The Board of Directors of the Republican River Water Conservation District (RRWCD) will hold their quarterly board meeting in the conference meeting room in the Cobblestone Inn & Suites, located at 35952 US-385, in Wray, CO, 80758 on Tuesday, November 21, 2023, beginning at 10:00AM.  

The Board will review and vote on the minutes of the August 15, 2023, quarterly Board meeting. 

The Board will recognize reappointed Board members representing ground water management districts or counties and honor outgoing Board members with a resolution for each leaving member.  New Board members will be sworn in by Rod Lenz, Board President.

Aaron Sprague, chairperson of the Budget Committee will preside over a hearing on the proposed 2024 Budget.  Justin Dodsworth, district accountant, will present the draft budget and be available to answer questions from the Board and public.

Administrative reports to be given include the Board President’s report, the General Manager’s report, the district financial report for the second quarter of 2023, an update on the number of acres retired in the South Fork Focus Zone, and a report from the Compact Compliance Pipeline operator, Tracy Travis. 

The Board will also receive reports from Board committees and associated organizations.  The RRWCD’s water engineer, state and federal lobbyists and legal counsel will give updates to the Board.

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

State Engineer Kevin Rein will report on water issues in the state.  Mr. Rein is retiring at the end of 2023.  The Board will present Mr. Rein with a Resolution honoring him for his years of service to the state and the Republican River Basin. Chris Kucera, Republican River Team Lead Commissioner, will give a report from his office.  

Local representatives for Senator Bennet and Congressman Buck’s office will present reports from their respective offices. State legislators attending the meeting will be invited to speak during the afternoon session. 

Bill Hahn of Hahn Water Engineering, will give a presentation on the compact compliance pipeline wellfield wells.   General Manager, Deb Daniel, will give a report on the stream flow of the three tributaries in the Colorado Republican River Basin.  

Under Board discussion & action items, the Board will discuss and vote on professional’s rates for 2024.  The Board will also review and vote on the Third Amendment to Purchase and Sale Agreement.

The Board will consider and vote on an amendment to Resolution 22-05, to allow new conservation contract applicants from throughout the Basin, to apply to be approved to receive their contract payments from RRWCD and the ARPA funds with a 10% discount of the full funds, immediately after the RRWCD conservation contract has been signed. 

The Board will also consider and vote on another amendment to Resolution 22-05 to pay any new RAMP applicant who offers to retire 50% or more of total acres irrigated by the irrigation system $3,250 per irrigated acre retired.

The Board will review several resolutions including: Resolution to adopt the Budget for 2024, Resolution to appropriate funds for 2024, Resolution for Approval of Certification of Special Water Use Fee Assessment - Yuma County, Resolution to identify location of public notice of Board and Committee meetings, and Resolution to allow RRWCD to have a special Board meeting outside the Basin on January 3-4, 2024.

Steven Meakins, Nominating Committee Chairman, will officiate over the nominations and election of officers of the executive committee for 2024.  

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 concerning the details of this meeting, please contact the RRWCD staff at 

970-332-3552 or Deb Daniel, RRWCD General Manager at 970-630-3525.