Meeting Minutes of the

Gunnison Basin Selenium Task Force

Technical Work Group Meeting

July 15, 2004, 10am to 3pm

(First National Bank, 150 Gunnison River Drive, Delta, CO)

 

Attendees:  Sonja Chavez de Baca (GBSTF Facilitator/Coordinator); Dan Beley (WQCD), Rick Krueger (FWS), Dave Kanzer (CRWCD), Robert Johnston (Town of Paonia), Aung Hla (CSU), Mike Baker (USBOR), Paul van Geurard (USGS), Dave Dearstyne (NRCS), Chris Gebauer (NRCS), Kim Roush (USGS & Western State College (WSC)), and Shannon Townley (USGS & WSC).

 

I.                   Status Update from the Coordinator (Sonja Chavez de Baca):  Sonja gave a status update to the group regarding her current and future activities/projects as Coordinator and Facilitator of the Gunnison Basin Selenium Task Force.  They include:

 

A.     Website Design & Maintenance Class – 3 weeks (Tues/Thurs) at Delta Vo-tech.  Funding for training is coming from the Coordinator 319 Grant Funds.  The purpose of obtaining the training is to have the Coordinator be responsible for future development and maintenance of the website which results in substantial financial savings for the Task Force and better use of the website as an education and information tool.

B.     Public Outreach Action Plan – Sonja needs to continue working with the Group to further refine a plan to carry out our public outreach action items.  These include items such as making phone calls and conducting web research to identify our potential wise water use partners, writing our “Position Statement/Letter”, and meeting individually with city and county planners.

C.     Meeting Minutes – Finish writing-up meeting minutes from 6/17/04, 7/8/04, and 7/15/04.

D.    Semi-Annual Reports – Writing and submitting the semi-annual report for the 319 funded GBSTF Coordinator position which is due to the Non-Point Source Program in September.  Completing and submitting a semi-annual Coordinators report for the BMP & Phytoremediation Grants in September.

E.     Assist with the Fall Workshop – Sonja along with Fred Fisher will plan a fall workshop in November.

F.     Continuing Coordination Efforts with the Grand Valley Se Task Force.

G.    Researching and Targeting Additional Funding Sources to Support the Task Force

H.     Watershed Workshop (July)

I.       NPS Forum & CWA 2004 Conference - September in Glenwood Springs

 

Sonja asked the Work Group if they would consider not having an August meeting so that the Coordinator could begin to carry out identified activities and projects.  Dave Kanzer supported skipping the August meeting so that we could begin to take action on the above mentioned items.  Mike Baker, because of concern over his limited time left to devote to the group due to funding cut-backs in NIWQP, wanted to keep the August meeting date.  It was decided that the Task Force should meet in August.  The date/location for that meeting is August 18th, 2004, in Montrose.

 

II & III.    General Discussion on Joint Mtg/Tour (7/8/04) and Public Outreach:  The General sentiment was that the Joint Meeting and Tour of the Gunnison Basin and Grand Valley Se Task Forces went well.  The Gunnison Basin Group thought that joint meetings between the two groups should be held more often.  The Grand Valley Group also felt that joint meetings would benefit both groups.  The Task Force felt that a “Summit on Wise Water Use” should be held Greg Trainor (DRIP) and others to discuss how we could collaborate in our similar efforts.  Anything programs which help to conserve water in this area go hand in hand with water quality improvements.  The Task Force discussed organizing a conference call sometime in the near future.

 

            Discussions turned to identifying our target audience in our public outreach efforts.  It was noted that we need to target all groups including the larger general public, municipalities, counties, cities, higher level policy decisions makers, etc.  There still remains a concern over how to engage the general public.  One recommendation that came from the Group was to start to put up an information booth on Se at public gatherings such as the Olathe Sweet Corn Festival.

 

IV.               Fall Workshop Ideas:  As discussion turned to developing our Fall Workshop/Agenda, the Task Force spoke at length about who our target audience would be.  It was decided that the audience for the workshop would be made up of policy makers, planners, community people, business people (nurseries, landscape companies, etc.), developers and contractors.

 

The proposed date is November 17th, 2004 at will be at the Heddles Center in Delta. 

There will be opportunities for poster displays and tables with brochures.  Volunteers will be sought to assist with planning activities.  The Group asked Aung Hla if he could have brochures from the BMP Grant ready by the time of the workshop. Mr. Hla agreed that he could have a few ready.

 

Potential financial sponsors for the event are needed.  Suggestions included:  Uncompahgre Valley Water Users Association, Shavano Conservation District, Colorado River District, Cities, and Counties.

 

(Please find attached a draft copy of the Fall Workshop Agenda/Topics)

 

BREAK FOR LUNCH:  12pm – 1pm

 

V.                  Soils Presentation – Dave Dearstyne (NRCS):  Dave Dearstyne and Chris Gebauer of NRCS gave a presentation to the Technical Work Group on the use of soils data and GIS to identify high selenium loading potential.  Mr. Gebauer started by giving an overview of what constitutes a Soil Taxonomic Description and a Soil Map Unit and proceeded to describe how NRCS used this soils information to compare soluble selenium in the different soil map units of the Ridgeway Soil Survey Area.  By looking at irrigated and non-irrigated areas in the map units they were able to assign a Soluble Selenium Ranking to the different areas (handouts provided to the Group).  The GIS tool is important in that it allows the identification of high selenium loading potential areas.

 

VI.                Coordination of Actions between the Gunnison Basin and Grand Valley Task Forces:  Positive response was given again to the possibility of coordinating Actions with the Grand Valley Selenium Task Force.  Coordination would allow our groups to expand the scope of studies, combine funding efforts, and create a larger more coordinate presence on the western slope.

 

VII.              Monitoring Needs:  Dan Beley updated the Task Force on monitoring efforts/needs.  Mr. Beley indicated that he added to the State’s List of monitoring needs, the areas around the Uncompahgre and Gunnison Basin.  He requested additional money for Grand Valley monitoring.  He also indicated that it would be important to do monitoring at the mouths of the tributaries.

 

Dave Kanzer indicated that the River District currently has an extensive monitoring program and that they would be open to receiving requests for monitoring from the GBSTF.  In addition, Mr. Kanzer noted that a Project Manager will be hired to help with statewide standardization of water quality sampling and he wanted to know if this group had any input.

 

VIII.            2005 319 NPS Grant Process:  Mr. Beley updated the Task Force on changes within the 319 NPS Grant Process.  The new grant deadline for project proposals will be December 1st.  There will be a bigger push to fund projects that can document environmental benefit.  Mr. Beley suggested that our group think about projects so that he can start to focus some attention on the idea and concept.  Mike Baker suggested that we look at our action plan and then start identifying projects and be ready for the grant proposal.

 

IX.                Agenda Items for Next Meeting:  Action Plan – identify and prioritize projects we would like to do that we need funding for.