Date: 09/14/2015
Final
Public Testimony Concerning the Second Draft of the Colorado Water Plan - G
WATER RESOURCES REVIEW COMMITTEE
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6:58 PM -- Public Testimony Concerning the Second Draft of the Colorado Water Plan - Greeley
The following people testified on the second draft of the CWP:
6:58 PM -- Joe Frank, SPBRT, identified comments that were agreed to by the majority of SPBRT members and highlighted those for the committee. The SPBRT is sending a 12 page comment letter to the CWCB. He noted that he doctrine of prior appropriation must be defended. He suggested that the CWP should explain why new storage is controversial and identify alternatives to overcome it. He said that overcoming this controversy should be a high priority and emphasized in Sections 4, 6 and 10 of the plan. Both above-ground and underground storage is needed to facilitate alternative transfers, augmentation, and to benefit the environment and recreation. He noted that conservation and reuse is an important piece of the CWP but the plan needs to keep building on conservation and reuse. He said the the CWP's conservation stretch goal is aspirational and that it should not receive greater emphasis in the plan than other methods for meeting the demand gap. He suggested that the CWP should also recognize that agricultural efficiency does not create new water and that it may impact stream flows and other water users. He wants the CWP to advocate for a more efficient water project permitting process including a more active role for the state that begins earlier in the permitting process Finally, he noted that the CWP should be balanced and provide equal emphasis to all methods for meeting the demand gap including conservation and reuse, alternative transfer mechanisms, completion of identified projects and process, and the development of Colorado's compact entitlement.
7:05 PM -- Jim Hall, Northern Water, noted that the CWP is an incredible undertaking. He supports the comment letter that will be coming from the roundtable. He suggested that the CWP should clearly support the Colorado Doctrine of Prior Appropriation. He said that the CWP needs to focus on increasing conservation and reuse and provide more focus on the need for additional storage. He stated that Chapter 10 needs to include other ground and surface water storage that may be available in the future. He wants the CWP and the legislature to appreciate the wisdom of local control and interdependence of users. He likes the recommendation for convening a task force on permitting issues and said that Northern Water would like to participate in such an endeavor. He said that the CWP should more clearly recognize the importance of return flows and that there may be a need to modify point source discharge rules and statutes. He supports the CWP goals for Colorado River Compact obligations but wants an administrative protocol to achieve required curtailment efforts if voluntary methods fail.
7:13 PM -- Burt Knight, City of Greeley, noted that Greeley started water conservation in 1907. He wants to preserve and protect the state constitution, the Colorado Doctrine, property rights, and local control. He doesn't want the CWP preempting local control or being a one-size-fits all plan. He stated that the CWP's emphasis on conservation is good but it shouldn't be the dominant force in the CWP. He recommended increasing the emphasis on storage which promotes healthy streams and the environment, and helps to control floods. He thinks that unallocated water exists that could be captured with additional storage and that the CWP should be adopted before looking at funding and legislation.
7:18 PM -- Sean Conway, Weld County Commissioner, and SPBRT member, noted that water law started here. He suggested that water storage should be increased and that flood damage could have been avoided with the Northern Integrated Supply Project (NISP). He stated that conservation should be a vital component of the CWP but its not the whole solution. He said that efforts should be collaborative to meet Colorado's water challenges in the future.
7:27 PM -- Randy Ray, Central Colorado Water Conservancy District, described his water district. He stated that there are a lot of opportunities for water storage in lined gravel pits. He suggested that the Chatfield environmental pool could be a model for other water storage projects. He noted that people like the look of irrigated agriculture. He said that efficiency and reuse are confused because reuse projects take water away from downstream users.
7:37 PM -- Alan Gentz, representing himself, discussed a conservation easement issue involving the the City of Sterling. He supports increased water storage and wants water rights protected.
7:44 PM -- Bill Jerke, representing himself, announced that he is a former house member, former Weld County commissioner, former SPBRT chairman and active Farm Bureau member . He noted that Weld County is the breadbasket of Colorado and that the South Platte River provides domestic water for 4 million people. He said that it's easier to buy water from the South Platte than to build storage and that although NISP has support, it is really difficult to accomplish but it will save a lot of Weld County farmland from "buy and dry". He challenged the concept of "not one more drop" from West to East slope.
7:50 PM -- Peter Bridgeman, representing himself, expressed appreciation for the number of state representative and senators in attendance. He would like new water storage capacity and said that NISP is critical. He expressed support for the Chimney Hollow Reservoir at the Windy Gap Firming Project. He stated that we need to change our attitudes about conservation but that conservation will not solve our impending water crisis.
7:55 PM -- Delores Martindale, representing herself, told the committee that wells on her family's farm were shut down and many farmers that have had their wells shut down have gone bankrupt. She wants the prior appropriation doctrine preserved. She's concerned about agriculture dry up.
7:57 PM -- John Martindale, representing himself, explained that he doesn't like golf courses or homeowner associations that specify how green grass has to be.
7:58 PM -- Roni Sylvester, representing herself, provided a handout (Attachment B). She sent a letter to the Attorney General with a fraudulent water complaint. She's had $300,000 in cleanup and restoration from 17 inches of water in her house in 2013 due to over augmentation. She stated that water from Platte River was so high on April 17, 2014 that she asked Governor. Hickenlooper about dredging. She said the CWP should include information about the Platte River Endangered Species Recovery Plan.
Attachment B.pdf
8:08 PM -- Bruce Johnson, representing himself, said we need to manage water.
8:11 PM
The committee adjourned.