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<br />, -"', <br />^. . ;.,-.-~ <br /> <br />that its extremely valuable water resources be protected with instream flow water rights, T.b.e. <br />-. <br />DPOR has conducted surveys and found that its customers have a better park experience along <br />trails with water amenities, Water amenities increase the use of the area, the more visitors the <br />parks receive the more money is collected to improve the public's recreational experience, <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Participants heard from the BLM on how it looks to the Instream Flow Program as an alternative <br />to imposing federal bypass flow requirements on new appropriations, BLM priorities were <br />selected by a variety of processes including public requests, BLM planning processes, legal <br />requirements and by cOrnrO.itments of tax dollars to purchase lands along streams, <br /> <br />Participants heard from the Cities of Littleton, Boulder and Gunnison and their requests and <br />comments regarding instream flow protection along stream corridors to preserve the enjoyment <br />of present and future city residents along these corridors, Communities are spending large sums <br />of public tax dollars on providing recreational opportunities for their citizens and would like <br />protection for the water resources, <br /> <br />Participants also heard from state based environmental groups about the need to protect streams <br />with high community interest, unique or rare species (not just fish), experiencing high <br />developmental pressure and to also preserve the stream's water quality values, <br /> <br />Discussion <br /> <br />The General Assembly in 1973 enacted Senate Bill 97 created the Colorado Instream Flow and <br />Natural Lake Level Program (ISF Program) to be administered by the Colorado Water <br />Conservation Board 937-92-102(3) C,R,S, (1990), The Statutory framework for the ISF <br />Program enables the CWCB to acquire and protect a property right in water within the . <br />framework of Colorado's prior appropriation system, The water right created by the ISF . <br />Program is unique to Colorado Water Law because it allows the CWCB to put water to the non- <br />consumptive beneficial use of preserving the natural envirorunent to a reasonable degree without <br />the requirement of diverting or controlling water within a stream reach, This unique water right <br />can only be obtained by the CWCB, "", no other person or entity shall be granted a decree <br />adjudicating a right to water or interests in water for instream flows or natural lake levels for any <br />purposes whatsoever." <br /> <br />The purpose of the ISF Program is ".., to correlate the activIties of mankind with some <br />reasonable preservation of the natural envirorunent." The Program's goal is to appropriate those <br />instream flows or lake levels necessary to preserve the natural envirorunent to a reasonable <br />degree while balancing the need for the consumptive use of water. While the CWCB recognizes <br />the importance of its role in preserving the natural envirorunent to a reasonable degree with the <br />ISF rights, the CWCB must achieve this goal without adversely affecting Colorado's ability to <br />put its various compact entitlements to beneficial consumptive use, These rights may not protect <br />all habitats and ecosystems nor may they provide an optimum degree of preservation, <br /> <br />Flood Control and Floodplain Management -Larry Lang, Chief_ Water Project Planning and Construction- Mike Serlet, Chief- <br />Instream Flows and Water Rights Investigations-Dan Merriman, Chief. Interstate Streams Investigations-Randy Seaholm, Chief- <br />Office of Conservation Planning- WiUiam Stanton, Chief. Personnel and Budget .Susan Maul, Chief <br /> <br />. <br />