HomeMy WebLinkAbout20131126.tiff2012
SVLHWCD - ANNUAL REPORT
ST.VRAI N&
LEFT HAND..
WATER CONSERVANCY DISTRICT
St. Vrain and Left Hand Water
Conservancy District
Contents
Message from our Executive Director 3
Annual Accomplishments 4
Our Organization 5
The 2012 Water Year 6
The Peppier Focus (Vern Peppier: President 1978-2010) 7
Financial Highlights 9
Front Cover
New logo, adopted 2012.
Back Cover
Original logo, adopted 1973.
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St. Vrain and Left Hand Water Conservancy District
9595 Nelson Road, Suite 203
Longmont, CO 80501
303.772.4060
www.svlhwcd.org
Message from our Executive Director
According to the NOAA National Climatic Data Center, calendar year 2012 was
Colorado's fourth driest year on record. Thanks however to storage reservoirs, which were in good
shape after the above average snow of 2011, our domestic water providers in the St. Vrain and Left
Hand fared relatively well and didn't have to further restrict their customers. Where water, and in
particular stored water was available, our agricultural users had a good year, but junior water systems
with less storage didn't fare as well. Overall the total storage on May 31, 2012 was 79% of full, or
43,000 acre-feet, as compared to the drought year of 2002 at 68% or 39,500 acre-feet. As of December
31, 2012 the St. Vrain basin storage was 56% of full. Timely snow in the mountains, and precipitation
lower down is going to be critical to providing sufficient supplies to meet demands.
As a promoter of beneficial use within the basin since 1971, the District must look beyond the urgent
issues of today and stress the need to wisely manage this precious resource for future generations. As a
local water planning agency, the District must anticipate future changes; changes in climate, and wildfire
occurrences, changes in uses of water locally and downstream on the South Platte, and changes in water
law, water administration, economics, and public expectations. All of these ongoing changes influence
how much water is available to put to use into the future. I and your Board of Directors don't pretend
to know what the future holds. However, it is the unknown that influences a "no regrets" approach to
the District's decisions, so that this and future generations will not regret the actions we take today.
The drought of 2012 once again demonstrated the value of storage. St. Vrain Creek in particular is
uniquely positioned to maximize its water resources in a way that could be used to provide additional
yield for agricultural, domestic, environmental, and recreational purposes. Last year I personally met
with water users in the basin to discuss the potential for maximizing supplies and future new storage.
Although storage is not a universally accepted approach to managing water resources, most agree that
our basin's landscape and river hydrology have been so radically changed from its "natural" state, that
without continued management this newly created environment will degrade over time. New storage
can help repair and enhance this manmade environment. Perhaps the days of pouring concrete in a
river to create storage are long gone, there are however new and less environmentally damaging
storage alternatives that can provide similar benefits. For example, lined gravel pits are an option to
consider and are under active use in the St. Vrain right now. Moving away from traditional storage, in
the aggregate, can be more expensive, although the benefits still seem to outweigh the costs.
Living through and recovering from the drought of 2012 is this generation's challenge, but equally
difficult will be decisions by those who are looking out 20 plus years to create a foundation of water
availability and management that our children and grandchildren will not regret. In the coming years
the District will be leading this conversation. Please consider joining the discussion and start asking
yourself - if we decide today to build or restrict gravel pit storage, would the next generation regret our
decision?
Ccn
Sean T. Cronin
Executive Director
3
Annual Accomplishments
"The Year of Water", as 2012 was proclaimed
by Governor Hickenlooper, was a unique
opportunity for the District to lead and
participate in projects, ideas, and plans
consistent with the Districts mission.
PROVIDE AND PROMOTE FOR THE BENEFICIAL
USE OF WATER
Throughout 2012 the District participated in the
Boulder County Consortium of Cities task force.
The task force will be making recommendations
to the Consortium on methods for local water
providers to improve water efficiency through
water sharing arrangements and conservation.
PROMOTING NEW STORAGE
The District met with local water providers,
environmental groups, and open space
programs to discuss the possibility of future
storage to meet additional yield for agricultural,
domestic, environmental, and recreational
purposes.
