Sunday, December 30, 2007

Amphibian Ark: 2008 Year of the Frog We know that frogs are not directly related to elections and water issues but we felt compelled to let you know that 2008 is the year of the frog according to Tetrapod Zoology (from Science Blogs). We're pretty sure that the pressure on fresh water from agriculture, municipal and industrial uses, along with dams, are helping to cause the declines in populations amongst frog species worldwide. Add to that the destruction of habitat from logging and climate change and the critters need help. From the article: Herpetologists first started noticing that things were going horribly wrong during the mid and late 1980s. First, populations and, later, entire species started disappearing. In Europe, large numbers of dead, diseased frogs were being found: the sorry corpses had open sores, were bleeding from their orifices, or were missing digits or feet (Pounds 1990, Langton 2002). Deformed frogs [ed. link added to article] and salamanders, usually with missing or extra limbs, began to become commoner and more widely reported in the USA and elsewhere, and the number of cases sky-rocketed after 1995. Among the lost are the Australian gastric-brooding frogs (Rheobatrachus), the Costa Rican golden toad Ollotis periglenes, an estimated 67% of the 110 harlequin toad species (Atelopus), various of the Australian torrent frogs (Taudactylus), at least 18 Sri Lankan bubble-nest frogs (Philautus), Gunther's streamlined frog Nannophrys guentheri and the Spiny-knee leaf frog Phrynomedusa fimbriata. Populations of common, widespread species, including the Northern leopard frog Lithobates pipiens and Western toad Anaxyrus boreas in North America and the Common frog Rana temporaria in Europe, have plummeted and suffered from numerous local extinctions. While the geological record shows us that extinction is a natural, ever-occurring process, the extinction rate we're seeing among amphibians today appears higher than anything seen before, and even palaeoherpetologists familiar with the amphibian fossil record have gone on record stating that the extinction levels we are currently witnessing are not in the least bit normal (Delfino 2005, Stuart et al. 2005), and are unprecedented in terms of the geological record. It is not in the least bit sensational to presume that we are going to lose about half of all amphibians within the next five to ten years, unless major efforts are made. Given the role that amphibians play in global ecosystems, this is bad news to say the least... It now seems cliché to refer to amphibians as the canaries in the coal mine, but it is looking increasingly likely that this is the case. Ribeiroia and Bd have become a problem due to changes caused by us, and it now seems that several other parasites of cool and cold climates have modified their life cycles as conditions have warmed, with studies suggesting that detrimental effects on the fecundity and health of various species (including Musk ox Ovibos moschatus and Rocky Mountain pine trees) will result. Because of their (generally) permeable skins, amphibians have proved important in terms of alerting us to problems caused by the absorption of certain herbicides and other chemicals. So amphibians are quite probably the blinking warning light that we really need to pay attention to... In 2008, lots of people are participating in an effort to do what can be done. There are perhaps about 500 amphibian species that are in such danger of extinction that there is almost certainly not enough time to conserve them in the wild; they can only be saved if we maintain them in captivity. And so the IUCN Amphibian Specialist Group Conservation division has set up the Amphibian Ark project. Working in association with zoos, botanical gardens and aquariums all around the world, the aim is to raise $50-$60 million in order to save these 500 species: that sounds like a lot of money, but it works out at $100,000 per species, which is actually incredibly cheap. In theory, a wealthy individual or a company, for example, might single-handedly save a species from extinction. Read the whole article, the author includes many great photos and detail about the decline. Then go to Amphibian Ark: 2008 Year of the Frog to learn what you can do to help. "2008 pres" 7:28:21 AM

