Final Minutes
Water Management Committee Meeting
USFWS Office
Lakewood CO
The Water Management Committee meeting (WMC) began at 1:30 p.m. in Lakewood, Colorado. The agenda was reviewed and the topic of "new water" was added, as suggested by Jon Altenhofen. The minutes of the November 16, 1999, WMC meeting were approved.
Boyle Engineering has completed the final Water Conservation/Supply Reconnaissance Study Report (Report). The final Report was reprinted in its entirety due to the number of changes incorporated. The final Report was distributed by the WMC Chair via Federal Express mail to the WMC Members, the Governance Committee Members and Alternates, and the Water Action Plan Committee Members on December 15, 1999. An additional 25 copies of the final Report were also provided to state representatives (Kent Holsinger, Dayle Williamson, and Mike Besson) for distribution within their respective states. Boyle Engineering has also provided their responses to the comments regarding the draft Report to the WMC Chair, who will distribute the responses the week of December 20, 1999, to the same individuals receiving the final Report. Boyle anticipates posting the revised Water Budget Spreadsheet on Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District's (Central) FTP (File Transfer Protocol) Site on Friday, December 17, 1999.
Blaine Dwyer of Boyle Engineering reviewed with the WMC the major changes incorporated into the final Report. The major changes are identified in Boyle's transmittal letter of December 9, 1999, included with the final Report. The major changes included: revisions to Chapter 4 and Appendix A; revised yield estimate for Beebe Draw; exclusion of the Grayrocks Reservoir Alternative from the list of projects; revised cost estimates for the Forest Management Alternative; expanded discussion for the Power Interference Alternative; revisions to Section 8A to provide a summary of how cost estimates were made; and additions to Chapter 11 regarding information on compatibility and uncertainty of the alternatives.
Next, the WMC discussed the Tracking/Accounting Procedures. Ann Bleed, Dick Stenzel, and Becky Mathisen reported on potential accounting for dry year leasing of natural flow within their respective states. A basic concept recognized in each state is that natural flow water not used by an upstream irrigator is available for use by downstream natural flow users. Leasing of the consumptive use portion of a natural flow diversion may be possible, provided a mechanism to protect and convey the consumptive use portion to another location and provided a valid change of use can be developed. Parties within the State of Nebraska are developing draft legislation regarding leasing. The State of Wyoming is considering whether or not to change its laws to allow leasing. Colorado Water Court has approved some leases which take a diversion out of service and pass the consumptive use portion downstream to augment other depletions within the state, provided no injury occurs to existing water users. Leasing in each state would require approval by the appropriate state entity on a case by case basis.
Mark Butler discussed with the WMC what potentially would be required from a compliance perspective, if an option such as dry year leasing of natural flow was implemented. Compliance would require an agreement to identify the terms and operation of the dry year lease. Generally, compliance for the Program would be determined based on the implementation and operation as specified in the agreement.
After a break from 3:30 p.m. to 3:45 p.m., the Executive Director presented and discussed with the WMC a draft flowchart outlining monitoring and research needs in terms of compliance and biological response for the Program, as conceptualized by the Technical Committee. The WMC discussed the monitoring that may be needed for compliance, tracking/accounting, and biological response. Mr. Butler was asked to prepare a written narrative regarding compliance that discusses compliance for a project; operations of a project; interaction of a project with other projects; monitoring of effectiveness of a project; and tracking/accounting requirements. Mr. Butler will use the Pathfinder Modification and Tamarack projects as examples. Colorado, Nebraska, and Wyoming representatives (Ann Bleed, Dick Stenzel/Jon Altenhofen, and Becky Mathisen, respectively) were assigned to prepare narratives regarding tracking/accounting in their state with respect to where the gages are located, how the gaged data are used, and general description of the accounting process. The narratives are to be provided to the WMC Chair by the next meeting.
The topic of "new water" was deferred until the next meeting. Future meetings for the WMC will be held January 19, 2000, and February 22, 2000. The January 19 meeting will be held in North Platte, Nebraska, at the Quality Inn from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The February 22 meeting will be held in Cheyenne, Wyoming, at the Laramie County Community College (Room 129) from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The meeting adjourned at 4:40 p.m.
For further information about the Partnership,
contact any Governance Committee member.For comments and questions about this website, please email Buck Feist or call 406-247-7607