Coyote Gulch

 



















































































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  Saturday, February 2, 2008


War on terror

The Moderate Voice: "Heading towards Super Tuesday, Pakistan has dropped off the radar of the primaries although it is the most likely place for the next civil war between Islamic terrorists and civilians. It might even become a cause of war with India and near total loss of American influence in the entire region. Terrorism by Islamic fundamentalists supported by the Taliban and Al Qaeda has spread almost all across Pakistan. Terrorists killed former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and have attacked Air Force and Army personnel near military bases. Nearly half of Pakistani territory from Baluchistan to the North West Frontier is unstable and extremists seem to fear the army less."

"2008 pres"
6:52:11 PM     


Iraq

Juan Cole: "Two women set off separate suicide bombs in two markets in Baghdad on Friday, killing at least 91 persons and wounding a similar number. Contrary to what this AP squib implies, the bombings suggest neither that 'al-Qaeda' is running out of men nor that it is desperate. Women were used because they would be less likely to be closely searched, in a society where gender segregation and female honor and chastity are important values. The story that the women had Downs syndrome seems unlikely to be true; you wouldn't trust a sensitive terror plot to someone without their full faculties."

"2008 pres"
6:41:18 PM     


Blogging and politics

Captain's Quarters: "Ron Klain wonders what happens when bloggers speak truth without power in his New York Times blogpost. Klain focuses on the Democratic race, where blogger favorites Dennis Kucinich, John Edwards, and Chris Dodd (whom he doesn't mention) all sank without much of a fight."

Coyote Gulch has been reminding candidates that blogging cannot replace glad-handing on the stump, large amounts of cash and a clear message. We political junkies love 'em though. For cash strapped local campaigns however a blog is often the only vehicle available to disseminate video and get press coverage.

"2008 pres"
6:38:52 PM     


Healthcare

Paul Krugman (via The NYT): "Jonathan Gruber, one of the country's leading health care economists -- and someone not affiliated with any of the campaigns -- has a new paper on covering the uninsured. He makes use of a detailed simulation model that he's been developing for several years to assess alternative strategies. One conclusion is that trying to cover the uninsured with tax credits, Bush-style, is -- surprise, surprise -- a very inefficient strategy: lots of revenue loss, while most of the people who get the benefits would have been insured anyway."

He goes on to compare the Clinton and Obama healthcare plans. and writes, "The table below summarizes the key results. The mandate-less plan covers only about half the uninsured. The plan with mandates gets almost everyone, at an additional cost of $22 billion -- about $1,000 per additional person covered."

"2008 pres"
6:33:37 PM     


? for President?

Don Surber crunches the Super Tuesday numbers and comes up with, "Much thanks to Real Clear Politics for the numbers I just crunched. Even though they seem exact, they are ballpark numbers. On Tuesday, I look for McCain to get 2 delegates for every delegate Romney gets."

Captain's Quarters: "Amidst all of the stormy polling clouds, a little ray of sunshine has broken over the Romney campaign. Rasmussen shows Romney slowly climbing into a tie nationwide with John McCain in its daily tracking poll. It also shows John McCain gaining strength at the same time."

Andrew Sullivan: "National Gallup: She now leads by seven."

Pat Buchanan (via Andrew Sullivan): "If you've got a Hillary and McCain race, you've got a third option: That's the pistol on the bed table."

Political Wire: "A new Insider Advantage poll in Alabama shows Sen. Hillary Clinton edging Sen. Barack Obama in the Democratic presidential race, 46% to 40%. On the GOP side, Sen. John McCain narrowly tops Mike Huckabee, 37% to 35%, with Mitt Romney way back at 14%."

Political Wire: "Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain each hold a better than 2-to-1 edge over their closest presidential rivals entering the Illinois primary, according to a new Chicago Tribune poll, "but many voters say they're still undecided or could change their mind before casting a ballot Tuesday." Among Democrats, Obama leads Sen. Hillary Clinton, 55% to 24%. Among Republicans, McCain leads Mitt Romney, 43% to 20%, with Mike Huckabee at 15%."

Don Surber: "Rush to judgment edition. STORY OF THE WEEK: John McCain wins Florida and looks to win the Republican nomination. If it is McCain, Ann Coulter said not only will she vote for Hillary, not only will she campaign for Hillary, but she will have Hillary's baby. Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity smiled at the ratings this will deliver them during the February sweeps."

