Friday, May 12, 2006

Gore for president? Jesus' General: "I imagine that many of you are wondering why I would place a link to Draft Gore 2008 in my sidebar. After all, he believes what scientists say about global warming while rejecting Rush Limbaugh's faith-based and Exxon-Mobil's tobacco-institute-style research on the subject; he thinks the Constitution is more important than Our Leader's quest for absolute power; and he was the first major politician to endorse Howard Dean for president and to call the Chosen One a criminal. "We can't have someone like that as our president. That's why I've decided to support Draft Gore 2008. I'm hoping that once Gore is confronted with the prospect of being drafted, he'll do the right thing--he'll do what Our Leader, Our Deputy Leader, and their patriotic sycophants in Congress did when they faced the draft: get a bunch of deferments or join the National Guard and then go AWOL." Category: 2008 Presidential Election 8:45:08 PM

Andrew Sullivan: Christianism, Debated Andrew Sullivan: "Well, my point is not to attack a Republican power base, but to resist the cooptation of a faith by a political machine. It seems as if the machine has detected the danger. Good. Now to reclaim the good word 'conservative'." Category: 2008 Presidential Election 8:42:16 PM

SB 37 Governor Owens signed SB 37 [Concerning the Adjucation of Recreation In-Channel Diversions] yesterday, according to the Denver Post: "Gov. Bill Owens on Thursday signed a compromise bill to limit the amount of water set aside for white-water parks. Environmentalists backed the proposal (Senate Bill 37) because it gives state and county governments more flexibility in asking for water rights for the parks used by kayakers. There previously weren't any limits on how much water could be set aside for white-water parks, which led some to worry that those water rights could block future development by taking all the remaining water available in a river." More Coyote Gulch coverage here. Category: Colorado Water 7:14:37 AM

NSA Conducting Massive Data Collecting of Americans' Phone Calls Oliver Willis reminds us that Qwest would have complied with the NSA request if they had secured a warrant. Of course, that's the point. Category: 2008 Presidential Election 7:07:38 AM

Good Samritan bill Durango Herald: "A federal bill introduced Wednesday to offer liability protection to individuals or groups that clean up abandoned hard-rock mines leaves unclear where similar bills sponsored by Colorado legislators stand. The Environmental Protection Agency announced Wednesday that the Good Samaritan Clean Watershed Act aims to remove the liability that scares away volunteer organizations that otherwise would clean up abandoned mines. According to the EPA, an estimated 30,000 abandoned hard-rock mines dot the Colorado landscape, releasing acidic waste into waterways. There are an estimated 500,000 such mines nationally that impact waterways in the West, the agency estimates. Coal mines are not included in the count. "Sens. James Imhoff, R-Okla., and Robert Duncan, R-Texas, are sponsoring the EPA bill. EPA administrator Stephen Johnson said in a telephone conference that the legislation would 'build on' bills already in Congress. One piece of legislation with national scope covering hazardous-mine cleanup is sponsored by Colorado's senators, Democrat Ken Salazar and Republican Wayne Allard. The other is sponsored by U.S. Reps. John Salazar, D-Manassa, and Mark Udall, D-Boulder. Additionally, John Salazar has introduced a bill to make cleanup of upper-Animas River hard-rock mines a test project that could serve as a national model... "Peter Butler, a member of the Animas River Stakeholders Group, said his group likes John Salazar's bill because it would offer Good Samaritan protection through the Clean Water Act, allowing the group to work on draining mines. The Superfund protection isn't as broad, he said. Butler noted that the Colorado delegation has been a leader concerning mine cleanup. In addition to the three bills in the works now, other bills introduced by retired Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell and retired Rep. Scott McInnis didn't become law... "Allard and Salazar said Wednesday they welcome the new legislation. They said a good Samaritan bill would bring out volunteers. But whether their bill will be folded into the EPA legislation or survive in some form is unknown. Earthworks, an environmental watchdog group in Washington, D.C., that monitors the mining industry, said in a news release that the EPA legislation falls short of the mark. The bill, the organization said, provides no funding, creates a Superfund liability waiver and lacks an objective standard to assure that cleanup goals are reached. Mine cleanup legislation often hangs up on differences between the mining industry and environmentalists. There seems to be no middle ground that satisfied both camps. EPA administrator Johnson, however, believes the new legislation will have a narrow enough focus to succeed. He said it would remove liability for those who would remove the sources of toxics that are polluting waterways and streamline the permit process." Category: Colorado Water 7:00:54 AM

