MINUTES OF THE WELL AUGMENTATION SUBDISTRICT OF THE CENTRAL COLORADO WATER CONSERVANCY DISTRICT
March 19, 2024
The regular monthly meeting of the Well Augmentation Subdistrict of the Central Colorado Water Conservancy District was held on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, at the office of the Central Colorado Water Conservancy District located at 3209 W. 28th St. Greeley, Colorado. The meeting was called to order at 10:00 A.M. by Chairman Ralph Anders and the following Directors were present: Ralph Anders, President; Chad Schafer, Vice President; Bret Schmidt, Treasurer; Frank Eckhardt, At Large; Dave Bernhardt; Steve Bruntz; Dan Kammerzell; Everett Kissler; Randy Knutson; John Mark and Alan Mazzotti. Gary Herman and Don Rosenbrock attended by video conference. Doug Dill was absent.
Others present were Randy Ray, Executive Director; Billy Mihelich, District Engineer; Evan McCurnin, Water Resources Analyst and Lynn Kramer, Contracts Manager. Special guests were Brad Grasmick of Lawrence Custer Grasmick Jones & Donovan and Ed Armbruster of White Sands Water Engineers attended by video conference.
ACCEPT INTO THE RECORD THE CONSENT CALENDAR, FINANCIALS, AND MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 2024 AS PRESENTED.
MOTION: STEVE BRUNTZ
SECOND: DAVE BERNHARDT
MOTION CARRIED
Public Discussion
Kent Pflager from Morgan County Quality Water District addressed the board regarding their Conjunctive Use ATM project.
John Rusch, Brad Wind and Jim Strubel from Northern Water joined the meeting to discuss access to the river for Galeton Reservoir, a reservoir in their NISP project.
Action Items
Lynn Kramer presented a Petition to Transfer Water Allotment Contract.
MOVE TO APPROVE THE PERMANENT TRANSFER OF ONE ACRE FOOT OF CONSUMPTIVE USE FROM WAS IRRIGATION WATER ALLOTMENT CONTRACT #183 TO A NEW WAS IRRIGATION WATER ALLOTMENT CONTRACT WITH DONNA JEAN VONDERLAGE AND SCOTT CLINE AND ADD WELL PERMIT #13155 TO THE WAS AUGMENTATION PLAN.
MOTION: STEVE BRUNTZ
SECOND: BRET SCHMIDT
MOTION CARRIED
Legal Action Items
Brad Grasmick discussed an issue regarding contract holders requesting pumping their wells for industrial use. There was a consensus of the board to have staff pursue a course of action to work with the well owners.
Legal/Legislative Reports
Brad Grasmick reviewed the February resume and has one statement of opposition to recommend.
MOVE TO OPPOSE CASE NO. 24CW3024.
MOTION: DAVE BERNHARDT
SECOND: FRANK ECKHARDT
MOTION CARRIED
Brad then gave a Water Court update including the Morgan County Water Quality case, the Castle Rock case, the Rangeview case, oppositions to the Chatfield change case and the Sweet Valley change case and a Carriage Agreement with the Western Mutual Ditch.
Brad discussed negotiations regarding the Craven Recharge Pond. The board provided direction.
Brad updated the board on current legislation.
District Action
Randy Ray presented a letter from Clifton Larson Allen LLP regarding the process for the audit. Danyelle Hart updated the board on the progress of the 2023 audit.
Randy presented a request from Mark Rude of the Southwest Kansas Groundwater Management District to sign a letter of support regarding the Six State High Plains Ogallala Aquifer Regional Resources Study.
MOVE TO APPROVE SIGNING A LETTER OF SUPPORT ADDRESSED TO COLORADO REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATORS REGARDING THE SIX STATE HIGH PLAINS OGALLALA AQUIFER REGIONAL RESOURCES STUDY.
MOTION: EVERETT KISSLER
SECOND: FRANK ECKHARDT
MOTION CARRIED
Randy described the Greeley Irrigation Company Water Supply Reserve Fund Grant application submitted to the Colorado Water Conservation Board for irrigation efficiency technology.
MOVE TO APPROVE THE MATCHING FUNDS OF $7500 SPLIT EQUALLY BETWEEN CCWCD, GMS AND WAS FOR THE GIC WSRF GRANT WITH CWCB.
MOTION: EVERETT KISSLER
SECOND: CHAD SCHAFER
MOTION CARRIED
Randy reviewed the Sweet Valley Work Order #7 that includes a bore under Highway 60 and the Suncor line crossing.
MOVE TO APPROVE THE J-2 CONTRACTING WORK ORDER #7 FOR WORK AT THE SWEET VALLEY PROJECT
MOTION: EVERETT KISSLER
SECOND: BRET SCHMIDT
MOTION CARRIED
Randy reviewed the Western Mutual Ditch Crossing Agreement for the bridge at the Sweet Valley project.
MOVE TO APPROVE THE CROSSING AGREEMENT WITH THE WESTERN MUTUAL DITCH COMPANY.
MOTION: EVERETT KISSLER
SECOND: FRANK ECKHARDT
MOTION CARRIED
Randy discussed another crossing of the Western Mutual Ditch. Director Knutson answered questions on behalf of the ditch.
Billy updated the board on the CWCB Grant approval at Sweet Valley.
Subdistrict Action
Randy presented the Water Lease Agreement with Select Energy Services.
MOVE TO APPROVE THE WATER LEASE AGREEMENT WITH SELECT ENERGY SERVICES.
MOTION: FRANK ECKHARDT
SECOND: CHAD SCHAFER
MOTION CARRIED
Randy discussed the progress of the Purchase and Sale Agreement with Dale Loeffler. Brad reviewed the details of the agreement with the board.
Billy Mihelich presented recommendations for the 2024 annual quota.
MOVE TO SET THE 2024 WAS QUOTA AT 65%.
MOTION: DAVE BERNHARDT
SECOND: BRET SCHMIDT
MOTION CARRIED
Staff Action
There was none.
Presidents Report
There was none.
Education Report
There was none.
Water Quality Report
There was none.
Subdistrict Report
Billy Mihelich provided the operational reports and precipitation outlook.
Secretaries Report
Randy presented an article regarding a Floating Solar Array in Fort Lupton and an article regarding the City of Aurora water purchase in the Arkansas Valley.
GMDA Conference will be held July 17 – 19, 2024 in Omaha, NE.
Randy reviewed the CCWCD calendar.
New Business
There was none.
MOVE TO ADJOURN.
MOTION: EVERETT KISSLER
SECOND: DAVE BERNHARDT
MOTION CARRIED
The regular meeting was adjourned at 2:28 P.M.