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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />proposing either to enlarge the storage capacity or to build additional storage within the <br />basin. The Corps' concern is that, according to their regulatory standards, the reservoir is <br />not large enough to provide adequate flood protection (defined in terms of a storm event <br />that would deliver 29 inches ofrain within three days). The Corps held a public meeting <br />in the area, but had problems with their mailing list that prevented the notice from <br />reaching very many people. We have contacted officials in Omaha and they are planning <br />to reinitiate the public meeting process. We have also scheduled a meeting with them in <br />February to agree on a process and an allocation of responsibilities. <br /> <br />WATER OUALITY ACTIVITIES. Our water quality team continues to meet <br />on a monthly basis, and with their help we submitted your comments to the EPA <br />concerning its Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (copy attached). We now plan <br />to shift our attention to the EPA's 1999 review of Colorado River salinity control <br />measures and an assessment of our on-going efforts to implement the recommendations <br />from the "water quality task force" in 1992 (responding to HB 92-1200 and Executive <br />Order B 01292 concerning interagency cooperation). As we progress, we will be <br />preparing background and status reports for you. <br /> <br />RIO BLANCO MEETING WITH RECLAMATION. On January 8, 1999 <br />Dan Merriman, Ken Beegles (Division 7 Engineer) and I traveled to Albuquerque for a <br />meeting with the Bureau of Reclamation to discuss the Rio Blanco Restoration Project <br />and operation of the San Juan-Chama Project. Mike Gabaldon has recently taken over as <br />the new Area Manager and he has several new staff members. It was good to meet them <br />and they were openly supportive of our concerns about the Board's instream flow rights <br />on the Rio Blanco, which may involve a re-evaluation of San Juan-Chama Project <br />diversions, and our desire to keep the river restoration project moving forward with <br />landowner support. Dan and Ken meet with local participants in this project on a regular <br />basis and the Bureau has agreed to participate more regularly. The Bureau asked for an <br />opportunity to review its records and to meet with us again in February. As these <br />discussions progress, we will report our progress to you. <br /> <br />1999 LEGISLATIVE COORDINATION. In light of Governor Owens' <br />appointment of Don Ament as Commissioner of Agriculture, we needed to find another <br />sponsor to introduce the 1999 Construction Fund and Severance Tax Bill. I asked <br />Senator Dennis, since she had agreed earlier to be the Senate sponsor, and she quickly <br />accepted. We have provided her with your recommendations and a set of fact sheets to <br />support her presentation of this bill, which should be introduced by the time we meet <br />January 28th. Representative Brad Young has agreed to sponsor the bill in the House and <br />I believe we can count on Water Congress support again this year to help provide a <br />relatively smooth path through the legislative process. The Water Congress is waiting to <br />consider a formal resolution of support until after our January meeting. Given the <br />discussion of tax cuts and increased funding for transportation projects this year, I plan to <br />stay in close contact with Water Congress and legislative leaders in case the Construction <br />Fund is targeted. <br /> <br />The Water Congress State Affairs Committee passed a resolution January 18, <br />1999 supporting our FY2000 budget requests based upon the attached fact sheet. This <br />