BOARD02336

• Board Meeting Date: 9/27/1999
• Description: Directors' Reports
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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Program documents will be amended to reflect these changes. This will give us time to work with
the DOW to complete the development of the instream methodologies for larger, warm water systems.

The Implementation Committee also heard progress reports regarding (l) the development
recovery goals by Rich Valdez; (2) the status of the l5-mile Reach Programmatic Biological Opinion that
is scheduled to be released by the USfWS on October 15; (3) long-term funding legislation; (4) extending
the recovery program beyond 2003; (5) incidental take at the Tusher Wash diversion on the Green River
and the potential for incidental take in the Grand Valley; (6) and a report about Program Information and
Education activities from Debbie felker, the Program's new I&E coordinator. Our refusal to consider an
extension of the 15 year Recovery Program agreement until the recovery goals and deli sting criteria are
quantified has caused a great increase in the attention directed toward these decisions.

The next Implementation Committee meeting is scheduled for March 8, 2000 in Denver.

I5-Mile Reach Workshop Scheduled: We have scheduled a workshop to discuss in detail the
soon to be released USfWS I5-mile Reach Programmatic Biological Opinion on October 18 from 1 p.m.
until 4 p.m. in the Colorado Municipal League's conference room, located 1600 Lincoln Street, Suite
2100 in Denver. The workshop will be designed to help CWCB and other water community leaders leam
about and evaluate the policy and legal implications of a "Draft Programmatic Biological Opinion for
Funding and Implementation of Recovery Program Actions and Depletions in the Upper Colorado River
above the Confluence of the GUnnlson River." The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is expected to issue the
draft opinion on October 15, 1999. Copies will be available from Henry Maddox (303-236-2985 x 233).
Those expected to make presentations and be available to answer questions include:

. Henry Maddux, Upper Colorado Endangered fish Recovery Program Director;
. Margo Zallen, Office of the Solicitor, U.S. Department of the Interior; and
. Tom Pitts, Water Consult, representing water users.

Long-term Funding Legislation: Senator Allard has introduced a bill (S. 1544) to authorize the
Bureau of Reclamation to construct capital projects associated with the Upper Colorado and San Juan
River Endangered fish Recovery Programs. The bill is identical to the bill Rep. Hansen (R-UT)
introduced. The House Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power Resources may hold a hearing on
the bill on October 21. Those expected to testify include Interior Secretary Babbitt, Wyoming Governor
Geringer on behalf of states, someone representing water users, someone representing environmentalists,
and someone representing power users.

Dan McAuliffe is working on a statement of support for our consideration. He is also preparing
amendments to the proposed we loan financing agreement discussed at our July meeting with CREDA
representatives and a "strike-and-replace" version of the bills to illustrate amendments proposed by the ad
hoc subcommittee on Recovery Program funding.

Rio Grande River Basin

Rio Grande Decision Support System Status Report: We are more than halfway through the
first year of a three-year $4,960,000 effort to design and build the Rio Grande Decision Support System
(RGDSS). An expenditure of $2 million was authorized for work during the first year. Development
work is progressing in all areas of the project. RGDSS highlights since the July Board meeting are
summarized below.

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