? for President? Political Wire: "A new McClatchy-MSNBC poll in Iowa shows a statistical dead heat in the Democratic presidential race and a big shift in the Republican race. John Edwards leads with 24%, followed by Sen. Hillary Clinton with 23% and Sen. Barack Obama with 22%. Edwards has the momentum since the last poll in early December gaining 3 points, while Clinton lost 4 points and Obama lost 3 points. Among Republicans, Mitt Romney has regained the lead as Mike Huckabee 'has lost momentum and support, even among evangelical Christians who had propelled him into the top spot just weeks ago.' Romney now leads with 27%, followed by Huckabee at 23%, Fred Thompson at 14%, and Sen. John McCain at 13%. Huckabee is down 8 points since earlier this month, while Romney is up 7 points." Political Wire: "The first Reuters/C-Span/Zogby tracking poll in Iowa is out this morning and confirms the findings of several polls last week that show an extremely tight presidential race for both Democrats and Republicans. The telephone poll was conducted 12/26 thru 12/29. On the Democratic side, there is a three-way statistical tie with Sen. Hillary Clinton leading with 30.7% support, followed by Sen. Barack Obama at 26.8% and John Edwards at 24.2%. The poll's margin of error is 3.3%...On the Republican side, there is also a tie for first place. Mike Huckabee leads with 27.7%, followed by Mitt Romney at 26.6%, Sen. John McCain at 10.9%, Fred Thompson at 7.8% and Rudy Giuliani at 7.3%. The poll's margin of error is 3.4%. One interesting finding: Democrats think Republicans will choose Huckabee as their nominee; Republicans think Democrats will choose Obama." "2008 pres" 6:58:33 AM

Southern Delivery System Here's an update on the Southern Delivery System from The Pueblo Chieftain. From the article: No water reuse alternatives will be included in a federal environmental impact statement on a proposed pipeline from Pueblo Dam to Colorado Springs. The Bureau of Reclamation has completed an alternatives analysis for the Southern Delivery System, according to a newsletter mailed last week to update SDS progress. Reuse options would be too expensive, according to the newsletter... Previously, Colorado Springs was intending to rely more heavily on groundwater and reuse flows. However, Colorado Springs determined there were not sufficient resources in the Denver Basin Aquifer to support 300-500 more wells which would be needed. Colorado Springs also proposed modifications of the Otero Intake on the Arkansas River and connecting the existing Fountain Valley Pipeline to the proposed pipeline. A new reservoir on Jimmy Camp Creek, part of the SDS plan, also would be part of the no-action alternative. The indirect potable reuse of water - or recycling, rather than exchanging return flows - was added to the study in March by Reclamation because of public interest in the concept. After 10 months of study, however, Reclamation has determined reuse is too expensive to meet Colorado Springs' stated needs... Six reuse alternatives were analyzed, and each would be used by Colorado Springs, and not its partners in SDS, Fountain, Security and Pueblo West. Colorado Springs is paying 95 percent of the costs and would get 95 percent of the benefits from building a 66-inch-diameter pipeline 43 miles north from the Pueblo Dam. The pipeline would be capable of delivering 78 million gallons per day, in addition to a tie-in that would deliver up to 18 million gallons per day to Pueblo West. Colorado Springs has defined the purpose of the project as meeting its growth needs through 2046, providing redundancy of delivery systems and making full use of its Arkansas Valley water rights - one of which allows for even more exchanges down Fountain Creek. In addition, one of the existing alternatives in the study, an Arkansas River intake east of the confluence of Fountain Creek, was considered as potential reuse, but rejected because it only would recapture 16 percent of possible return flows... In addition, Reclamation has dropped its requirement for a return pipeline to Fremont County under the Colorado Highway 115 alternative in the study. Instead, return flows would be sent down Fountain Creek and regulated through storage in a new reservoir on Williams Creek. The Williams Creek reservoir is part of the no-action alternative, the proposed SDS plan and most of the other alternatives studied. "colorado water" 6:45:24 AM

