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"Water Trust" Discussions Continue: CWCB staff continues to attend meetings held by the Colorado Water Trust group. This group is interested in forming an organization similar to the Oregon Water Trust that would serve as a clearinghouse for water right donations or leases of water in Colorado for streamflow protection purposes. The group is discussing the need and possible functions for such an organization and is developing a concept paper. In these discussions, emphasis has been placed on the accomplishments of the Oregon Trust. While there are aspects of that program that could be applied in Colorado, staff believes our existing Stream and Lake Protection Program has also made notable accomplishments. Oregon law does not require court adjudication of changes of water rights but rather relies on a permit system. As of2000, that group has acquired approximately 33-cfs water for instream use, most, of which is in the form of short term (l-5 year) leases. In contrast, Colorado's Stream and Lake Protection Program has obtained permanent decrees from the water court to protect almost 350 cfs of water in streams throughout the state. Staffwill continue to work with the Colorado Water Trust group to ensure that streamflow protection efforts are consistent with state law. Weather Modification Permit Program: Applications to renew expiring ground based winter weather modification permits were received this fall and winter from the Vail and Beaver Creek Ski Areas and the Grand Mesa Water Enhancement Authority. An application for a new winter weather modification permit was received from the Durango Mountain Resort (formerly the Purgatory Ski Area). Public hearings were held in Vail on August 24, in Durango on October 5, and in Cedaredge on December 5. Several water conservancy districts are also sponsors of these programs. The Telluride Ski and Golf Company and the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District (Willow Creek basin) are permitted continue to operate under existing five-year permits. Arkansas River Basin Issues Arkansas River Compact Administration Meeting: The Arkansas River Compact Administration met in Lamar on Dec. 1l-l2, 2000. Randy Seaholm represented Colorado on our behalf along with Jim Rogers and Tom Pointon. The Administration continues to accomplish the required business to remain operational, but remains divided on several John Martin Reservoir accounting issues and proposed changes to the Trinidad Reservoir Operating Principles. However, we are pleased to report that the Federal Representative Aurillo Sisneros has taken lead in bringing Colorado and Kansas together to begin resolving some of John Martin Reservoir accounting issues by asking each state to send him the five most resolvable accounting issues. We have supplied Mr. Sisneros with Colorado's list and Kansas is to do the same by the end of January. Mr. Sisneros well then set a schedule to discuss the issues and call a special meeting if appropriate to adopt the resolution. 1 also believe we are near resolution of the changes to the Trinidad Reservoir Operating Principles that would allow the Purgatorie District to implement a winter livestock-watering program and validate irrigated acreage within the District aunually. Reclamation is to take the lead in completing these language changes and again a special meeting could be called to adopt these changes once agreed upon. Colorado River Basin Issues CRDSS Irrigated Acreage Update: The Colorado Division of Water Resources has completed a pilot project that would allow the irrigated acreage in the Colorado River Basin to be updated at very reasonable costs. The pilot project was a cooperative effort using satellite data and imagery from Reclamation as well as existing CRDSS information. As a result, we now have a detailed process that we can ask contractors to use to 5