BOARD02475

• Board Meeting Date: 3/21/2002
• Description: CWCB Director's Report
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

Basin aquifers within the Designated Groundwater Basins. The Commission voted discussed the options,
. and ~oted to table the discussion of this matter, and any decision regarding a position until the May Board
meetmg.

Future Water Demand Projections: We have completed draft fact sheets to illustrate future water demands
in each basin. The projections are based on a correlation between population growth, agricultural use and
water diversions for various purposes. We will bring copies to the meeting and post them to the web site.

Water Infrastructure Security: Colorado has billions of dollars worth of critical water infrastructure that
could invite terrorist attack. Many of Colorado's water supply and agricultural dams are immediately
upstream of populated areas. A nurnber of these are state-owned or state-operated facilities. At present,
protection measures are inadequate because of limited funding, The Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) will now playa critical role in providing direct assistance to state, local governments and
individuals to prevent and respond to natural disasters and incidents ofterrorism.

FEMA's mission is to reduce the loss oflife and property and protect our institutions frorn hazards by
leading and supporting comprehensive, risk-based emergency management programs involving mitigation,
preparedness, response and recovery.

In FY 2002 FEMA provided $2.7 billion in direct assistance to states, local governments and individuals
stricken by natural disasters and incidents of terrorism. The FY 2003 budget includes $6.6 billion in
discretionary budget authority. $3.5 billion of this amount will be for new state and local government
terrorism preparedness priorities associated with the September 11 attacks.
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The President wants FEMA to work closely with state and local governments to ensure their planning,
training and equipment needs are addressed, The budget provides $3.6 billion to address these new priorities,
. an increase of$3.2 billion over FY 2002. Most ofthis funding will be used for terrorism-related equipment
for states and localities, as well as training grants for first responders, including firefighters, police and
emergency medical technicians. The federal share of such grants will be at least 75 percent. While state and
local jurisdictions will have discretion to tailor the assistance to meet local needs, it is anticipated that more
than one-third of the funds will be used to improve communication. It is further assumed that an additional
one-third will be used to equip state and local first responders and that the remainder will be used for
training, planning, technical assistance and administration,

We should playa primary role in improving the state's capability to protect its critical water infrastructure.
A first step in accomplishing these objectives is to apply for terrorism funds from FEMA, in partnership with
the Colorado Office of Emergency Management, to support the following activities:

· Organize and conduct a Western States Water Resources - Terrorism Preparedness Conference,

· Oversee and direct a needs-based, cost-shared gr,mt program to protect Colorado's critical water
infrastructure. This program will exist under the Flood Protection Section at the CWCB. The section's
work priorities will include 1) identification of at-risk, state-owned or managed water infrastructure
facilities, 2) development and implementation of strategies and/or plans to prevent acts ofterrorism
against said facilities, 3) development and delivery of planning assistance to local governments, other
water entities and individuals to plan for and prevent acts ofterrorism against their critical water
infrastructure, and 4) oversight and management of a cost shared grant program for other State agencies,
local governments and other water entities and to deliver technical and planning assistance to protect
against acts of terrorism against the state's critical water infrastructure,

. During the first year of program operation, we will provide 25 percent "in-kind" services to support the
program. In the program's following years, the CWCB will seek cash match funds to support the program.

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