Summary of HB08-1343
Short Title: Water Conservation Bd Construction Fund

Sponsors: Curry/Isgar

Appropriates $60,600,000 from the perpetual base account of the severance tax trust fund for the Republican river water conservation district's Republican river compact compliance pipeline. Appropriates $1,000,000 from the operational account of the severance tax trust fund to finance a tamarisk control cost-sharing grant program. Appropriates the following amounts from the Colorado water conservation board construction fund for the following projects:
* $11,217,060 for the Pagosa area water & sanitation district water activity enterprise dry gulch reservoir project land purchase;
* $350,000 for renovation of existing gauging stations, replacement of outdated collection platforms and upgrading of transmission components of the satellite monitoring system, stream gage flood hardening projects, and data collection efforts related to flood forecasting and warning;
* $300,000 to implement the major recommendations identified in the 2002 Colorado drought mitigation and response plan;
* $150,000 for establishing new instream flow appropriations and changing the use of acquired water rights for instream flow use;
* $150,000 to support the Colorado river 7 basin states in undertaking projects and studies looking at short- and long-term options for augmenting the water supplies of the Colorado river system;
* $150,000 for operating expenses and activities of Colorado's representatives associated with either participation or monitoring the Colorado river issues under the Mexican treaty;
* $500,000 for the Colorado water conservation board to continue the model development phase of the Colorado water needs and alternatives analysis;
* $1,000,000 for the board to continue development of the South Platte decision support system;
* $500,000 for the board to undertake a study to identify issues associated with the administration of state water rights in the Colorado river basin under the terms of the Colorado river and upper Colorado river compacts;
* $250,000 for the board to continue to develop a statewide flood decision support system;
* $175,000 for the board to continue to assist water conservation districts, water conservancy districts, and other water providers with the development of cloud seeding programs;
* $150,000 for the board to continue to participate in a floodplain improvement feasibility study along the Cache La Poudre river in the city of Greeley;
* $100,000 for the board to begin developing and implementing a water adaptation strategy to address potential impacts from climate change and variability on Colorado's water resources;
* $50,000 for the board to participate with the Purgatoire river water conservancy district and the United States Army corps of engineers in a study to determine the actual safe channel capacity of, and remedial measures for, the Purgatoire river downstream of Trinidad dam;
* $100,000 for the board to participate with the southeastern Colorado water conservancy district and the United States geological survey to develop a reliable water quality data network for the Arkansas river basin;
* $400,000 for the board to work with stakeholders within the state of Colorado to explore alternatives to designation of rivers as wild and scenic;
* $65,000 for the board to participate with the United States geological survey in a study to provide high resolution estimates of processes that remove moisture from snowpack in the Colorado river watershed and in the headwaters of the South Platte river basin;
* $84,000 for the board to participate with the United States geological survey in performing ground water flow modeling to optimize pumping locations and rates with respect to model-computed water level declines and storage depletions of the Denver basin aquifer system;
* $30,000 for the board to participate with the Colorado water resources research institute in developing an internet web-based searchable database of agricultural water conservation information and to develop management strategies for Sago pondweed;
* $67,000 for the board to participate with the United States geological survey to present the 2005 Colorado water-use data compiled for the national water use information program of the United States geological survey in a published report specifically for Colorado; and
* $2,000,000 for the board to implement the Chatfield reservoir reallocation project. Restores the balance of the flood response fund to $300,000. Restores the balance of the map modernization account to $500,000. Changes the reference to the "Oak creek reservoir feasibility study" in Senate Bill 05-084 to the "Oak creek flood control mitigation feasibility study" and deletes a reference to other study participants. Repeals the prohibition on the board using the construction fund to acquire instream flow rights and continuously appropriates up to $1,000,000 annually that is transferred from the construction fund to a newly-created instream flow fund to pay for the costs of acquiring water for instream flow use. Requires water efficiency plans developed by water providers to include, rather than just consider, certain listed plan elements.


Status
02/25/2008 Introduced In House - Assigned to Agriculture, Livestock, & Natural Resources + Appropriations
03/12/2008 House Committee on Agriculture, Livestock, & Natural Resources Refer Amended to Appropriations
04/04/2008 House Committee on Appropriations Pass Unamended to House Committee of the Whole
04/07/2008 House Second Reading Special Order - Laid Over Daily
04/08/2008 House Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments
04/09/2008 House Third Reading Passed
04/10/2008 Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Agriculture, Natural Resources & Energy
04/17/2008 Senate Committee on Agriculture, Natural Resources & Energy Refer Unamended to Appropriations
04/23/2008 Senate Committee on Appropriations Pass Amended to Senate Committee of the Whole
04/25/2008 Senate Second Reading Laid Over
04/28/2008 Senate Second Reading Passed with Amendments
04/29/2008 Senate Third Reading Passed
04/29/2008 Senate Third Reading Passed with Amendments
05/01/2008 House Considered Senate Amendments - Result was to Laid Over Daily05/01/2008
05/02/2008 House Considered Senate Amendments - Result was to Laid Over Daily05/02/2008
05/02/2008 House Considered Senate Amendments - Result was to Concur - Repass

Amendments

Fiscal Notes Status

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