The Board of Directors of the Republican River Water Conservation District will hold their quarterly board meeting in the education hall of the St. John’s Lutheran Church in Yuma May 21, 2024, beginning at 10:00 a.m. The education hall is located at 405 S. Albany Street in Yuma.

The Board will review the minutes of the February 20, 2024, quarterly Board meeting.

Administrative reports to be given include the Board President’s report by Rod Lenz and the General Manager’s report by Deb Daniel. Reon McBride, Finance and Office Manager, will give the district financial report. Payton Liming, Administrative Assistant, will give an update on the number of irrigated acres retired in the South Fork Focus Zone. Pipeline operator, Tracy Travis, will report on the water delivery by the Compact Compliance Pipeline.

The Board committees will report on their activity since the last quarterly meeting. Board members representing the District to associated organizations will also report on recent activities.

The RRWCD state and federal lobbyists will report on legislative actions being considered in Denver and Washington, D.C. The District water engineer will report on the evaluations he has been working on for the RRWCD. Legal Counsel for the RRWCD will also give a report.

The public comment session will be held at 1:00 p.m.

The recently appointed State Engineer, Jason Ullmann, will report on water issues in the state. Chris Kucera, Republican River Team Lead Commissioner, will give a report from his office inside the Basin.

Local representatives for Senator Bennett, Senator Hickenlooper and Representative Lopez’s office will provide reports. State legislators attending the meeting will be invited to speak during the afternoon session.

Tim Pautler, Pipeline Technical Advisory Committee, (PTAC) committee chairman, will give a presentation on the PTAC Evaluation of the Compact Compliance Pipeline. This report will include maintenance of the wells currently pumping into the pipeline and discuss the projected expense of connecting the remaining wells into the pipeline system.

Under Board discussion and action items, the Board will review and vote on the recommendation from the PTAC committee regarding maintenance of the pipeline wells. Payton Liming, Administrative Assistant, will present a blind evaluation of the recently received RAMP applications for discussion and a vote by the Board. The Board will discuss and decide on the action in response to Roger Kleweno and Roger Brenner’s request to move the point of diversion for the remaining Ireland/Boden surface water rights. Reon McBride, Office & Finance Manager, will present the payment in lieu of taxes on the recently purchased property in Yuma County.

The RRWCD Board of Directors will hold an executive session to receive legal advice on legal questions and litigation concerning water rights; to discuss and determine positions, develop strategies, and instruct negotiators concerning the purchase or lease of water rights; determine positions and instruct negotiators concerning water supply acquisition, receive legal advice on legal questions related to such agreements, contracts and easements, discuss program applications for matters such as the Compact Compliance Pipeline, Bonny Reservoir and personnel matters.

All RRWCD meetings are open to the public. For those wishing to participate via Zoom, a link will be provided on the RRWCD website at www.repubicanriver.com

For further information, contact the RRWCD staff at 970-332-3552 or Deb Daniel, RRWCD General Manager, at 970-630-3525.