BOARD01435

• Board Meeting Date: 5/22/2000
• Description: WSP Section - Platte River Basin Issues - Platte River Endangered Species Cooperative Agreement - Status of Cooperative Agreement and Negotiation of a Long-Term Agreement
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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STATE OF COLORADO

Colorado Water Conservation Board

Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman Street, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
FAX, [phone] MEMORANDUM

Q

To:

Colorado Water Conservation Board

Rick Browr~atte River Coordinator, Interstate Streams Investigation
Randy Seaholm, Chief, Inlerstate Streams Investigation

Bill Owens
Governor

From:

Greg E.Walcher
Executive Director

Peter H. Evans
ewes Diredor

Date,

May 16, 2000

Subject:

Dan McAuliffe
22 . P . Deputy Director
Agenda Item 16.d. (2), May -23,2000 Board Meetmg. Iatte River
Endangered Species Cooperative Agreement. Status of Cooperative
Agreement and Negotiation of a Long-Term Agreement

I. Introduction

In 1997 the Governors ofthe states of Colorado, Nebraska and Wyoming signed an agreement
with the Departmenl of Interior to improve and/or study the habital of four endangered species in
the Central Platte River in Nebraska. The proposed program has three components: water, land,
and monitoring and research. This memorandum will highlight the status ofthe negotiations and
summarize some of the key activities of several of the Cooperative Agreement (CA) Committees.

II. Status of Negotiations

As menlioned in the previous Board Memorandum negotiations of a long-term agreement could
begin as early as January 2001. Colorado's willingness to enter into negotiations is of coarse
contingent on the acceptability of the proposed program elements, and the outcome ofthe
Nalional Environmental Policy Act evaluation process.

III. Status of Cooperative Agreement Activities

Over lhe lasl several months much of our attention has been focused on the development of a
Waler Action Plan [(see Board Memorandum Agenda Item 16.d. (1)]. In addition 10 this effort
many of the other committees and subcommittees have made good progress toward completing
their individual tasks. A brief summary of the slatus of some of the important activities is
provided below

. The Water Management Committee is continuing 10 focus on how to define "new program
water", and how program waler will be protected to and through the critical habitat. Each
slale also needs to complete an outline oflheir future depletions plans. Colorado is fortunate
in lhat we have completed our plan for the South Platte. We will need to finalize our North
Platte Plan and have it approved by the Governance Committee. Wyoming and Nebraska slill
have quite a bit of work ahead of them.

. The Land Committee has made significant progress toward completing their assigned tasks.
Several importanl issues still need to be resolved including; the make up of the land advisory