"2008 pres"
6:22:36 PM     


Civil Rights

Unbossed: "Democrats in the House and Senate have introduced sweeping legislation to address a number of workplace problems - the Civil Rights Act of 2008 (H.R. 2159/S. 2554). According to the American Civil Liberties Union: 'The Civil Rights Act of 2008 will restore basic civil rights protections that have been weakened over the years by the courts and offer Americans a remedy if they feel their rights have been violated.'"

"2008 pres"
6:19:52 PM     


Healthy Rivers, HB 08-1280, HB 08-1241, SB 08-036
A picture named gorecreekwinter.jpg

Here's a look at the package of legislation proposed in this year's legislature dubbed "Healthy Rivers" from The Pagosa Springs Daily News. From the article:

According to new information released by The Environmental Defense Fund, a national conservation organization, there is a financial incentive to changing how Colorado handles its water. Citing a direct relationship between healthy rivers and recreational spending, experts believe slight increases in water flows would generate $4.4 million in income and an additional 340 jobs statewide related to increases in rafting and fishing industries. "Offering ranchers, farmers, and cities more freedom to leave their water in local rivers and streams benefits our quality of life, environment, and the Colorado economy," said Dan Grossman, Rocky Mountain Regional Director and Senior Attorney with The Environmental Defense Fund. "Essentially, water in the river is money in the bank."

The analysis, released in a report titled "Healthy Rivers, Healthy Economy", demonstrates the positive impact that higher flow levels or "instream flows" in rivers and streams has on local and state economies. Colorado's outdoor recreation industry generates more than $10 billion annually while supporting more than 107,000 jobs statewide. When coupled with retail sales and services the impact increases another $7.6 billion, generating nearly $500 million in annual state tax revenue...

This year, advocates, sportsmen, and business-owners have teamed up with state lawmakers to propose solutions to remove this "legal bottleneck", providing incentives for cities and water-right owners the freedom to leave more of their water in their local rivers.

Dubbed the "Healthy Rivers Campaign", this legislative package includes:

Eliminating Barriers to Protecting Rivers: Sponsored by Representative Fischer/Senator Schwartz, this measure will create protections for water-right owners interested in contracting with the Colorado Water Conservation Board to leave their water in local rivers and streams.

Funding for State Protection of Rivers: Sponsored by Representative Curry/Senator Isgar, this measure will create a $1 million fund to assist state purchase of water rights for the sole purpose of keeping local rivers and streams with healthy water flows.

Financial Incentives for Landowners Protecting Rivers: Sponsored by Representative Pommer/Senator Gibbs, this measure creates a tax incentive for water-right owners who leave their water in local streams and rivers.

"Our state's rivers are literally the lifeblood of our economy and our environment," concluded Grossman. "These common-sense, incentive-based measures will help Coloradans reap the economic and environmental benefits of healthier rivers and streams."

Here are the bills we could find.

Water Supply Reserve Account: SB 08-036, CONCERNING THE WATER SUPPLY RESERVE ACCOUNT OF THE SEVERANCE TAX TRUST FUND [pdf].

Colorado Watershed Protection Fund Checkoff: HB 08-1241, CONCERNING THE VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTION DESIGNATION BENEFITING THE COLORADO WATERSHED PROTECTION FUND THAT APPEARS ON THE STATE INDIVIDUAL INCOME TAX RETURN FORMS, AND, IN CONNECTION THEREWITH, EXTENDING THE PERIOD FOR THE CONTRIBUTION DESIGNATION AND CHANGING THE NAME OF THE FUND [pdf]

Protect Leased Instream Flow Water Right: HB 08-1280, CONCERNING PROTECTION OF WATER RIGHTS USED BY THE COLORADO WATER CONSERVATION BOARD FOR INSTREAM FLOWS UNDER CONTRACTS WITH WATER RIGHTS OWNERS [pdf]

"colorado water"
12:38:43 PM     


SB 08-28, Republican River
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The Colorado Farm Bureau recently testified on behalf of SB 08-28 according to The Sterling Journal Advocate. From the article:

Beginning farmer Nathan Weathers, who raises irrigated corn and hay near Yuma, testified on behalf of Colorado Farm Bureau to support Senate Bill 28. The bill, sponsored by Senator Greg Brophy-R, Wray, would change the state-owned water rights in Bonny Reservoir to an in-stream flow right, effectively shoring up nearly 40 percent of the shortage in the current water compact. "Many experts believe that Bonny Reservoir will dry up in just a few short years," said Weathers, Colorado Farm Bureau Young Farmer & Rancher Committee Chair. "Colorado needs to act now by passing SB 28 which would help in meeting our compact obligation."[...]

