Date: 04/23/2015

Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB15-1013

SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, NATURAL RESOURCES, & ENERGY

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Adopt amendment L.007. The motion passed without o
Refer House Bill 15-1013, as amended, to the Commi
This is a conceptual amendment. Amend Page 6, line		Pass Without Objection
PASS
Pass Without Objection



02:16 PM -- HB 15-1013

 Senator Sonnenberg and Senator Hodge, co-prime sponsors, described the provisions of House Bill 15-1013 that implements certain recommendations of the South Platte Aquifer Study. They also distributed Amendment L.007 (Attachment C). House Bill 12-1278 required the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB), in consultation with the State Engineer and the Colorado Water Institute at Colorado State University, to conduct a comprehensive study to compile and evaluate available historic hydrologic data for the South Platte River Basin. The reengrossed bill implements the two parts of recommendation number one from the HB 12-1278 study report for the mitigation of localized high water table conditions.

150423 AttachC.pdf150423 AttachC.pdf

The first section of House Bill 15-1013 requires the CWCB and the State Engineer to select two pilot projects to test alternative methods of lowering the water table in areas along the South Platte River that are experiencing damaging high groundwater levels. One pilot project must be located near either Gilcrest or LaSalle; the second project must be near Sterling. The bill identifies application and approval criteria for the pilot projects including topics subject to rulemaking by the CWCB. The CWCB and State Engineer will annually report their findings to the WRRC and submit a final report by September 1, 2020. The second section of House Bill 15-1013 requires the State Engineer to approve or propose changes to the operation and design of proposed recharge structures for augmentation plans that include construction of a recharge structure. Under current law, when a water court considers an application for an augmentation plan that includes a recharge structure, the court evaluates whether the plan will offset out-of-priority depletions but does not consider the effect of the increased groundwater on nearby property. To address this issue, the study recommended that the State Engineer determine whether the increase in groundwater from the proposed recharge structures are likely to cause injury.

The following persons testified on the bill:

02:20 PM -- Dianna Orf, Colorado Water Congress, requested an amendment to remove Section 2 of the bill concerning the State Engineer's authority to review augmentation plans related to recharge structures.

02:22 PM -- Andy Jones, Legacy Waters Association, Central Colorado Water Conservancy District, spoke in support of Section 1 of the bill concerning the pilot project and expressed concern about Section 2 of the bill.

02:29 PM -- Robert Longenbaugh, representing himself, discussed his expertise concerning high groundwater levels in the South Platte basin and explained how the bill will help address rising groundwater levels in the South Platte basin. He explained that he is opposed to the reengrossed bill and requested amendments to Section 1 and Section 2 of the bill.

02:39 PM

The chair closed testimony on the bill. Senator Sonnenberg and Senator Hodge closed their remarks on the bill.
BILL:HB15-1013
TIME: 02:40:22 PM
MOVED:Sonnenberg
MOTION:Adopt amendment L.007. The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Baumgardner
Cooke
Donovan
Garcia
Hodge
Jones
Scott
Roberts
Sonnenberg
YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:HB15-1013
TIME: 02:42:41 PM
MOVED:Sonnenberg
MOTION:This is a conceptual amendment. Amend Page 6, line 9, strike "INJURY" and substitute "DAMAGE TO PROPERTY" The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Baumgardner
Cooke
Donovan
Garcia
Hodge
Jones
Scott
Roberts
Sonnenberg
YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:HB15-1013
TIME: 02:45:12 PM
MOVED:Sonnenberg
MOTION:Refer House Bill 15-1013, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a vote of 8-0.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Baumgardner
Yes
Cooke
Yes
Donovan
Yes
Garcia
Yes
Hodge
Yes
Jones
Yes
Scott
Excused
Roberts
Yes
Sonnenberg
Yes
Final YES: 8 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS