Yampa - Ag Water Needs Assessment_Water Activity Summary

• Basin Roundtable: Yampa/White
• Applicant: Moffat County
• Description: Agricultural Water Needs Assessment
• Account Source: Basin
• Board Meeting Date: 1/23/2008
• Contract/PO #: 150418
• WSRA - Doc Type: Water Activity Summary Sheet - CWCB Evaluation/Approval Documents

Water Supply Reserve Account – Grant and Loan Program
Water Activity Summary Sheet

Applicant : Amount Requested:
Moffat County . $ 201,410
Water Activity Name:
Agricultural Water Needs
Source of Funds:
Y/W/G Basin Account
Water Activity Purpose : Matching Funds:
A nalysis of nonstructural water needs No
County:
Rout, Moffat, and Rio Blanco
Drainage Basin:
Yampa, White, and Green
Water Source:
Yampa, White, and Green Rivers and their tributaries

Water Activity Summary :
Moffat County is the applica nt and fiscal agent for this application. On November 5, 1996 Moffat County’s
electorate approved a ballot question allowing Moffat County to collect, retain and expend all revenues and
other funds collected during 1995 and each subsequent year from any s ource.

Overview of the Water Activity
The f unds from the WSRA will be used for a study to identify agricultural water needs and shortages in the
Yampa, White, and Green River B asins and identify projects to satisfy those needs. The study will:
1) Refine and update previous estimates of current agr icultural water demands, supplies, and shortages for
the Yampa/ White/Green River Basin through use of the State’s Decision Support System (DSS) Models and
Data.
2) Identify and evaluate shortages for the future agricultural demands.
3) Assess the impacts of climate change on agricultural water availability .
4) Assess the impacts of energy sector water supply development on agricultural water availability in the
White River Basin .
5) Assess water supply developme nt alternative to satisfy shortage identified in Tasks 1,2, and 3.
6) Assess the effects on return flows of various irrigation practices or changes in those practices.
7) Investigate creative solutions that benefit multiple interests (e.g. agriculture, ene rgy, recreation,
environment, etc.)

The deliverables from the project include a report that will: 1) describe existing agricultural water shortages
2) identify future demands for ag water 3) determine the role of climate change on water availability, 4)
r eveal the impact to agriculture water if conditional water rights in the White River are used, 5) identify
water supply development alternatives, 6) understand the role of return flows in available agricultural water,

7) identify partnering opportunities w ith energy, recreation, and other uses.

Threshold and Evaluation Criteria
The applicant addresses and meets the four threshold criteria. The applicant does not address the evaluation
criteria as it is a grant request from the Basin Account.

Funding Over view
The applicants are asking for $ 201,410 in grant funding from the Yampa/White/Green Basin Account.
Funding from the W SRA constitutes 100 % of the total project cost.
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