Date: 07/22/2015
Final
BILL SUMMARY for Public Testimony
WATER RESOURCES REVIEW COMMITTEE
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06:56 PM -- Public Testimony
T. Wright Dickinson, representing himself, encouraged the committee to continue its civic discourse with concerned members of the public. He asked the committee to exercise restraint and allow discourse regarding policy changes to occur at the basin roundtables and Interbasin Compact Committee (IBCC) rather than at the General Assembly. Mr. Dickinson spoke in favor of expanded eastern slope conservation and reminded opponents of trans-basin diversion that, per the state constitution, unappropriated waters of the state are subject to appropriation.
07:04 PM
Mr. Dickinson spoke about the variability of flows in the YWG system, which vary from 1,500-year high years, e.g. 2011, to 1,500-year low years, e.g. 2012. He shared his support for agricultural efficiency, but reminded the committee that years in which rains precluded the need for irrigation result in the worst autumn seasons for return flows because of low storage in alluvial aquifers. He also stated his support for additional storage capacity in order to manage municipal water supply year-round.
07:10 PM
Mr. Dickinson stated his concern that the critical action plan concerning agriculture could be interpreted as a means to transfer water appropriated for agricultural use to municipal water providers instead. He suggested that concentrating development in lands in municipal areas while also reducing agricultural water use could promote a large divide in the relative prosperity of cities and rural areas.
07:15 PM
Pat O'Toole, representing himself, spoke in favor of short-term action in order to combat the inevitable effects of construction price inflation. He also shared his experience with the slow pace of permitting for water projects, and suggested the need for federal officials to cooperate with the state to reduce permitting times. He stated his support for small storage projects in each basin, as these will be more easily permitted by federal officials than large storage projects. He emphasized the importance of new technology in improving water reuse, citing inexpensive technologies for water purification and reuse. He also spoke about the importance of flood irrigation, emphasizing the importance of recharge to benefit river ecosystems and consisistency.
07:25 PM
Sasha Nelson, representing Conservation Colorado, requested that the legislature implement legislation to proactively increase conservation and efficiency, modernize agriculture and water-sharing practices, and maintain healthy rivers. She commended the Basin Roundtable for its extensive studies and attention to detail. She testified that while conservation has been effective in increasing the amount of water available in the YWG basin, she and others are concerned that this makes the river a target for additional trans-mountain diversion. She also stated her belief that the state plan ought to include criteria for evaluating proposed projects including conservation, local support, and avoiding harmful impacts to rivers, and that these criteria ought to be satisfied before a project receives state assistance. She stated her opposition to new trans-mountain diversions prior to maximizing Front Range conservation and to limit state assistance for diversion projects. She discussed the importance of water to current and future recreation and the basin economy.
07:33 PM
Kevin McBride, representing himself, expressed his agreement with the need for separate water plans for different areas of the state. He discussed the need for the state to identify its constraints, since the state lacks water for new appropriations. He suggested that administrators would benefit from more clear identification of the amount of water available for consumptive use in each basin, so that they could plan accordingly. He also spoke in support of the appropriate application of technologies to improve water efficiency within the context of the state's constraints. He explained that, working within reasonable constraints, the state's water engineers and planners would be best able to produce innovative solutions.
07:38 PM
Jackie Brown, representing herself, stated that the Colorado River Compact allows each state to appropriate its allocation as it sees fit. She explained that the YWG basin roundtable is following this process, and asked the legislature to allow it the space to do so.
07:40 PM
Senator Roberts closed public testimony. Gaspar Perricone, representing the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, thanked the committee and members of the public for their involvement in the planning process.
07:41 PM
The meeting adjourned.