SB37 - Concerning the Adjucation of Recreation In-Channel Diversions
The Mountain Mail is running a story about SB37. The bill would set rules for whitewater parks.
From the article, "Chaffee County's application for a recreational water right for whitewater parks in Salida and Buena Vista should be immune to a Senate bill that will devalue such water rights in Colorado, if passed.
"Senate Bill 37 contains restrictions on recreational water rights that would essentially make them a second-class right in Colorado's priority system.
"The bill, which is a revived effort from a similar bill defeated last year, passed out of the Senate agriculture and natural resources committee Feb. 9 and will be up for consideration on the Senate floor this week.
"As currently proposed, the bill would not affect recreational water rights that already have been established, nor pending applications."
Ed Quillen weighs in on Recreational In Channel Diversions in his column in today's Denver Post. He writes, "Colorado's economy has changed considerably since 1876, but some members of our General Assembly apparently haven't figured that out.
"Our 130-year-old state constitution was written in an era when water flowing in its natural stream channel had no economic value or, as they put it, "beneficial use." The water had to be diverted from the channel to irrigate crops, to float mill tailings or to flow from faucets. Otherwise, this scarce resource was going to waste, at least in an economic sense.
"Things are different now. People pay good money for fishing gear and guides on our streams. They spend plenty on float trips down the Arkansas and Colorado rivers. Even cheapskates like me enjoy hanging around municipal river parks to watch the kayakers play, and we spend a few dollars on snacks in the process...
"What we really have here is a culture war. On one side, we've got the old guard Water Buffaloes, who want to be able to move water around as they deem necessary, and recreational flows could keep them from changing the storage and delivery systems. On the other, we have a relatively new industry which needs water flowing down our rivers in a somewhat predictable way.
"In many ways, I sympathize with the old guard. However, we can't turn the calendar back to when their beneficial uses were the only beneficial uses.
"The last time I checked, irrigated agriculture accounted for about $4 million a year in Chaffee County, while river activities put at least $25 million a year in local pockets.
"And if they're trying to save our water for the most traditional and sacred of Colorado uses - real-estate development - they might consider that recreation is one thing that makes Colorado attractive to all those real-estate buyers.
"The marketplace has spoken, and even if the recreational-flow rights need some tweaking, Senate Bill 37 goes too far."
Category: Colorado Water
6:03:14 AM 
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