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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />natural environment. Recently, the WTF prepared a summary of drought impacts and activities for <br />2002. The report concluded that the state experienced "some significant impacts primarily to the <br />aquatic environment. However, the resiliency of the natural system kept the ecosystems functioning <br />with limited non-reversible impacts to wildlife." The major actions taken to lessen drought impacts to <br />wildlife resources included: I) cooperative efforts between water users, community groups and state <br />agencies, 2) fisheries management actions, and 3) administrative actions by state agencies. The report <br />will be presented to the Governor's Water Availability Task Force on March 19'h, and will be available <br />in its entirety on the CWCB website. <br /> <br />ISF 30th Anniversary: This year, the CWCB is celebrating the 30th anniversary of Colorado's Instream <br />Flow and Natural Lake Level Program. The program was created on April 23, 1973 with the signing <br />of Senate Bill 97. The law became effective on July 1, 1973, and the Board made its first instream <br />flow water right appropriations on July 12,1973 for streams in the Frying Pan drainage. Since 1973, <br />the CWCB has appropriated instream flow water rights on 1390 segments of stream covering 8236 <br />miles, and appropriated water rights for 476 natural lakes. An attached document contains additional <br />information on the status of the program. <br /> <br />ISF Rulemaking: The CWCB is conducting rulemaking to implement the provision ofSB 02-156. <br />The Rulemaking Notice was published in the January 2003 Colorado Register. Staff received <br />comments from four groups: the Colorado Farm Bureau, Trout Unlimited, Southwestern Water <br />Conservation District and the BLM. A prehearing conference was held on February 26th to schedule <br />oral presentations for the Rulemaking Hearing that will be held on March 24, 2003 in Longmont. The <br />comment letters and notices are available on the CWCB website at <br />http://cwcb.state.co.us/isf/Prol!rams/isf-rules.h tm <br /> <br />Matulik Receives FEMA Director's Award: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) <br />Region VIII Office in Lakewood Colorado formally nominated recently retired CWCB staff member <br />Mark Matulik for the FEMA "Directors Award." FEMA Headquarters in Washington D.C. approved <br />this request and Director Joe M. Allbaugh presented Mark with this award in a ceremony on Feb. 27 in <br />Washington D.C. at FEMA headquarters. This award is only given to individuals or groups that <br />exemplify excellence in their respective state's and/or communities. Mark Matulik's dedication and <br />work in Colorado will be recognized above all other individuals in the form of this years' FEMA <br />Directors Award. <br /> <br />Post-wildfire Hazards: The staff of the CWCB Flood Protection Program has been actively involved <br />with significant engineering studies involving federal, state, local and private partners. The studies are <br />aimed at assessing quantitative effects that burned watersheds have on surface water hydrology and the <br />subsequent floods and/or debris flows that result from the greatly increased runoff from the denuded <br />forests. Several independent but closely coordinated efforts are currently underway to provide the <br />best information possible to local planners, floodplain administrators, emergency managers, and <br />emergency response agencies. The study products will include actual floodplain and/or debris flow <br />delineations within those high priority areas where lives and property are at great risk from post- <br />wildfire hazards. The CWCB has implemented it's Flood Response Program by contracting with <br />Ayres Associates (Fort Collins) to perform "as-needed" engineering services related to post-wildfire <br />floodplain work. The Ayres contract is intended to supplement on-going work by FEMA, USGS and <br />several Colorado counties in the effort to identify hazards within the Hayman burn area (vicinity of <br />Deckers), Missionary Ridge bum area (vicinity of Durango), Coal Seam bum area (vicinity of <br />Glenwood Springs), and several other burn areas where at-risk areas have been identified. <br /> <br />Cloud Seeding Presentation by CSU: Dr. Cotton from CSU, a noted expert on cloud seeding, has <br />asked to present his research about cloud seeding to the Board. Many of the key operators in the <br />Southwestern U.S., like Larry Hjermstad of Western Weather Consultants from Durango and Don <br />Griffith of North American Weather Consultants, from Utah have ties to the CSU meteorological <br />department. <br /> <br />17 <br />