Date: 09/14/2015
Final
Public Testimony Concerning the Second Draft of the Colorado Water Plan
WATER RESOURCES REVIEW COMMITTEE
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12:49 PM -- Public Testimony Concerning the Second Draft of the Colorado Water Plan
The following people testified on the second draft of the CWP:
12:51 PM -- Ty Wattenberg, representing himself, stated that the Water Supply Reserve Account (WSRA) funding component of the plan should be kept as whole as possible, and more funds should be added to the account. He said that all basins will need additional funding in order to implement components of the plan. He stated that alternative transfer methods should retain the current sideboards in place, such as regulating the time in which water can be leased.
12:52 PM -- Carl Trick, representing himself, stated that it is important that the WSRA funding should be directed towards lessening the municipal and industrial gap, which is what the State Water Supply Initiative (SWSI) study specifically addressed. He stated that the current draft of the CWP does not have enough teeth and mentioned that enough water has traveled out of the state to fill the gap if there were places to store it along the South Platte River. He discussed the lack of compromising amongst different groups in developing the water plan, as well as in completing water projects. He stated that if there are going to be projects that effect water in the state, the state needs to be more involved, specifically in making the permitting process simpler and more efficient.
12:56 PM -- Frank Romero, United States Forest Service, stated that he has not reviewed the entire water plan, but he will continue to inform himself.
12:58 PM
Sentor Roberts asked those present about the funding mechanisms of the plan. Mr. Wattenberg stated that the state needs to be more involved in the funding of projects and stated that there needs to be more creative ways to fund projects. He also stated that education is an extremely important component of the plan. Senator Sonnenberg and Mr. Wattenberg discussed the increased statutory authority of the CWCB in providing loans to complete water projects. Senator Sonnenberg expressed his concern about money being taken away from projects that are needed to implement the CWP, specifically to decrease the municipal and industrial gap. Mr. Wattenberg stated that efficiency in the loan process of funding projects should be considered, but the General Assembly should have input. Representative Brown and Mr. Trick discused the need for storage on the South Platte River, and Mr. Trick stated that storage on the South Platte would be beneficial to the North Platte Basin and would eliminate the need for further dry-up of agricultural water rights.
01:04 PM
The committee adjourned.