NOTE: As provided in LFC policy, this report is intended for use by the standing finance committees of the legislature.  The Legislative Finance Committee does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information in this report when used in any other situation.

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(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Duplicates HB281 and SB235

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Office of the State Engineer / Interstate Stream Commission (OSE/ISC)

LFC Files

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

HB218 appropriates $105.0 from the general fund to OSE to assist the Taos Valley and the Rio de Chama Acequia associations in developing pilot regional acequia geographical information systems (GIS). No more than 5% of the appropriation is to be used for OSE administrative costs. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY2001 shall revert to the general fund.

Significant Issues

HB218 sponsors pilot projects which will be compatible with the statewide GIS being developed by OSE. Recently, the engineer initiated its GIS as part of the agency's Water Administration Technical Engineering Resources System (WATERS) computer data base abstraction project.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The bill appropriates $105.0 from the general fund for the acequia information systems planning.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

OSE is unsure how much time its information systems division will need to commit to assist for project management and GIS support. Also, it is unclear how the appropriation will be administered to ensure it is equally divided between the two acequia associations.

CONFLICT/DUPLICATION/COMPANIONSHIP/RELATIONSHIP

HB218 duplicates HB281 and SB235. Additionally, OSE used a $100.0 appropriation in 1999 to develop a GIS for the Northern Rio Grande Acequia Association. The development was based in the Taos area, specifically using the Rio Pueblo de Taos as the pilot project study area. Already, significant effort and money have been expended on developing a system in the area, but some of that effort could be applied to both the Taos Valley and Rio de Chama acequias.

Amendment:

As an amendment, OSE proposed striking the language "in developing pilot project regional acequia geographic information systems compatible with the statewide geographic information system", insert "for the advancement of the Northern Rio Grande Acequia geographic information system currently being developed by the state engineer and enterprise wide GIS system also under state engineer development."

RWP/gm