j_lc_2016a_2016-10-14t09:09:40z6 Hearing Summary

Date: 10/14/2016

10:44 AM -- Water Resources Review Committee



Representative Vigil, chair of the Water Resources Review Committee, presented Bills A, B, C, D, and Resolution A recommended by the committee. The summary report prepared for the Legislative Council Committee, copies of the bills, and the committee's charge can be found in Attachment F. Representative Vigil answered questions from the committee.



161014 AttachF.pdf



The bills and resolution are as follows:



Bill A - CWCB Grants Loans Dredge South Platte Basin Reservoirs. This bill appropriates $5.0 million for FY 2017-18 from the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) Construction Fund for loans and grants for dredging reservoirs located in the South Platte River Basin.



Bill B - Update 1921 Irrigation District Act. This bill makes updates to the 1921 Irrigation District Act and addresses: compensation for board members and election judges; use of surplus water; how irrigation district assessments are to be collected and held; the bonding requirement for district board members; and election procedures and procedures for selling surplus property. The bill also increases from $20,000 to $500,000, the amount of a contract or an eminent domain proceeding that requires voter ratification in a district election.



Bill C - Graywater Regulation Exemption for Scientific Research. This bill authorizes the use of graywater for scientific research involving human subjects and sets minimum requirements for conducting such research.



Bill D - State Engineer Statutes Cleanup. This bill updates statutes related to the State Engineer and the Division of Water Resources (DWR). In addition to removing obsolete provisions and modernizing language, this bill removes bonding requirements for certain DWR staff; expands the allowable sources of grant funding for DWR activities; directs the DWR to replace existing monitoring technologies if more cost-effective technologies emerge; eliminates some statutorily defined fee amounts; and makes several other changes to existing law.



Joint Resolution A - Funding Prevent Aquatic Nuisance Species. This resolution urges the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the United States Army Corps of Engineers, and the U.S. Forest Service to provide funding to Colorado Parks and Wildlife for implementation of the state’s Zebra and Quagga Mussel Management Plan.