Behind the Headgates of Colorado’s Water Plan with CWCB Director James Eklund

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James Eklund, the Director of the Colorado Water Conservation Board, joins The Water Values Podcast to discuss Colorado’s Water Plan. James takes us behind the scenes for a look at why Colorado needed a water plan, how the State went about developing the water plan, which is in draft form now, and where the State is in the process of finalizing the water plan. James also engages in a discussion of how water and funding water projects fit in with the rest of the State’s fiscal requirements. Finally, he touches on the notion of one day integrating Colorado’s water plan with the water plans of other states.

In this session, you’ll learn about:

  • Why Colorado needed a water plan
  • Why Colorado didn’t have a water plan previously
  • The background on why some in Colorado are resistant to a State water plan
  • The responsibilities of the Colorado Water Conservation Board
  • How Colorado decided to develop its water plan in draft form
  • Why Colorado decided a de-centralized plan development process provided the best chance of successful plan development
  • The timeline for finalizing the draft water plan
  • Colorado’s “open source policy-making” stance for input into the water plan
  • How conservation fits into Colorado’s Water Plan
  • The interplay between Colorado’s prior appropriation doctrine and the policy goals set forth in Colorado’s Water Plan, i.e., how private property rights in water are affected by government policy goals
  • What “Buy and Dry “ is
  • How water project funding relates to the rest of the State budget
  • The potential for integration of Colorado’s Water Plan with the water plans of other states

Resources and links mentioned in or relevant to this session include:

Transcript

Click here to download the Transcript for Session 55 of The Water Values Podcast.

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4 thoughts on “Behind the Headgates of Colorado’s Water Plan with CWCB Director James Eklund

  1. Tom Schillaci

    See James Eklund give a short insight to a paradigm shift regarding trans-mountain diversions in this video overview of the Sustaining Colorado Watersheds conference in October 2014.

    https://youtu.be/nXX9CJLr43c

    Also, not IF but WHEN water quality is discussed more in the Colorado Water Plan, I produced a video on Good Samaritan legislation that would help volunteers clean up draining, abandoned mines. That would improve aquatic habitat downstream from historic hardrock mining districts. Since no legislation has been passed in 14 attempts, the EPA is talking about CERCLA - Superfund again in Silverton and San Juan County, CO. I am not sure Governor Hickenlooper wants to commit the State to running another water treatment plant.

    See more on the issue in this 12.5 minute video titled, “Act of Congress: Good Samaritans & Draining Mines 2014”.

    https://youtu.be/XkjFdgshv1Y

    Thank you for the opportunity to share.

    Tom Schillaci, Producer of Environmental Documentary Video
    Silverton, CO

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