Zeke Ward

The meeting agenda centers on the review and action regarding the 2026 annual replacement plans for Subdistricts 1 through 6. Discussions include resolutions for utilizing the Closed Basin Project to replace injurious depletions, granting official approval for the annual replacement plans, and considering the district's role as a financial guarantor for post-plan depletions.

This document outlines the Rio Grande Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), a voluntary conservation program designed to reduce groundwater withdrawals and improve environmental conditions within the Rio Grande Basin Subdistrict No.1. As a partnership between the USDA Farm Service Agency, the State of Colorado, and Subdistrict No. 1 of the Rio Grande Water Conservation District, the program incentivizes agricultural producers to enroll irrigated cropland into long-term conservation contracts. Its primary goals include conserving irrigation water, improving surface and groundwater quality, reducing soil erosion and agricultural chemical runoff, enhancing wildlife habitat, and supporting long-term agricultural and environmental sustainability in the San Luis Valley.

The key discussion topic of this special meeting involved the approval of the calculation of Subdistrict No. 1 2020 Fees. A resolution was read into the record detailing these fees, and a motion was made to adopt the resolution. The motion passed following a roll call vote.

This Annual Replacement Plan (ARP) outlines the strategy for Special Improvement District No. 1 of the Rio Grande Water Conservation District to manage groundwater withdrawals and remedy injurious stream depletions. It details projected stream depletions, sources and methods for replacement water, and contractual arrangements among water users. A core focus is on achieving and maintaining a sustainable water supply, with key initiatives including tracking groundwater levels, incentivizing fallowed agricultural lands, purchasing and retiring wells, and implementing conservation programs to reduce groundwater consumption and recover unconfined aquifer storage levels to a target range of 200,000 to 400,000 acre-feet below 1976 levels.

The Board of Managers meeting included approval of the agenda, with a request to add an opening prayer to future agendas, contingent on not promoting a single religion. The main focus was the approval of the 2019 Annual Replacement Plan (ARP), which covers the period from May 1, 2019, to April 30, 2020. Key points discussed included the calculations for depletion requirements, water replacement sources secured, and potential municipalities seeking contracts. The Board requested modifications to the ARP to include language specifying data collection efforts by the Conejos River System Water Users Association regarding sustainability.