Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

WATER RESOURCES REVIEW COMMITTEE

Date:08/10/2015
ATTENDANCE
Time:06:02 PM to 07:02 PM
Arndt
X
Baumgardner
X
Place:
Becker J.
E
Coram
X
This Meeting was called to order by
Hodge
X
Senator Roberts
Jones
X
Mitsch Bush
X
This Report was prepared by
Sonnenberg
X
Meghan O'Connor
Vigil
X
Roberts
X
X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call
Bills Addressed: Action Taken:
Call to Order
Legislative Intent of Senate Bill 14-115 Concerning the State Water Plan
Overview of the Second Draft of the Colorado Water Plan
Public Testimony Concerning the Second Draft of the Colorado Water Plan
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06:02 PM -- Call to Order

The committee came to order. Senator Roberts introduced herself and explained the purpose of the Senate Bill 14-115 Hearing. The committee members introduced themselves.


06:15 PM -- Legislative Intent of Senate Bill 14-115 Concerning the State Water Plan

Senator Roberts explained the schedule of the committee and informed the audience of the deadline to submit comments on the Colorado Water Plan (CWP) on-line as well as through the distributed questionnaire. Senator Roberts also provided background on SB 14-115 and discussed the development of the CWP.

06:17 PM -- Overview of the Second Draft of the Colorado Water Plan

Becky Mitchell, Water Supply Planning Section Chief, Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB), gave background on the CWCB and the CWP and described the public comment process. Ms. Mitchell explained that the lessons learned in the Rio Grande River Basin have helped to develop the second draft of the CWP and identified the values of Governor Hickenlooper's Executive Order calling for a statewide water plan. She reviewed the time line of the submission of the CWP and stated the final version of the plan will be submitted to the governor by December 15, 2015.

06:25 PM

Ms. Mitchell explained the purpose and background of Chapter 10 of the plan, entitled "Critical Action Plan." She stated that the chapter is grouped into overarching themes, including funding, multi-purpose initiatives, agricultural viability and efficiency, and education and outreach. Ms. Mitchell gave an example of an item in the Critical Action Plan.

06:30 PM -- Rio Grande River Basin Roundtable Basin Implementation Plan and Colorado Water Plan Outreach

Judy Lopez, Conservation Education Specialist, Rio Grande Watershed Conservation and Education Initiative, described the basin's implementation plan (BIP) and explained that different groups and people have worked to develop the BIP. Ms. Lopez described the efforts the Rio Grande Basin Roundtable made to involve the public in developing the BIP. She described the main goals of the BIP and described the projects and methods that meet the basin's goals. Ms. Lopez compared the basin's action plan to items in that of the CWP.

06:42 PM -- Public Testimony Concerning the Second Draft of the Colorado Water Plan

The following persons testified to the committee:

06:42 PM --
Don Shawcroft, representing himself, spoke to the committee about the CWP. He explained that he is concerned about the lack of storage in the state and suggested that the state call upon the federal government to declare a state of emergency due to the amount of water that leaves the state. Mr. Shawcroft expressed his concerns about specific sections of the plan, including sections 3 and 4 of the plan. He further stated that section IV of Chapter 10 of the CWP concerning support for agricultural conservation and efficiency shoul dfurther devine "saved" water and explain that conservation of agricultural water rights is different from conservation of municipal and industrial water rights. He also said that the plan should explain who may benefit from the marketing of saved agricultural water rights.

06:48 PM --
Dick Ray, Colorado Outfitters Association, spoke to the committee about the CWP. He explained that Colorado cannot be all things to all people and stated that water users would benefit from headwater storage. Mr. Ray expressed his concern about new residents using water that has already been allocated in the state.

06:54 PM --
Senator Crowder gave his thoughts regarding the Rio Grande River Basin community and the CWP.

06:59 PM --
Mike Mitchell, Colorado Farm Bureau, spoke to the committee about his concerns regarding the overappropriation of water in the state. He expressed his concerns regarding the protection of the Prior Appropriation Doctrine.

07:01 PM

Senator Roberts closed public testimony.

07:02 PM

The committee adjourned.