South Platte runoff Fort Morgan Times: "River Commissioner Brent Schantz told the Lower South Platte Water Conservancy District board here Tuesday that runoff from the mountain snowpack won't be nearly as much as was expected earlier. Schantz said the snowpack is shrinking fast, with estimates now ranging from 65 to 80 percent of average for this time of year. Earlier in the year, snowpack for the South Platte Basin measured at near normal levels or slightly above. Direct flow calls on the river are coming in at full force, Schantz reported. And water levels at the storage reservoirs are dropping as many farmers are using water to irrigate up their crops... "LSPWCD manager Joe Frank told the group about progress on the flow monitoring program for the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District. The purpose of the one-year program is to try out various devices for monitoring and reporting real-time water flow in the South Platte. Frank said NCWCD's eventual goal is to get the flow of the river monitored at every headgate... "Reservoir storage reported as of April 30 was: Riverside, 86 percent; Empire, 89 percent; Jackson, 95 percent; Prewitt, 88 percent; North Sterling, 93 percent; and Jumbo, 100 percent. Note that many of these storage levels have dropped somewhat since the reporting date, as irrigation water is currently being used." Category: Colorado Water 6:53:36 AM

Bob Sakata: Maybe we should pray for rain The decision to shut down over 400 wells in the South Platte alluvial aquifer this week was prompted in part by concerns from the cities of Boulder, Highlands Ranch and Sterling, according to the Rocky Mountain News. From the article, "Three Front Range cities, concerned that heavy pumping of irrigation wells along the South Platte River might harm their own water rights, threatened to block the state's approval of a temporary plan that would have allowed some 200 farms to continue pumping this spring. The state's decision to shut down 440 wells this week - after hundreds of fields already have been planted - came in part because of concerns that Boulder, Highlands Ranch and Sterling have raised about the farmers' ability to meet a tough new state law designed to protect the river's flows, according to State Engineer Hal Simpson, Colorado's top water regulator... "The water crisis on the South Platte comes as cities enjoy one of the best water years they've seen since the late 1990s. Many, including Boulder, have lifted all watering restrictions, while others, such as Denver, have significantly relaxed the rules designed to reduce outside water use. Water officials and the state engineer's office have been in talks all week looking for a way to keep the farmers pumping this year. On Thursday, the giant Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District said its board would take up the issue today. And Aurora utilities director Peter Binney said Thursday his city would be providing some additional water to help farmers whose wells are being shut down. Already, Aurora has agreements that benefit agriculture in the South Platte Basin, including one that provides 8,800 acre-feet to the Central Colorado Water Conservancy District. That agreement allows the district to put Aurora's water in the river to make up for water pumped from some of its wells. And in the wake of the developments this week, Binney said the city will find additional water on the South Platte that it will offer farmers, at least in the short term. Category: Colorado Water 6:48:39 AM

