From email from the Interbasin Compact Committee (Alex Davis):
Thank you for your participation at the June IBCC meeting. I think it was a very positive meeting, and I hope that you did as well. This email is a follow-up to the IBCC meeting, including workgroup assignments and responsibilities. Attached are the minutes from the meeting and a list of the reports that are complete, in draft form, or in process.
At the IBCC meeting, several members volunteered to serve on one or more subcommittees to help further refine our thinking and/or draft options to help move us forward. The work of these subcommittees will lay the foundation for the discussion at our August meeting, and it is important that IBCC members participate in them fully. Participation in the subcommittees is still open, and anyone who wants to volunteer for one or more committees should do that. We also want to encourage those who were not in attendance at the June meeting to sign up for one or more of these subcommittees. (In particular, this would be Eric Kuhn, Stan Cazier, and Bill Trampe. If any of you have questions, please call me, Jennifer Gimbel, or Jacob Bornstein.)
Given the short timeframe that exists for the IBCC to finalize its work on these issues prior to submitting a report to the next governor, it is my understanding that IBCC members will either actively participate as a subcommittee member or respect the work of the subcommittee and its recommendations to the IBCC. CWCB staff will be working with each subcommittee organizer to set up meetings and identify any additional needs each group might have. Please let Jacob Bornstein (Jacob.bornstein@state.co.us) and Viola Bralish (viola.bralish@state.co.us) know if you would like to participate on one or more of the subcommittees and you are not already listed below. Subcommittees will begin planning meetings in the next week or so, so please let us know if you want to join one or more subcommittees by close of business on Monday, July 19th.
NEW SUPPLY SUBCOMMITTEE
Purpose:Develop draft guidelines or principles for new supply development. The results of this work will be discussed at the August IBCC meeting.
Members:
* Alex Davis (Organizer)
* Heather Bergman (Facilitator)
* Melinda Kassen
* Taylor Hawes
* Mark Pifher
* T. Wright Dickinson
* Steve Harris
* Peter Nichols
* Carlyle Currier
* Jennifer GimbelIDENTIFIED PROJECTS & PROCESSES SUBCOMMITTEE
Purpose:Hold an informal workshop to explore the “lessons learned” and obstacles to IPPs. CWCB staff will help the group gather existing summaries of IPP successes and challenges, and the group will examine these for cross-cutting challenges and opportunities. The group will focus on identifying specific ways to overcome the identified challenges. In its June meeting the IBCC concluded that it is not the role of roundtables, the IBCC, or the state to support or reject specific IPPs. However, there is a significant role for these entities to help overcome the many barriers to implementing the IPPs and to more broadly define the overall yield each basin needs from their IPPs.
Members:
* Jennifer Gimbel (Organizer)
* Carl Trick
* Alex Davis
* Eric Wilkinson
* Melinda Kassen
* Wayne VanderschuereCONSERVATION SUBCOMMITTEE
Purpose:Review Water Conservation Best Practices Guidebook and Conservation Strategy to create broad policy statements based on the results of the BMP Guidebook. If the task group feels it is appropriate and can make progress, they will also discuss options for better quantitative measure of conservation. In its June meeting the IBCC concluded that the task group will focus on the ability of utilities to adopt and implement best management practices rather than percent reductions.
Members:
* Wayne Vanderschuere (Organizer)
* Jay Winner
* Jeff Devere
* Taylor HawesCWCB STAFF NEXT STEPS:
1. Identified Projects & Processes:
a. CWCB will draft a one-page document regarding the IBCC’s view of the State’s role in IPPs. This will be edited/finalized by the IBCC subcommittee on IPPs.
b. CWCB staff will help the subcommittee gather existing summaries of IPP successes and challenges for the subcommittee to examine these for cross-cutting challenges and opportunities.
2. Nonconsumptive:
a. CWCB will send out summary of existing efforts and progress on nonconsumptive uses at the basin roundtables by the end of July
b. CWCB staff will rewrite the nonconsumptive one-page summary, including the summary of existing efforts above. Staff will complete this by the end of July as well.
3. Alternative Agricultural Transfer Methods:The existing Task Force addressing ag transfer methods will distribute a summary of options to IBCC members by the end of July
4. Conservation:CWCB staff will send IBCC members the final “Colorado Statewide Water Conservation Best Practices Guidebook” prior to the next IBCC meeting.
5. Land Use:CWCB staff previously sent a link to the density memo and report Linking Land Use Planning and Water Supply Planning (email sent 6/18/2010). Staff would be happy to resend this document to anyone who needs it upon request.
Thank you for your continued dedication to this process; I think we have a real opportunity to move this particular ‘ball’ forward, and I look forward to working with you.
More IBCC — basin roundtables coverage here.