HB 22-1316

House Bill 22-1316, which has been signed into law in Colorado, allocates $8.2 million from the water plan implementation fund to support various water-related projects and programs managed by the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB). These include satellite monitoring, floodplain mapping updates, weather modification permits, technical assistance for federal programs, river decision support systems, weather station networks, water forecasting partnerships, dam safety evaluations, and efforts related to river recovery and compliance. Additionally, it transfers money between funds and allows a loan to the town of Breckenridge for dam rehabilitation. This bill directly impacts state agencies involved in water management and communities relying on these services for flood protection, water supply, and environmental conservation.

Official Summary

The act appropriates the following amounts from the Colorado water conservation board (CWCB) construction fund to the CWCB or the division of water resources in the department of natural resources for the following projects: Continuation of the satellite monitoring system, $380,000; Continuation of the Colorado floodplain map modernization program, $500,000; Continuation of the weather modification permitting program, $350,000; Continuation of technical assistance for federal cost-share programs, $300,000; Continuation of the Arkansas river decision support system, $500,000; Continuation of the Colorado Mesonet project, $150,000; Continuation of the water forecasting partnership project, $450,000; Support of modeling and data analyses for the upper Colorado river commission's interstate planning and negotiation efforts, $200,000; Performance of comprehensive dam safety evaluations for the reservoir enlargement assessment project, $250,000; Support of the Platte river recovery implementation program, $3,800,000; and Support of Republican river matters related to meeting compact compliance obligations, $2,000,000. The act appropriates $8,200,000 from the water plan implementation cash fund to the CWCB for grant-making for projects that assist in implementing the state water plan. The act directs the state treasurer to transfer the following amounts on July 1, 2022: Up to $2,000,000 from the CWCB construction fund to the litigation fund; and $1,000,000 from the CWCB construction fund to the water plan implementation cash fund. The act authorizes the CWCB to make loans of up to $13,130,000 from the CWCB construction fund to the town of Breckenridge to rehabilitate the Goose Pasture Tarn dam. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Votes