El Paso construction still on hold Colorado Springs Gazette: "El Paso County commissioners on Thursday continued to delay development in the Cherokee Metropolitan District until the district proves it has enough water to meet its commitments for homes and businesses planned east of Colorado Springs. Without taking formal action, the commissioners signaled that homeowners in future subdivisions in unincorporated areas could face city-style watering restrictions. The county should take a more cautious approach as it reviews subdivision water needs, County Attorney Bill Louis told commissioners, who raised no serious objections. The commissioners postponed approval for the second time of The Ranch at Whispering Springs, a 185-house, 33-acre development planned south of Barnes Road and west of Antelope Ridge Road. Whispering Springs is a relatively small project, but the decisions that surround it will set the precedent for dozens of subdivisions and thousands of homes... "The commission's first postponement was in March, days after District 2 Water Court Judge Dennis Maes ruled that Cherokee Metropolitan District, which promised to supply water for Whispering Springs, does not have enough water to cover its commitments to planned homes and businesses and those already built. Maes' decision upheld a 2004 opinion by state water engineers, who issued an insufficiency of water finding for the district. Cherokee says it has access to enough water to meet commitments - disputing state engineers' finding - and has appealed Maes' ruling... "Maes, however, ruled Cherokee is improperly relying on water it pumps from the Upper Black Squirrel Basin. Well levels in the basin have declined for decades because of overpumping by irrigators and large municipal well owners, said Kathy Hare, president of the Upper Black Squirrel Creek Groundwater Management District." Category: Colorado Water 6:39:23 AM

Fort Lyons water to Lowry? Here's an article from the Pueblo Chieftain with reactions to Pure Cycle's proposed pipeline to move water to the former Lowry Bombing Range. From the article, "Valley water officials expressed discouragement, disappointment and even disbelief at this week's announcement of plans to pipe as much as 60,000 acre-feet of water a year from the Fort Lyon Canal to feed development in Arapahoe County. While the plan to move water north on the booming Denver Metro area has been floating around since the early 1990s, it appears more real to some than furtive or vague actions in the past. Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District President Bill Long is skeptical about the plan, saying it is reminiscent of earlier water deals that led to water sales to cities... "Long said if the water is taken out of Bent County, mitigation will be required whether the end user is a city or private water dealer like Pure Cycle. He said 1041 land-use regulations, which allow commissioners to assess the impacts of such large-scale projects, could apply in this case... "Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District President John Singletary said he is discouraged by Pure Cycle's plan because it would open up lease opportunities on just one ditch system in the valley. 'This is really frightening to me,' Singletary said. 'At the very least, we've got to make sure they take it at the traditional point of diversion. It would be better to make them take it at the state line. I'm certainly disappointed...' "Alan Hamel, chairman of the Arkansas Valley Roundtable, said Pure Cycle's plan needs to be discussed by that group and could be the first test of how the state's Interbasin Compact Committee will work. The committee is supposed to help determine conditions under which interbasin transfers can occur." The Pueblo Chieftain has an article with more details for the proposed Pure Cycle deal. From the article, "The small company currently does not have the resources to build its projected $400 million pipeline to serve future homes in Arapahoe County. Its reported assets are only $26 million and the area it serves tiny compared to ultimate projections of 180,000 homes... "[Company President Mark Harding] envisions the project developing slowly as the company's capital grows from the tap fees and monthly payments of water and wastewater services in the company's service area. That service area is a broad sweep of land - 24,000 acres in unincorporated southeastern Arapahoe County called the Rangeview Metropolitan District. The land east of Aurora is part of 27,000 acres that used to be the Lowry Range, a former Air Force bombing site now slated for redevelopment under the auspices of the State Land Board... "Harding said there are no plans to either reopen High Plains' failed change of use case in Division 2 Water Court or to file a new suit in the immediate future. High Plains last year lost a Supreme Court appeal of Pueblo Chief District Judge Dennis Maes' 2004 rejection of the change case on the grounds that it violated Colorado[base ']s anti-speculation doctrine of water law. Harding is interested in meeting with groups concerned about his project, particularly the Arkansas Basin Roundtable, part of the state Interbasin Compact Committee process. Harding is a member of the Denver Metro Roundtable and said he believes in the process as a way to resolve differences in interbasin transfers like the one he is proposing. No point of diversion, pipeline route or engineering has been done on the proposed pipeline, Harding said." Category: Colorado Water 6:22:35 AM

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