PROTECTING AND MAINTAINING EXISTING
WATER RIGHTS
In 2012 the District Board of Directors entered
three statements of opposition with the
purpose of protecting and maintaining existing
water rights.
FOSTERING PRINCIPALS TO MAXIMIZE WATER
MANAGEMENT
District staff helped countless water rights
owners, ditch company representatives, and
residents navigate the challenges of Colorado
water law.
The assistance is provided through one-on-one
sessions, where staff relies on its expertise and
publically available information to guide advice.
The District also conducts tours, and hosts
informational meetings. The District held a
Water Users Meeting where information was
shared on water exchanges, recreational
opportunities, and the county open space
program. The District also hosted a tour of the
basin for local water users and members of the
public, and a reception for South Platte water
experts. All the events were well received and
believed to have had a positive impact on
fostering principals to maximize water
management.
PROMOTING WATER CONSERVATION
The District participated in the South Platte
Roundtable which made recommendations on
water matters, including conservation, to the
Colorado Water Conservation Board.
INTEGRATE LEGALLY AVAILABLE BENEFICIAL
USES OF GROUNDWATER
An additional 9 members joined the District's
Augmentation Program. In 2012 the District
augmented 198 acre-feet of water to the St.
Vrain and 24 acre-feet to Left Hand Creek. For
more information on the Augmentation
Program see "Got Water?" on the following
page.
4
Our Organization
The St. Vrain & Left Hand Water
Conservancy District Board of Directors are
appointed by District court judges and serve
four year terms. The Board sets policy for staff
to implement. The Board is comprised of nine
members from seven distinct geographic areas
(districts) from within the entire District
boundaries that generally start at Rocky
Mountain National Park (west), to east of 1-25
(east), to Larimer County and Boulder County
line (north), and to just south of the Town of
Ward, and north of Boulder Reservoir (south).
The Directors must live and own real property
within the district they represent. Two
Directors are at -large and can represent any of
the seven geographic areas from which they live
and own real property.
2012 Officers and Directors:
President: Dennis Yanchunas - District 7
Vice President: Glenn Patterson - District 6
Secretary: John Zweck - District 3
Treasurer: Michael Rademacher - At Large
Director:
Director:
Director:
Director:
Director:
Harold Nelson - District 1
Robert Brand - District 2
Bill Haselbush - District 4
Ronald Sutherland - District 5
Doug Lyle - At Large
Got Water? In addition to providing
services under its original purpose, the District
operates an Augmentation Program for use by
basin water users. Beginning in 1974, the
District was one of the first water agencies in
Colorado to enter into augmentation
agreements to ensure for the protection of
senior water rights. The District no longer
offers augmentation water under these nearly
40 year old agreements, but does offer
membership to a more modern augmentation
program. Membership in the Augmentation
Program is available to all water users seeking
to irrigate out of priority and require
augmentation water. The water provided by
the District is decreed for such uses and made
available to users for a nominal fee. Persons
interested in becoming a member can obtain
additional information online or by calling the
District office.
Water Users Meeting
5
The 2012 Water Year
The St. Vrain basin started 2012 off with a
bang, boasting Colorado's second highest
recordings with 132% of average at the end of
December. This didn't however overly
influence the stream flow forecast as experts
were reporting a 90% chance of exceeding
64,000 acre-feet at Lyons, less than 30,000
acre-feet from the 30 year average.
The months following did not improve on the
snowpack, although the St. Vrain basin was still
recording the highest snowpack of all other
South Platte tributaries, the dry weather and
higher than normal temperatures caused the
April 1 snowpack to drop from 132% to 60%.
The April 1 stream flow forecast followed suit
and decreased to a 90% chance of exceeding
49,000 acre-feet.
Abnormally warm temperatures in April
reported some of the lowest snowpack
numbers within the South Platte basin since the
drought of 2002. St. Vrain snowpack dropped
significantly during April to 33% of average. So
too did the stream flow forecast which
decreased to a 90% chance of exceeding 30,000
acre-feet. Reservoir storage however, was
reporting a respectable 78% full. The Highland
Ditch (1871) call came on April 6, and a call was
placed throughout the rest of the year.
