I. Background

The Platte River Recovery Implementation Program (Program) establishes a Water Advisory Committee (WAC) to accomplish the purposes specified in this charter. The WAC will provide assistance and advice on water related matters, as directed, to the Governance Committee.

II. Committee structure

1. Each member of the Governance Committee may appoint a member and an alternate to the WAC. The Governance Committee may appoint additional members, as it deems appropriate. The Chairperson of the WAC will maintain a current listing of the WAC members and alternates.
2. The WAC shall select a Chairperson annually, with such selection being noted in the official minutes of the meeting when elections are held.
3. The Executive Director will provide staff support to the WAC.
4. The WAC may seek technical assistance from other Program participants.

III. Committee purposes

The WAC will provide assistance and advice on water-related matters as directed by the Governance Committee. The following are examples of some of the tasks that the Governance Committee may assign the WAC:

1. Review and comment on the annual operating plans (AOP) for individual Program water supplies, the Program annual operating plan, and the Environmental Account Manager’s year-end report.
2. Review and comment on the state’s tracking, accounting, regulating and protecting of Program water.
3. Review and comment on matters relating to any component of the Program Water Plan.
4. Review and comment on the reconnaissance and feasibility studies and implementation plans for new Program water conservation/supply projects.
5. Advise on the need for peer reviews and review and comment on those reviews.
6. Review and comment on water-related monitoring and research activities.
7. Provide consultation and assistance to the Executive Director.
8. Complete other tasks as directed by the Governance Committee.

IV. Committee procedures

1. The WAC will meet as needed to accomplish its purposes outlined in Section III of this charter.
2. WAC meetings will be open to other interested parties. Meetings in which interested parties from the public attend will include an open comment period.
3. Agendas, meeting minutes, reports, and other information will be maintained by the Executive Director and will be furnished to WAC members prior to scheduled meetings and to other interested parties upon request. Agendas and minutes will also be posted on the Platte River Web Site.
4. The decisions of the committee, including those regarding recommendations to the Governance Committee, must be by consensus of the WAC members. Any issue that cannot be resolved with consensus agreement shall be elevated to the Governance Committee. The WAC will present all viewpoints on such unresolved issues to the Governance Committee without identifying which views are held by the majority or the minority of the committee members.
5. WAC meetings may be held in person or via conference calls, videoconferences or other long-distance communication systems.
6. The WAC may form subgroups to accomplish assignments from the Governance Committee. The Chairperson of the WAC will appoint the subgroups and will appoint a person from the subgroup to be chair. The Chair of the subgroup will be responsible for the recommendations produced by the subgroup. The recommendations produced by the subgroup will be reviewed and approved by the WAC.
7. Comments provided on draft WAC recommendations, including those offered by subgroups, will be sent to the Chairperson for compilation and distribution, unless otherwise directed.
8. Final WAC recommendations will be provided to the Governance Committee, which will distribute those work products as it deems appropriate.

The organizational structure of the Program is presented in Attachment 6 to the Program Document (see page 713).