Colorado Water Congress
Bob Ewegen reports from the 48th Annual Convention of the Colorado Water Congress in today's Denver Post [January 28, 2006, "Stakes high in water roundtables"]. He writes, "It's too early to say if the infant water roundtable process created by the legislature last year can really break the decades-long deadlock on Colorado's most important natural resource issue. But a spirited dialogue Friday sponsored by the Colorado Water Congress provided hopeful signs and no fisticuffs.
"The bill creating the water roundtables, HB 1174 by Sen. Jim Isgar, D-Hesperus, and Rep. Josh Penry, R-Grand Junction, was the brainchild of Russ George, a former speaker of the House who now serves as director of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources. The law embodied the simple but revolutionary - for Colorado - idea that we might actually make more progress on water issues if we started talking...
"Environmentalists still toast Two Forks' defeat. But needless to say, killing the dam didn't deter anyone from moving to Colorado. As pressures for new water supplies mounted, thoughtful environmentalists and water users began exploring 'win-win' solutions that would limit the environmental and economic damage to areas losing water to the Front Range. HB 1177 was a logical outgrowth of such thinking.
"Not everyone at Friday's panel welcomed the new collaborative process. Larry Clever of the Ute Water Conservancy District warned HB 1177 "has divided the state between those that have water and those that want it.'
"Most other panelists noted the division between water haves and have-nots is an ancient one. Veteran water warrior Wally Stealey of Pueblo warned, 'As urban areas have grown along the Front Range, they've been destroying our future by diverting water away from rural areas.'
The Pueblo Chieftain was also at the water congress this week. They write, "Colorado water projects are bouncing back from both the drought and budget cutbacks, state lawmakers told water leaders Friday.
"This year's legislative session will focus on familiar themes, in new ways, a panel of state senators and representative told the Colorado Water Congress...
"Sen. Lewis Entz, R-Hooper, said a major issue in the San Luis Valley continues to be controlling groundwater depletion. At the same time that state well rules for the valley are moving toward trial, Entz is supporting legislation that would help in the formation of groundwater districts...
"Rep. Kathleen Curry, D-Gunnison, chairs the House Agriculture Committee and outlined a series of bills introduced or expected this year.
"A controversial bill [HB 1124] on rotational crop management, or fallowing, is expected to be considered for the first time Monday in committee. Supporters say it promotes leases between cities and farmers by allowing farmers to hold water rights while receiving income from cities. Critics say it is a way for cities to cherry-pick senior agriculture water rights.
"Curry hopes to restore money to the Species Conservation Fund, which was drained of $4 million during budget downturns. The fund affects both the South Platte and San Juan basins and Curry hopes to add $5 million to it this year.
"Water research is another area suffering from budget cuts, Curry said. She said a stable source of funding has to be found for the Colorado Water Resources Research Institute, which over the years has provided academic support on many water issues. 'If ever there was a time to do water research, this is it,' Curry said. 'It's ridiculous that the state does not fund it annually.'
"Other bills this session include Rep. Buffie McFadyen's measure tying water quality to water court deliberations, which has failed to advance for two years with other sponsors, and an attempt to tie severance taxes for minerals to natural resources or water projects.
"Sen. Jim Isgar, D-Hesperus, chairman of the Senate ag committee, is working on a bill to clarify state rules on in-channel recreational diversions.
"He also wants to beef up grant programs for the Colorado Water Conservation Board by adding $20 million to $30 million in funds. The money would help conservation districts or ditch companies with costs for permits or feasibility studies."
CBS4Denver.com reports that not everyone is happy with the Colorado Water for the 21st Century Act [HB 1177]. They write, "The Legislature last year authorized water roundtables in each of the state's seven river basins and two sub-basins. The roundtables are to develop guidelines for an Interbasin Compact Committee, which has until July 1 to come up with rules that govern negotiations between water basins over how water is used.
"Ray Wright, president of the Rio Grande Water Conservation District and a participant in the roundtables, said the process has been heavy-handed and could hurt rural areas.
"'It's the most topdown grass-roots process I've ever seen. I have to say it's not simply a matter of getting together and adopting bylaws and talking,' he said, warning that some participants are becoming rebellious.
"Bill Trampe of the Colorado River Water Conservation District said water users can learn a lot from the process, as long as they don't feel 'Big Brother' is looking over their shoulders.
"'There's a lot of skepticism,' Trampe said.
"Eric Kuhn, a member of the Interbasin Compact Committee, said an attempt by former Gov. Dick Lamm to set up Front Range roundtables in 1981 failed because it was "hijacked" by water interests who wanted to build a dam instead of find a statewide solution to Colorado's water problems.
"He said the inter-basin compacts are pattered on a flawed model, the Colorado River Basin Compact, composed of seven states that manage the Colorado River.
"Kuhn said officials who adopted the original Colorado River compact in 1922 didn't have all the facts."
Category: Colorado Water
11:38:18 AM 
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