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<br />. . <br /> <br />- <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />e <br /> <br />see that the program is successfully implemented. We are planning to fully brief you on the status of the <br />initiative at a workshop in November. <br /> <br />Local Water Basin Planning & Fact Sheets: Basin meetings have been held in Pueblo and <br />Montrose. A schedule of future meetings is attached. <br /> <br />Water Quality Consultation: On Sept. 11 Hal Simpson and I sent a letter to the Water Quality <br />Control Commission (WQcC) commenting on the adoption of a new reclaimed domestic wastewater <br />control regulation (regulation #84). The new regulation concerned a proposal to adopt a new control <br />regulation for reuse of reclaimed domestic wastewater for landscape irrigation. <br /> <br />Thirteen entities sought party status for the Sept. 12 rulemaking hearing. One of the parties, the <br />Colorado River Water Conservation District (CRWCD), encouraged the WQCC to adopt a regulation for <br />wastewater reuse that would facilitate maximum reuse of trans-mountain return flows by the City and <br />County of Denver and the City of Colorado Springs under the Blue River Decree. <br /> <br />Because of our responsibility to consult with the WQcc about the water rights impacts of its <br />proposed decisions, we informed it that, to the extent that Denver and Colorado Springs can legally and <br />economically reuse trans-mountain return flows (by exchange or otherwise), their demand for water from <br />the Blue River Basin may decrease. We stated that we believed the proposed regulation was not overly <br />restrictive or that the potential costs of compliance would make the reuse of retum flows cost- <br />prohibitive. <br /> <br />We acknowledged that if the WQCC adopted the proposed regulation there might be some cost <br />associated with meeting the requirements. However, neither Denver nor Colorado Springs raised a <br />concern that the proposed regulation would impede their ability to reuse trans-mountain retum flows. <br /> <br />We concluded, based on our review of the proposal as well as the pre-hearing and rebuttal <br />statements, that we believed the proposed regulation promotes the reuse of reclaimed domestic <br />wastewater for landscape irrigation while adequately protecting the quality of ground and surface waters. <br />This is in line with the policy of maximizing the beneficial uses of waters in Colorado, which is part of <br />the mission of both the DWR and CWCB. <br /> <br />Finally, we clarified that under Colorado water law, reuse is only allowed of waters that are <br />legally reusable without expansion to the terms of the adjudicated water rights. We suggested that the <br />WQcc require applicants to specify the sources of water they intend to reuse, including identifying <br />relevant decrees. This is necessary to prevent expansion of use of water rights that are not decreed for <br />reuse, thus preventing any potential injury to other vested water rights or water development. <br /> <br />HB1200 Report and Joint Meeting: The DNR and the Colorado Department of Public health <br />and Environment (CDPHE) have released a "Status Report and Evaluation Regarding Implementation of <br />HB92-1200 Report Recommendations." HB 92-1200 included a number of provisions regarding <br />Colorado water quality programs. One section of the bill provided for the Office of the Governor, the <br />cDPHE, and the DNR to undertake a study conceming the organizational placement and efficient <br />conduct of the water quality programs of the state. This study was conducted, and resulted in a report to <br />the General Assembly in November 1992. This status report and evaluation reviews the <br />recommendations of that report and the status of efforts to implement these recommendations. A copy of <br />the report is attached. <br /> <br />The primary specific action item resulting from this status report is the decision to pursue a joint <br />workshop in 2001, involving the Water Quality Control Commission, CWCB, Wildlife Commission, <br />Agriculture Commission, and Ground Water Commission to address cross-cutting issues of mutual <br />interest. Paul Frohardt, the WQCC's director and I are jointly proposing that we meet on Jan. 24, the <br />day before the annual Colorado Water Convention in Northglenn begins. Among the issues we would <br /> <br />6 <br />