As expected May didn't improve the snow
situation and much of the local snow courses
had already melted out. The Districts basin
tour, which included a visit to the Left Hand
Snow Course, changed to a "Where did the
snow go tour". The runoff was projected to be
well below average, and with temperatures
trending upwards demands were projected to
increase.
Basin storage didn't gain much, but held point
at 77% of full heading into July. On July 7 the
St. Vrain at Lyons had a less than impressive
peak of 342 cfs well below the historic average
of 884 cfs.
Thanks however to storage reservoirs, which
were in good shape after the above average
snow of 2011, our domestic water providers in
the St. Vrain and Left Hand fared relatively well
and didn't have to further restrict their
customers. Where water, and in particular
stored water was available, our agricultural
users had a good year, but junior water systems
with less storage didn't fare as well.
The "Year of Water" is now a distant memory.
Heading into the 2013 water year, storage sits
at a concerning 56% and the January 1
snowpack for the St. Vrain is 56% of average.
Timely snow and perception is going to be
critical, otherwise 2013 may end up being a
year we would all like to forget.
Where is the snow? Left Hand Snow Course May 2, 2012
6
The Peppier Focus (Vern Peppier:
President 1978-2010)
Above and Below the Water with Shera
Sumerford
By Emily Palm
Spending time outside reigns supreme for
District 5 Water Commissioner Shera
Sumerford.
An avid diver, Shera has gone on an annual
scuba trip every year since her first adventure
dive a decade ago. Her previous boss, Bob Stahl,
invited her on a group trip to Cozumel, Mexico,
and she never looked back. "Just being outside
is most of it," she says of her warm -weather
pastime, adding, "The colors pop out at
different times."
Shera and her fellow scuba mates rent a house,
go grocery shopping at the beginning of the trip
and eat family -style meals at home. While they
usually travel to Cozumel, their next trip is to
Roatan in Honduras at the end of January 2013.
When she's not planning a scuba trip, Shera
frequents music venues. Some of her favorite
concerts she has attended include Flogging
Molly, Paul McCartney, the Black Keys, Tom
Petty with the Black Crowes, and The Toadies.
Shera played violin in orchestra during high
school and attributes her yen for music to her
father.
Shera's other athletic pursuits include a
newfound interest in hot yoga, running in 5k
charity races (though she does not describe
herself as a runner) and hitting the gym. While
Shera doesn't ski, she hopes to get some good
use of her snowshoes this year.
A perk of high -temperature (and thus sweaty)
yoga is the excuse to recharge salt supply with
French fries. Shera is a connoisseur of the crispy
treats. "French fries are my weakness," she
says, noting that she tends to judge restaurants
by the quality of their fries.
She also participates in a bowling league, but
jokes that her skills don't match her 9 years of
playing. She volunteers in Fort Collins when she
can: going bowling and playing pool with folks
who have mental disabilities.
Shera hails from Texas, but doesn't necessarily
wear that on her sleeve. Her mom and older
brother are still in Texas, although she fully
embraces the Front Range. "Being here in
Colorado, it's easier to be outdoors," she says,
noting that if she was still in Texas she's not
sure what she'd do.
Having grown up in Lake Jackson, Tex., a town
south of Houston, Shera describes her
hometown as "The Greeley of Texas." She
graduated from high school and went to a local
college to get her associate degree in Texas. "I'd
recommend that to anyone," she says.
Shera's dad served in the Navy, but when he
retired he wanted to work in the RV camper
field and found a job in Fort Lupton, Colo. After
Shera completed her associate degree in Texas,
she moved in with her father to attend the
University of Northern Colorado in Greeley.
Shera majored in Earth Sciences and a double
minor in Geography and Environmental Studies.
Until her last year at UNC, Shera didn't plan on
a career in water. She attended a water
management and policy class taught by Tom
Cech, former executive director of the Central
Colorado Water Conservancy District. "He had a
lot of information," Shera says, noting he was a
fun person to learn from.
Her education soon moved from the classroom
to the field. Brent Schantz, Water Commissioner
for District 1 and 64 for the Colorado Division of
Water Resources, asked Cech if any of his
students would be interested in an internship.
Shera applied, and in 2000 she began tagging
7
wells, associating them with a number for
location purposes for the Central Colorado
Water Conservancy District.
