NOTE: This bill has been prepared for the signature of the appropriate legislative officers and the Governor. To determine whether the Governor has signed the bill or taken other action on it, please consult the legislative status sheet, the legislative history, or the Session Laws. HOUSE BILL 11-1274 BY REPRESENTATIVE(S) Sonnenberg, Baumgardner, Becker, Brown, Coram, Fischer, Holbert, Labuda, Looper, Nikkel, Pace, Priola, Ryden, Vigil, Wilson; also SENATOR(S) Schwartz, Guzman, King S., Kopp, Nicholson, White. Concerning the funding of Colorado water conservation board projects, and making appropriations in connection therewith. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado: SECTION 1. Continuation of the satellite monitoring system maintenance - appropriation. (1) In addition to any other appropriation, there is hereby appropriated, out of any moneys in the Colorado water conservation board construction fund not otherwise appropriated, to the department of natural resources, for allocation to the division of water resources, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2011, the sum of three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000), or so much thereof as may be necessary, for renovation of existing gauging stations, replacement of outdated collection platforms and upgrading of transmission components of the satellite monitoring system established and operated pursuant to section 37-80-102 (10), Colorado Revised Statutes, stream gauge flood hardening projects, and data collection efforts related to flood forecasting and warning. (2) The moneys appropriated in subsection (1) of this section remain available for the designated purposes until they are fully expended. SECTION 2. Continuation of the weather modification program - appropriation. (1) In addition to any other appropriation, there is hereby appropriated, out of any moneys in the Colorado water conservation board construction fund not otherwise appropriated, to the department of natural resources, for allocation to the Colorado water conservation board, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2011, the sum of one hundred seventy-five thousand dollars ($175,000), or so much thereof as may be necessary, for the board to continue to assist water conservation districts, water conservancy districts, and other water providers with the development of cloud seeding programs that provide benefits to recreation, streams, and reservoirs through snow pack enhancement. (2) The moneys appropriated in subsection (1) of this section remain available for the designated purposes until they are fully expended. SECTION 3. Continuation of the Colorado flood plain map modernization program - appropriation. (1) In addition to any other appropriation, there is hereby appropriated, out of any moneys in the Colorado water conservation board construction fund not otherwise appropriated, to the department of natural resources, for allocation to the Colorado water conservation board, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2011, the sum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000), or so much thereof as may be necessary in order to restore the unencumbered balance in the fund to five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000), for the board to continue to assist with the preparation of revised and improved flood plain studies and maps for communities throughout Colorado and to participate in federally sponsored flood plain map modernization activities. (2) The moneys appropriated in subsection (1) of this section remain available for the designated purposes until the project is completed. SECTION 4. Continuation of the watershed restoration program - appropriation. (1) In addition to any other appropriation, there is hereby appropriated, out of any moneys in the Colorado water conservation board construction fund not otherwise appropriated, to the department of natural resources, for allocation to the Colorado water conservation board, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2011, the sum of two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000), or so much thereof as may be necessary, for the board to continue to provide planning and engineering studies, including implementation measures, to address technical needs for watershed restoration and flood mitigation projects throughout the state. (2) The moneys appropriated in subsection (1) of this section remain available for the designated purposes until they are fully expended. SECTION 5. Restoration of the flood response fund balance. (1) The state treasurer shall transfer a total of three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000), or so much thereof as may be necessary, from the unreserved cash in the Colorado water conservation board construction fund to the flood response fund created in section 37-60-123.2, Colorado Revised Statutes, in order to restore the unencumbered balance in the flood response fund to three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000). (2) The moneys appropriated in subsection (1) of this section remain available for the designated purposes until they are fully expended. SECTION 6. Water conservation data tracking project - appropriation. (1) In addition to any other appropriation, there is hereby appropriated, out of any moneys in the Colorado water conservation board construction fund not otherwise appropriated, to the department of natural resources, for allocation to the Colorado water conservation board, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2011, the sum of two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000), or so much thereof as may be necessary, for the board to create comprehensive database tools to track demands, including the identification of conservation potential and the costs and benefits of water conservation, and allowing water use and water conservation data sets and forecasting models to be preserved over time. (2) The moneys appropriated in subsection (1) of this section remain available for the designated purposes until they are fully expended. SECTION 7. Arkansas river decision support system - appropriation. (1) In addition to any other appropriation, there is hereby appropriated, out of any moneys in the Colorado water conservation board construction fund not otherwise appropriated, to the department of natural resources, for allocation to the Colorado water conservation board, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2011, the sum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000), or so much thereof as may be necessary, for the board to begin implementation of the Arkansas River Decision Support System (ArkDSS) as identified in the ArkDSS Feasibility Study, which is part of the overall Colorado Decision Support System. Initial implementation of the ArkDSS will include irrigated acreage mapping, parcel delineation, surface and groundwater data collection, and additional modeling. (2) The moneys appropriated in subsection (1) of this section remain available for the designated purposes until they are fully expended. SECTION 8. Restoration of litigation fund cash balance. (1) The state treasurer shall transfer a total of seven hundred thousand dollars ($700,000), or so much thereof as may be necessary, from the unreserved cash in the Colorado water conservation board construction fund to the litigation fund created in section 37-60-121 (2.5), Colorado Revised Statutes. (2) The moneys appropriated in subsection (1) of this section remain available for the designated purposes until they are fully expended. SECTION 9. Purchase of Colorado's allotment of Animas-La Plata project water - appropriation. (1) In addition to any other appropriation, there is hereby appropriated, out of any moneys in the Colorado water conservation board construction fund not otherwise appropriated, to the department of natural resources, for allocation to the Colorado water conservation board, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2011, the sum of twelve million dollars ($12,000,000), or so much thereof as may be necessary, for the purchase of all or a portion of Colorado's allotment of Animas-La Plata project water pursuant to section 39-29-109 (2) (a) (VIII) (B), Colorado Revised Statutes. This would be the second $12,000,000 installment of the $36,000,000 authorized under House Bill 10-1250, enacted in 2010, for the purchase of all or a portion of Colorado's allotment of Animas-La Plata project water. (2) The moneys appropriated in subsection (1) of this section remain available for the designated purposes until they are fully expended or until June 30, 2015, whichever comes first. SECTION 10. Safety clause. The general assembly hereby finds, determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety. ________________________________________________________ Frank McNulty Brandon C. Shaffer SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE PRESIDENT OF OF REPRESENTATIVES THE SENATE ____________________________ ____________________________ Marilyn Eddins Cindi L. Markwell CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE SECRETARY OF OF REPRESENTATIVES THE SENATE APPROVED________________________________________ _________________________________________ John W. Hickenlooper GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF COLORADO