Colorado Water Plan : Critical Action Blueprint

Phyllis Thomas

Phyllis Thomas Consulting

Outline of the Presentation • Brief history

– Law

– Participants

– Process

• Organization – Basin Roundtable

– Interbasin Compact Committee

– Colorado Water Conservation Board

• Colorado Water Plan Contents

• Goals and Objectives

• Paths Forward

History of the Process

• The Law – Colorado Revised Statute 37-75-105

– Executive Order D 2013-05 of Governor Hickenlooper

• Participants – Defined in Article 75

– Broad spectrum of water leaders

• Process – Top-down or Bottom-up

– Democratic or Centralized

– Open or Closed Communication

– Inclusive or Exclusive

Round Tables and the IBCC Organization

Technical DNR

Support Administrative Rules and Procedures Staff

Interbasin Compact Committee

Nine Basin Round Tables : The Operating Core

Organization of the Effort

Colorado Water Plan Contents

• Introduction and the need for collaboration • Legal and Institutional Setting • Overview of Each Basin • Water Supply • Water Demands • Water Supply Management for the Future • Water Resource Management & Protection • Interbasin Projects and Agreements • Alignment of State Resources & Policies • Critical Action Plan • Updating Colorado’s Water Plan

Goals and Objectives

$20

billion

$17-

18

billi

on

$2-3

billion

New

Source

State,

project

proponents,

rate payers

Colorado Water Plan Implementation

• From 111, the number was reduced to 76 by applying a set of pre-

established constraints.

• From 76, the options were further reduced to the 20 top options, then

to the top 10.

• This process involved the TNC and Summit Team, as well as an array of

water and finance professionals, reviewing each option and ranking based

upon:

• Funding potential

• Political viability

• Economic fairness

• Rational nexus

• Ease of administration

• Stability of funding

The Process

Water Tax/Fee: Paid by Households

(plus)

$68,250,000 at $2.50 per month per household (and/or

industry, business, etc.)

Bottle Tax/Fee: Paid by Households $70,000,000 at $0.01 per container, paid by retail customers

$86,000,000 at 0.5% on accommodation & recreation activities Tourism Tax/Fee: Paid by Out-of-State

Tourists, Recreation & Tourism

Industry & Households

$27,637,000 $500 fee per new connection on Residential,

Comm. & Industry

New Water Tap Tax/Fee: Paid by

Households & Construction

Industry

Who manages the fund? How can we protect the fund?

• CWCB?

• New entity?

• Enterprise?

How is funding allocated and prioritized?

• BIPs – projects list.

• Water Plan criteria

rankings.

• Allocation by region,

industry, interest, other.

• Distinguish from

CWCB construction

fund?

Paths Forward

• Next Steps

• Your Suggestions