During Shera's last semester in college she
worked part time for the conservancy district,
part of her work involved looking up
coordinates for wells, plotting them on a map,
and then using GPS devices to find them. Shera
most enjoyed being outside in the field
interacting with water users.
Shera came to District 5, St. Vrain, in 2008 after
working in the South Platte watershed. Luckily
she's a morning person. On an average day
during the busier summer months, Shera wakes
up around 5:30 a.m., checks the flows in the
river to see what she has to work with that day,
receives orders and requests and checks out
how that fits in with the water in the river and
takes out junior rights and allocate the days
water.
When Shera goes out in the field she often
brings her dog Willis, an 11 -year -old border
collie. Willis came to her from a farmer in Evans,
Colo, near a ditch that Shera checked along the
Platte River. Shera left a card with her contact
information and after his dog had puppies, "He
saved one for me."
Shera also has two cats, Daffy and Velma
(named after the intellectual Scooby-Doo
character).
Shera monitors the flows, to make sure people
are not taking more that they're allowed. Many
flows that Shera monitors are available online,
and she checks to make sure people are taking
out what they're supposed to. Sometimes if
something is off, it's a mouse that bumped a
regulator. She has seen the system change as
technology has advanced. In 2009 ditch flows
became accessible online, and head -gate
operations are getting fancier. She notes that a
majority of the latest water equipment comes
from Australia, where they began dealing with
the effects of climate change years ago.
While the hardware gets fancier and
information streams online, Shera also relies on
the strong relationships she has formed with
the water users. If users know water might be
tight, Shera says, "They moan and groan, but
understand." Trust surrounds her working
relationships.
Shera didn't realize how much she enjoyed such
interactions until she did some solo hydro work
on the Big Thompson and Little Thompson
rivers. She happily returned to working directly
with people. In her years she has learned to
banter and joke with the farmers.
In the future Shera can see doing a short stint
with the Peace Corps and possibly becoming a
dog trainer to volunteer with service dogs.
Shera lives in the moment, though, saying, "All I
can do is focus on right now."
Shera Sumerford
8
Financial Highlights
The Board of Directors approved the 2013 Budget at their December 10 meeting. The balanced
budget will allow the District to continue to meet its mission of providing and promoting for the
beneficial use of water within the district boundaries. The 2013 budget includes these important
features.
• One General Government (General) and one Proprietary (Enterprise) fund.
• A 2.8% increase from the previous year in Ad Valorem Revenue to the General Fund.
• A 15% reduction to specific General Fund line items to be paid by the Enterprise Fund for
expenses related to the Districts Augmentation Program.
• A 7% increase in Health Insurance expenses due to a projected premium increase effective
July.
• A 7% increase to the Enterprise Fund Augmentation Program fees.
• Increased transparency on all line items for each of the funds.
The following pages include short summaries of 2013 revenue and expenditures. To view the complete
2013 budget please visit our Web site at www.svlhwcd.org.
