Laserfiche WebLink
<br />Arkansas River Basin <br /> <br />Arkansas Valley Conduit: Sen. Allard continues with his efforts to secure authorization for federal <br />funding in 2004 legislation, $85 million in an amendment to the water infrastructure bill and an <br />additional $85 million in WERDA, both bills designating the US Army Corps of Engineers as the lead <br />agency for constructing the Conduit. <br /> <br />Recently, and with some initial controversy, the SECWCD, which is providing lead coordination <br />services to the entities which will ultimately benefit from the project, commissioned a new study to <br />update the cost and feasibility determinations presented in GEl's original feasibility study which the <br />Board helped to fund. <br /> <br />The update study is being done by Black and Veatch and should be complete by the end of September. <br />The update will provide more confidence in the financial aspects of the project, help the local water <br />agencies understand the cost impacts on their customers, and re-examine other alternatives such as <br />reverse osmosis treatment. <br /> <br />In addition, Reclamation, the agency originally authorized to construct the pipeline, is completing its <br />own evaluation of the project, since as currently proposed it will be a cooperating agency with the <br />Corps. <br /> <br />Arkansas River Compact Administration: The Operations Committee met again on Aug. 19 in <br />Garden City, Kansas. A tour of the basin from Rocky Ford to Garden City for the federal <br />representative, Robin Jennison, as well as Compact Representatives, was also provided on Aug. 17- <br />18. Tour participants were appreciative of the opportunity to learn more about the respective state . <br />water systems, as well as have the opportunity to interact in a less formal setting. In Colorado, the tour <br />was greatly assisted by Tom Simpson from Aurora's Rocky Ford operations unit, Luis Garcia from <br />CSU who led a briefreview of the CWCB's Compact compliance activities at the Rocky Ford <br />Research Farm, and the US Army Corps field staff at John Martin Reservoir. <br /> <br />Kansas v Colorado, Litigation Account: The Board is funding a number of activities related to the <br />ongoing litigation with Kansas over the Arkansas River Cornpact. Since the Board's March 2004 <br />decision to grant the Attorney General's request the bulk of those funds, $750,000, will come from the <br />Litigation Account ofthe Construction Fund. In addition to the litigation account we are using <br />severance tax and construction funds to assist with an update and enhancement of irrigated acreage <br />mapping along the Arkansas mainstem. Besides meeting modeling needs for Compact compliance <br />determinations, this effort will provide a basis for future Decision Support System implementation in <br />the basin. Weare also using the construction fund to cooperate with the USGS on a study of <br />groundwater pumping measurement methods (see non-reimbursables memo elsewhere in this report). <br /> <br />Since the last report we have done the following in conjunction with DWR: <br /> <br />1. Commence work with Colorado State University (CSU) for three years of irrigation monitoring <br />and weather station enhancements. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />2. Issued Purchase Orders to retain engineering consultants to review modifications to the HI Model <br />and serve as expert witnesses in the concluding phase of the case in an amount of$100,000. <br /> <br />3. Finalized a plan to have CSU build two Iysimeters at its Rocky Ford Research Farm. Upon <br />preparation of firm cost estimates we will enter into a funding agreement with CSU covering <br />installation and operation of the lysimeters. Hopefully, a final construction plan will be in place by <br />early fall, and the project will be operational at the start of the 2005 growing season. <br /> <br />8 <br />