Super Ditch for Southeastern Colorado? Here's the 8th installment of The Pueblo Chieftain's series on water called "Water Logs". The article deals with the proposed "Super Ditch" in the Arkansas Valley. From the article: Last February, a group of farmers journeyed to Blythe, Calif., to ponder a different kind of crop. Not the acres of broccoli, cotton, hay and citrus groves that stretched in all directions, but the water that allowed those plants to flourish in the desert. The Palo Verde Irrigation District had reached an agreement with the Metropolitan Water District in 2001 to lease some of its water to thirsty cities on a long-term basis. For the farmers, it meant taking some of their acreage irrigated under a prime water right off the Colorado River temporarily out of production. For the cities, it represented a secure supply of water... There are stark differences between the California deal and the proposed Super Ditch. In Blythe, there was a unified ditch company, while farmers on seven separate systems would participate in Super Ditch. There was also only one big buyer in the California deal, while several smaller buyers are foreseen for Super Ditch. In California, farming occurs year-round, while in Colorado the nuances of the seasons would have to be taken into account... Super Ditch: A land fallowing, water lease management program is proposed as a way to allow farmers to retain water rights, yet still negotiate leases with municipalities or other users. The issue: Seven ditch companies, some of which have seen farms sold or past leases, could pool resources and lease water directly to municipalities or other customers, taking corresponding acreage out of production. What's at stake: None of the ditch companies Bessemer, Catlin, Fort Lyon, High Line, Holbrook, Otero and Oxford have yet approved the plan. Only two of the ditches now allow transfers out of their systems. The Bessemer board has indicated it is not interested in participating. Why it matters: Supporters of the Super Ditch say big cities will "cherry pick" ditches and kill agriculture in the Arkansas Valley. Who's involved: The Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District has spent more than $600,000 in legal, engineering and economic studies, and would run interference in forming the Super Ditch. Individual water rights holders would actually run it, however. "colorado water" 6:30:22 AM

Whitewater park for Glenwood Springs The construction of Glenwood Springs' whitewater park is moving along with the construction of the coffer dam for diversion, according to The Glenwood Springs Post Independent "reg". From the article: Workers have begun diverting the cold winter waters of the Colorado River, preparing to build a whitewater park in West Glenwood, which they expect will be done by March 15. "Right now they're building the diversion structure, which will isolate half the river so they can build the actual wave features," said Jason Carey, principal engineer of Glenwood Springs-based RiverRestoration.org, the company that designed the park. Construction will include at least one additional phase where the river is diverted from the remaining area. The diversions are created by using large sandbags and large sheets of metal driven into the riverbed. Carey said diverting the flow for construction is the hardest part of building the park. But the process is aided by the area's geothermal activity. "You have to do construction during the winter because that's when flows are low enough to be able to control the river," Carey said. "Fortunately though, the hot springs water keeps the river from freezing too hard out there, so that's an advantage of the site." If it weren't for the heat from geothermal activity preventing freezing, Carey said, the crews might have to dynamite ice to reach the river bed... The design for the whitewater park is basically one three-feature structure. It will create a standing wave during times of low, medium and high river flows by using artificial boulders reaching up to different levels in the river. Carey said the standing waves created during the different levels of river flow will be similar to the well-known standing wave at South Canyon. The colored and textured concrete "boulders" will just look like a stack of boulders. "Most of it will be below the surface," he said. "At low flow some of the structure will be exposed." He said during the low flows in the fall and winter, an "island" in the middle of the river will concentrate the flow to one side of the river. At all flow levels, kayakers will be able to reach the wave from downstream while rafts and other boats traveling down the river can choose to either pass over the wave or go around it. "Boat passage is going to be similar to the downstream South Canyon navigation," Carey said. "They don't have to necessarily go through the wave." The wave feature will also be similar to whitewater features constructed on the Eagle River at Bob the Bridge in Avon. RiverRestoration.org also designed that project. The main difference is that the Avon feature is designed to work at peak river flows while this feature is designed for varying levels of river flow. More Coyote Gulch coverage here. "colorado water" 6:18:03 AM

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