9
GENERAL FUND
To account for ongoing expenses associated with delivery of programs and services
2011 2012 2012 Estimate
Actual Budget As of 11/30 Year End
2013
Budget
Fund Balance & Reserves
Beginning Unrestricted Fund Balance
$ 71,754
$ 83,228
$ 91,167
$ 130,087
Beginning Water Rights Balance
$ 111,032
$ 111,031'
$ 148,107
TABOR Restricted Emergency Reserve
$ 10,286
$ 12,049
$ 12,049
$ 12,048
Total Fund Balance & Reserves
$ 83,802
$ 204,546
$ 214,247
$ 290,243
Revenue Sources
Ad Valorem
$ 311,284
$ 308,365
$ 305,266
$ 308,671
$ 317,046
Specific Ownership Tax
$ 15,154
$ 10,000
$ 14,715
$ 16,427
$ 10,000
Interest
$ 957
$ 400
$ 722
$ 848
$ 400
Miscellaneous
$ -
$ -
$ 100
$ 100
$ -
Equity Transfer from Water Rights Fund
$ -
$ -
$ 111,031
$ 111,031
Total Revenue
$ 327,395
$ 318,765
$ 431,833
$ 437,077
$ 327,446
Expenditures by Category
Salaries & Benefits
$ 164,808
$ 133,763
$ 121,533
$ 129,683
$ 136,085
Administration
$ 34,668
$ 32,845
$ 24,024
$ 29,487
$ 32,285
Outside Services
$ 24,876
$ 41,040
$ 26,233
$ 31,040
$ 30,900
Operational
$ 27,360
$ 25,712
$ 21,523
$ 22,923
$ 23,868
Water Rights
$ -
$ 15,930
$ 9,479
$ 12,924
$ 18,200
Miscellaneous
$ 4,685
$ 7,900
$ 4,558
$ 7,900
$ 7,900
Total Expenditures
$ 256,396
$ 257,190
$ 207,350
$ 233,957
$ 249,239
Transfers, Loans & Reserves by Category
Transfer to Enterprise Fund
$ -
$ 10,078
$ 3,170
$ 3,170
$ 3,612
Designate to WR Balance
$ 51,586
$ 50,000
$ 50,000
$ 50,000
$ 50,000
Total Transfers, Loans & Reserves
$ 51,586
$ 60,078
$ 53,170
$ 53,170
$ 53,612
Ending Unrestricted Fund Balance
$ 91,167
$ 100,655
$ 130,087
$ 154,682
Ending Water Rights Balance
$ 51,586
$ 145,102
$ 148,107
$ 179,907
r
Ending Restricted Emergency Reserve
$ 12,049
$ 10,286
$ 12,049
$ 12,049
Total Fund Balance & Reserves
$ 154,802
$ 256,043
$ 290,243
$ 346,638
i
Specific
Ownership Tax
3%
Ad Valorem
97%
2013 Revenue
Interest
0%
Transfer to 16%
Enterprise \
Fund
2013 Expenditures
Designate to
WR Balance
1%
Miscellaneous
3%
Water Rights
6%
Operational
8%
Outside
Services
10%
Salaries &
Benefits
45%
Administration
11%
10
ENTERPRISE FUND
To account for ongoing expenses associated with the water enterprise
2011 2012 2012 Estimate
Actual Budget As of 11/30 Year End
2013
Budget
Fund Balance
Beginning Fund Balance
$ 242,977
$ 249,245
$ 247,413
S 231,010
Total Fund Balance
$ 242,977
$ 249,245
$ 247,413
$ 231,010
Revenue Sources
Transfer from General Fund
$
$ 10,078
$ 3,170
$ 3,170
$ 3,612
Federal EPA 319 Grant
$
$ 15,092
$
$ -
Lake No. 4
$ 4,065
$ 720
$
$ -
$ 720
Misc Water Rental
$ 70
$ 6,500
$ 8,961
$ 8,961
$ 2,805'
Longmont Water Rental
$ 8,128
$ 7,500
$ 5,625
$ 5,625
$ 2,500
Special Projects
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ -
Augmentation Membership Fees
$ 17,674
$ 20,643
$ 21,310
$ 21,310
S 27,856
Interest
$ 174
$ 200
$ 185
$ 223
S 180
Total Revenue
$ 30,112
$ 60,733
$ 39,252
$ 39,289
$ 37,673
Expenditures by Category
Administration
$ 36
$ 28,110
$ 18,042
$ 22,316
$ 28,421
Outside Services
$ 16,821
$ 25,125
$ 18,045
$ 23,200
$ 35,200
Operational
$ 8,818
$ 21,211
$ 9,586
$ 10,176
$ 31,731
Interfund Transfer & Loans
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ -
$ -
Total Expenditures
$ 25,675
$ 74,446
$ 45,673
$ 55,692
$ 95,352
Ending Unrestricted Fund Balance
$ 247,413
$ 235,532
$ 231,010
$ 173,331
i
2013 Revenue Lake No. 4
Transfer from 2%
Interest 1 _General Fund
0% 10% Misc Water
Rental
7%
Longmont
Water Rental
7%
Special
Projects
0%
Augmentation
Membership
Fees
74%
Operational
3396
2013 Expenditures
Outside
Services
37%
Administration
30%
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St. Vrain and Left Hand Water Conservancy District logo. In use from 1973 - 2012.
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