---

See other minutes at: Governance Committee / Land Committee / Technical Committee / Water Management Committee /

---

Final Minutes
Water Action Plan Committee Meeting

August 17, 1999

The first meeting of the newly formed Water Action Plan Committee (WAPC) began at 10:45 a.m. in Cheyenne, Wyoming. All members of the WAPC members were present. After introductions, The agenda was reviewed and the agenda items for future meeting dates and the proposed draft charter were deferred until later in the meeting. The WAPC discussed a variety of topics associated with the agenda items in an open format. Major topics of discussion are summarized in the following text.

The schedule for the Water Action Plan was discussed. The draft Water Action Plan is scheduled for completion on December 13, 1999, with the final Water Action Plan to follow on January 10, 2000. The schedule for completion of the draft Water Action Plan was recognized as aggressive. Concerns were expressed regarding the time allowed in the schedule to finalize a Water Action Plan within a month, given the season and the anticipated process of gathering public input on the draft Water Action Plan. To allow time in the schedule for public involvement, the WAPC discussed shifting the completion date of the final Water Action Plan to February. The WAPC Chair will share this concern with the Governance Committee at their August 18 meeting.

The Water Action Plan's relationship with the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process was discussed. The Water Action Plan will serve as the water conservation/supply component of the Governance Committee's proposed alternative. The proposed alternative will be evaluated by the EIS Team along with other alternatives designed to achieve the goals of the first increment of the Program. From the evaluation of these alternatives, the EIS Team will formulate the preferred alternative. The preferred alternative will then come back to the Governance Committee for review. The EIS Team anticipates starting evaluation of the proposed alternative using the draft Water Action Plan completed on December 13.

The level of detail for the Water Action Plan was discussed. The level of detail needs to meet the requirements of the programmatic EIS, meet future Program needs, and be sufficient to facilitate public acceptability. Third party impacts was another topic discussed regarding the detail contained in the Water Action Plan. It was identified that more information beyond that contained in the Water Conservation/Supply Reconnaissance Study Report (Reconnaissance Study Report) may be needed. The Boyle Team could provide the technical assistance to gather additional information.

The WAPC discussed several ideas to begin development of the draft Water Action Water Action Plan. The ideas included creation of "straw dog" Water Action Plans by the Boyle Team or other groups or individuals that would be discussed at the next meeting. The table (Table 11.3) in the Reconnaissance Study Report displaying the projects which cost less than $1,000/acre-foot of average reductions in target flow shortages was suggested as a starting point from which combinations of projects could be put together to create a "straw dog" Water Action Plan of 60,000 to 80,000 acre-feet of average annual reductions to target flow shortages.

After a lunch break from 12 noon to 1:20 p.m., the meeting continued by reviewing the potential considerations discussed at the July 13 workshop and the workshop agenda items delegated to the WAPC. Criteria/ground rules to be used in the creation of the "straw dog" Water Action Plans were also discussed. Some members expressed the need to better understand some of the alternatives discussed in the draft Reconnaissance Study Report. It was also pointed out that development of the Water Action Plan needed to consider potential effects to the pulse flow targets, as the draft Reconnaissance Study Report does not specifically address the pulse flow targets.

The WAPC asked Boyle to examine five (5) different options of combining projects to satisfy the goals of the first increment of the Program. These options included:

1. Least cost to provide 60,000 and 80,000 acre-feet

2. Equal cost per state

3. Equal water per state

4. Fair share (40%-NE, 40%-CO, 20%-WY) for 130,000 to 150,000 acre-feet of water

5. Fair share (40%-NE, 40%-CO, 20%-WY) with respect to dollars $$$

While reservations were expressed as to the usefulness of some options, it was agreed to proceed with the examination of the options as a starting point. It was emphasized these options are for display/evaluation purposes and no commitment to any of the options was implied. The Boyle Team will provide the results of these options to the WAPC Chair on September 1. The WAPC Chair will provide the results to the WAPC on September 3. A conference call to discuss the results was scheduled for Thursday, September 9, at 1 p.m. Mountain Daylight Saving Time.

The next meeting for the WAPC was scheduled for September 16, 1999, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Hampton Inn in Golden, Colorado. The October meeting will be held the morning of October 14 (8:00 a.m. to noon) in Kearney, Nebraska. The format of the meeting was left open and may be a workshop with the Governance Committee or a regular WAPC meeting. The location of the meeting in Kearney has yet to be arranged.

It was identified the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Target Flows used to determine the reductions to target flows shortage had been left out of the draft Reconnaissance Study Report. Boyle was asked to include the document entitled Summary of Existing flow Conditions for the Platte River for the Historical 1975-1994 Water Year Period dated January 5, 1999, as an appendix to the final report. This document was provided to the Governance Committee, Water Management Committee, and Boyle Engineering by the WMC Chair's letter of February 19, 1999. The Flow Conditions document contains the FWS Target Flows. Further, no third party impacts information regarding costs is included in the draft Reconnaissance Study Report.

After a break from 3:10 p.m. to 3:35 p.m., the WAPC discussed the assistance available for development of the Water Action Plan. Boyle Engineering, the WMC, and facilitation services are resources available to the WAPC. The Executive Director pointed out that if the WAPC anticipates needing the services of a facilitator, it is more efficient to bring in a facilitator early in the process to avoid a potential impasse than it would be to get beyond an impasse using a facilitator.

To facilitate the open participation by those present, the WAPC agreed the room will be arranged with the table in a horseshoe shape. The audience would sit at the open end of the table, so the WAPC Chair could call on those desiring to offer comments relevant to the current discussion. The need for a charter was questioned. It was agreed a charter was not needed as the WAPC could stay focused on the task of developing the draft Water Action Plan. All correspondence to the WAPC will also be copied to the WMC Members.

The remainder of the meeting focused on identifying criteria for development of the draft Water Action Plan. The criteria included:

The meeting adjourned at 4:30 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