BOARD01103

• Board Meeting Date: 3/21/2002
• Description: Amendment to SB02-156: Concerning the Authorization of Changes of Absolute Water Rights for Purposes of Instream Use
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

5,S

STATE OF COLORADO

Colorado Water Conservation Board

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

MEMORANDUM

Bill Owens
Governor

TO:
FROM:
DATE:

Colorado Water Conservation Board Members
Rod Kuharich
March 14, 2002

qregE. Walcher
Executive Director

Rod Kuharich
CWCB Director

RE:

Amendment to SB 02-156: Concerning the Authorization of Changes
of Absolute Water Rights for Purposes of Instream Use

Dan McAuliffe
Deputy Director

Attached for your information is an amendment in the nature of substitute to SB 156, I believed it was
critical to notify you of developments regarding this bill as soon as possible,

The amendment is a product of negotiations between DNR Executive Director Greg Walcher, Sen, Gordon
and members of a subcommittee established by the Colorado Water Congress,

The amendment will be offered tomorrow when the Senate Appropriations Committee meets to discuss the
bilL

We have examined the bill in detail and have determined that the fiscal implications of implementing the bill
cannot be fully determined at this time.

As is currently the case, the Board has discretion about whether to accept donated water rights and we can
condition acceptance based on an allocation of costs to change the use ofthe water, administer the water
right and other terms and conditions that we place in our acquisition agreements.

Further, we do not expect the number of donations to greatly increase. Therefore, the costs associated with
the bill are related primarily to the complexity of each donation situation.

We can discuss this issue further at our Board meeting, You can also let me know of concerns you may have
prior to the meeting,

Flood Protection. Water Supply Planning and Financing. Stream and Lake Protection
Water Supply Protection. Conservation and Drought Planning