BOARD02617

• Board Meeting Date: 3/24/2003
• Description: CWCB Director's Report
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

to begin construction on April 1. The CWCBhas been involved in the Rio Blanco Restoration Project
since early 1990's. Filing for a NWP-27 is part ofin-kil1d services that the CWCB has committed to
the Project. Staff is currently cooperating with the Corps, Forest Service, and other local agencies to
provide the necessary documents for permitting process. .

The Project encompasses a 2.4-mile reach of the Rio BUmco southwest ofPagosa Springs in Archuleta
County. The Project sponsor SJWCD's overall goal fori this type of project is to restore and improve
stream characteristics for the reach of the Rio Blanco th~t has been heavily impacted by a significant
annual water diversion at the San Juan-Chama water diversion structure. With the success of the
already completed "demonstration proj ect" that restored, approximately 1.1 miles of the Rio Blanco,
the SJWCD is now proposing to restore an additional 2.4 miles. The specific objectives for the
proposed Project are to improve channel stability, fish habitat, riparian and flood function, and
sediment transport while maintaining the channel's flood capacity.

The proposed channel work includes installation of current deflectors, placement of rootwads in the
banks, restoration of stream meanders and removal ofb!'Jrms, and restoration and enhancement of riffle
and pool stream structures in order to decrease the channel width and increase the depth to shape the
channel to match the new flow regime. The Project will enhance the current condition of the stream
from an encroaching floodplain into a bank-full channel that would also provide carrying capacity for
flood flows that may occur from time-to-time. Certainly, the proposed channel work will involve
excavation and filling of channel bed material. However, it is anticipated that the amount of cut will
be closely balanced with the amount of fill in the re-shaping of the channel cross-section. The
projected completion time is approximately two month~ (April 1- May 31,2003).

2003 ISF Tabulation Available: The 2003 Tabulation:ofInstream Flow and Natural Lake Level water
rights is now available on-line at httu://cwcb.state.co.us/isfIDownloads/Index.htm The Tabulation
lists all the water rights appropriated or acquired by thdCWCB through December 2002, and includes
the following information: Case Number, StreamlLakeName, County, Stream Reach, Decreed .
Amount and Appropriation Date. Users may downloac1 the stream tabulation and the lake tabulation
separately, and may select downloads by individual water division. Ifusers are only interested in
information about a particular stream, the ISF Database: may be queried on-line at
htto:/ / cwcb.state.co. us/isf/Database/

Water Right Acquisition Investigations: Since Janulllty, the Water Acquisition Program has received
5 inquiries regarding proposed water right donations to !maintain instream flows on a number of
streams throughout the state. The inquiries concerned streams in Water Divisions 1,5, and 7. Of the 5
inquiries received, 2 proposals appear to have merit and staffis working with the proponents to
develop the terms of the donations. When the proposals are finalized, the CWCB Staff will bring the
offers to the Board, pursuant to the ISF Rules, for conSIderation.

Colorado Water Trust: The Colorado Water Trust is ~ private non-profit conservation organization
that was created in 2001 "to acquire, or assist others in ~cquiring, water rights or interests in water
rights, using voluntary approaches from willing owner~, for conservation benefits." The Trust will
work within Colorado's water right framework to accomplish its mission.

The Colorado Water Trust is initiating a general outreach effort to educate water users and water
professionals, and to develop projects. Along this line"the Trust has established a web page at

httu://www.coloradowatertrust.orl!/ that contains information about the Trust and guidelines for
acquisitions. A link to the Trust's web page is also available on the CWCB web site. Questions about
the Water Trust should be directed to John Carney, Ex4cutive Director, at [phone].c
Wildlife Drought Task Force Update: The Wildlife task Force (WTF) was created last year to .
address drought related impacts to wildlife. CWCB staff participated in the WTF to identify critical
stream reaches and develop opportunities to mitigate drought related impacts to the water-dependent

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