 63 from <br />the Gunnison basin roundtable to the Dolores, San Miguel, and San Juan basins roundtable. <br />Establishes funding in the amount of approximately $1.2 million and 2.2 additional (currently.5 <br />FTE authorized) employees to implement the act. One new employee is appropriated to the Office <br />of the Governor and 1.2 "new" employees appropriated to the Department of Natural Resources for <br />allocation to the Colorado Water Conservation Board. <br /> <br />Senate Bill 37 amends the Recreational In-Channel Diversion ("RICD") Statute. If signed by the <br />Governor, Senate Bill 37 will: <br /> <br />1. Require the Board to make findings of fact and recommendations regarding only three <br />factors: maximum utilization, compact entitlements, and injury to instream flow water <br />rights. The Board's findings shall be presumptive as to such facts before the water court, <br />subject to rebuttal by any party. <br />2. Eliminate the requirement that the Board hold a hearing, but rather provides that the Board <br />must deliberate in a public meeting. <br />3. Define control structures such that they must be efficiently designed, by a professional <br />engineer, and constructed so that it will operate efficiently and without waste. <br />4. Define "reasonable recreation experience" to be the use ofan RICD for, and limited to, <br />nonmotorized boating. While other recreational activities may occur, they may not serve as <br />evidence of a reasonable recreation experience. .' <br />5. Define a recreational in-channel diversion as a minimum amount of stream flow placed to <br />beneficial use between specific points defined by control structures, for a reasonable <br />Flood Protection. Water Project Planning and Financing. Stream and Lake Protection <br />Water Supply Protection. Conservation Planning <br />