Coyote Gulch

Monday, August 14, 2006

Conundrum: More efficiency can lead to higher consumptive use

Pueblo Chieftain: "While the state remains concerned about how more efficient irrigation systems could impact flows in the Arkansas River, there are opportunities for farmers to recover water lost to seepage and invasive plants. 'Anywhere from 1 to 13 percent of the water could be salvaged, but increased efficiency is not a panacea to meet future water needs,' Water Division 2 Engineer Steve Witte told the Arkansas Basin Roundtable last week. Witte spoke to the group to help them understand a slowly building controversy in the Arkansas Valley. Witte already has met with farmers several times to explain his concerns about how more efficient irrigation methods like drip irrigation or sprinklers could reduce the amount of return flows to downstream users - including other ditch systems and the state of Kansas.

"The problem is that such systems could allow higher beneficial consumptive use - simply put, the amount of water a plant needs to grow - resulting in more acres planted or higher yields per acre. Historic consumptive use is taken into account if water changes use, as when a ditch is sold or leased to a city, but not if farmers on a canal upgrade farming methods, Witte said. Water courts are charged by the constitution to prevent injury of other water rights in any change of use case. The state engineer's office is responsible for the day-to-day administration of water rights and to make sure provisions of the Arkansas River Compact are upheld."
"colorado water"
7:35:31 AM

Local government to regulate watersheds?

Casper Star Tribune: "Voters [in Grand Junction] might get a chance in November to decide whether the city should have its own regulations for energy development in its watershed. The city clerk Thursday certified that 2,635 signatures of registered voters out of the 4,270 on petitions turned in by the group Concerned Citizens Alliance for the proposal were valid. Only 1,580 were needed to qualify the measure for the ballot. The Grand Junction City Council is expected to decide Wednesday whether to put the measure on the ballot or consider passing the proposal itself. The alliance, the local chapter of the conservation group Western Colorado Congress, launched the initiative drive after federal oil and gas leases were sold in areas supplying drinking water for Grand Junction and neighboring Palisade."
"colorado water"
7:26:41 AM

Desalination for California?

Desalination is one way to get sustainable water supplies for the future. Here's an article from DailyBreeze.com about plans in southern California. From the article, "The vast expanse of Pacific Ocean next door to the South Bay makes many people wonder -- why aren't we tapping that as a water source? Several projects proposed for the Southern California coastline want to do just that, setting their sights on one day making desalted ocean water a significant part of the local water supply picture. Spurred by the promise of a drought-proof supply and the infusion of millions of state and federal dollars for seed money, three agencies in Los Angeles County have dived into investigations of how to operate a full-fledged desalination unit all year long. It's expensive to separate the salt from saltwater, but as costs of bringing in 'normal' water increase and desalting technology improves, desalinated water's higher price tag may fade away...

"Looking about 10 years down the road, desalters in the county could each produce anywhere from 9 million to 25 million gallons a day of drinking water from the ocean, to cope with the region's growth even as aqueduct-imported supplies become harder to procure. It takes time because the plants and their systems must be developed from the ground up, as there's no prefabricated unit that can be simply ordered and plopped down locally. Despite these challenges, proposals by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, West Basin and the city of Long Beach are gaining momentum. Water districts in Orange County are also planning their own projects. And as the proposals move forward, ocean environmentalists are questioning why resources are being devoted to tapping the ecologically stressed-out ocean when water recycling and conservation methods could provide enormous supplies and, at the same time, reduce the flow of polluted runoff to the sea."
"colorado water"
7:15:19 AM

Mount Antero

Coyote Gulch made it up Mount Antero yesterday. We pushed a bit too hard trying to outrun the storms that were building but otherwise came out OK. The camera battery failed - so it will be a while for photos. For those of you keeping track, our new knee and hip performed great. Thanks to the fountain of youth in our orthopedist's kit it looks like we're back in the hunt for all 53 14ers. We have 20 left.

6:55:44 AM

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