BOARD01010

• Board Meeting Date: 11/19/2003
• Description: CF Section - Changes to Existing Non-Reimbursable Investments - Fountain Creek Transit Loss Study
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

STATE OF COLORADO

Colorado Water Conservation Board

Department of N aturaI Resources
1313 Shennan Street, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
FAX, [phone]
www.cwcb.state.co.us

Bill Owens
GovetTlor

MEMORANDUM

Greg E. Walcher
Executive Director

To: Colorado Water Conservation Board Members

From:

Randy Seaholm
Steve Miller

Rod Kuharich
CWCB Director

Dan McAuliffe
Deputy Director

Date: November 14, 2003

Re: November 19-21, 2003, CWCB Meeting, Agenda Item 12.a.
Water Supply Planning and Finance - Changes to Existing Non-Reimbursable Investments
Fountain Creek Transit Loss Study

Introduction

This request is from the EI Paso County Water Authority (Authority) for the CWCB to participate and cost-
share in a study by the US Geological Survey (USGS) of transit losses on Monument and Fountain Creeks
in the Arkansas River Basin. No new appropriation is being sought from the Construction Fund, rather this
proposal would utilize the remaining funds (approximately $85,000) already authorized and encumbered to
the Authority pursuant to section 12 of HBOO-1419 for "a cooperative water supply planning investigation and
master plan". The Finance Committee approved the concept of adding this new purpose to the earlier
authorization, and referred the proposal to the full Board for review and to request any necessary
authorization from the General Assembly. Gary Barber from the EI Paso County Water Authority will be
present to confirm that the master plan process has been completed, describe the proposal, and answer
questions.

Discussion

In 2000 the Board requested and received authority to contract with the Authority to cooperate in a water
master plan study with up to $200,000 from the Construction Fund: "The Colorado water conservation board
is hereby authorized to participate in a cooperative water supply planning investigation and master plan of
the rural EI Paso county area. The purposes of the investigation will be to effectively identify the current and
future development of water resources, systems, and facilities benefiting the residents of EI Paso county.
The scope of work for the master plan shall be developed by the EI Paso county water authority in
consultation with EI Paso county and the Colorado water conservation board." Section 12, HBOO-1419. The
Master Plan study has been completed and presented to the Board at a significant cost savings, leaving
approximately $85,000 of the original appropriation encumbered, but not needed to complete the master
plan.

During the course of the master plan study participants determined that one effective strategy for meeting
the need for an additional 10,000 acre-feet of water by the year 2020 was to use existing non-tributary
groundwater sources to extinction. This would likely be accomplished by exchanges along Fountain Creek,
and might also involve better use of some members Fry-Ark transmountain water allocations. To operate