In testimony, Weathers said the alternative is to force the retirement of more irrigation wells on tens of thousands of highly productive acres in the Republican basin, the result of which would have far reaching impacts on a county that thrives on irrigated agricultural production. Weathers stated that the negative economic impact to the region as well as to the State of Colorado of shutting down irrigation will far outweigh the negative consequences of changing this water right to instream flow, thus effectively draining the reservoir. "As beginning farmers in our twenties, my wife and I have a desire to build our farming and agricultural future in the county where I grew up. I believe we can find solutions to the very complex water shortage issue in the Republican River basin," said Weathers. "The State legislature can help find a fair and equitable solution by passing SB 28. To do less would send a clear message that Colorado is more concerned about a diminishing wildlife resource than they are about farmers, food production and renewable fuels." The Colorado Farm Bureau agrees. Senate Bill 28 is a start and helps move Colorado down that long path towards a solution.

From The Sterling Journal Advocate, "Leading water and agriculture officials from Colorado and Kansas met Jan. 28 here in Topeka, to discuss compliance activities related to the Republican River Compact. The meeting was organized by Colorado's Department of Natural Resources Executive Director Harris Sherman and Commissioner of Agriculture John Stulp, along with Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Adrian Polansky and Secretary of Wildlife and Parks Mike Hayden. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss strategies to address Colorado's current and future compliance with the Republican River Compact...The meeting began by reviewing compact compliance requirements and corrective actions being taken or contemplated by Colorado. Both states agreed to seek a solution that would ensure that Colorado will meet its obligations under the compact, while minimizing any adverse impact on the rural communities in the Republican River basin. An attempt will be made to enhance the social, economic and recreational benefits the river provides for Colorado."

Here's an update on the pipeline planned to help with compliance with the Republican River Compact as reported by The Yuma Pioneer. From the article:

On Tuesday, January 22, the Republican River Water Conservation District (RRWCD) signed the second of two contracts to purchase designated ground water rights that will produce nearly 15,000 acre-feet of water per year for the pipeline. The agreements total nearly $50 million. The pipeline project will be designed to deliver water to the North Fork of the Republican River at the Colorado-Nebraska state line to assist the State of Colorado to comply with the Republican River Compact. Also on January 22, the Colorado Water Conservation Board voted unanimously to approve a $60 million loan application by the RRWCD with a 2-percent interest rate over 20 years to finance the pipeline project. The loan requires approval by the Colorado General Assembly, but the application has cleared a major hurdle. To assure the Colorado Water Conservation Board that the RRWCD could repay the loan, the RRWCD Board of Directors voted to increase 2008 use fees from $5.50 to $14.50 per irrigated acre on irrigation diversions, although the board intends to review the use fee structure this year before the 2008 use fees will be due. The fee increase was approved during a telephone board meeting, January 21. Final engineering design for the pipeline project has already begun, with a projected date for delivery of water beginning in July 2009...

The RRWCD Board of Directors reviewed other projects to assist Colorado to comply with the Compact, including a project to import water from the South Platte River basin. The board concluded that purchasing existing designated ground water rights for the pipeline project is the one that is most likely to receive approval from the Republican River Compact Administration under the terms of the 2002 Final Settlement Stipulation between the States of Kansas, Nebraska, and Colorado. Also, it was determined it could be built and operational in time to avoid curtailment of diversions under the State Engineer's proposed Compact Rules or possible legal action by the State of Nebraska or the State of Kansas...

The agreements signed recently with Cure Land, LLC, and Lanus and Karan Harsh, totaling nearly $50 million, include the purchase of designated ground water rights that have been used to irrigate more than 9,500 irrigated acres north and east of Laird. The use of these rights will be changed to supply water for the pipeline. The agreement with Cure Land, LLC, also includes easements for new wells, a storage tank, a maintenance yard, a control building, collector pipelines, and the main conveyance pipeline. Cure Land, LLC, also agreed not to object to changes of the rights sold to the RRWCD for the pipeline project and agreed that additional wells could be drilled on its property if the Ground Water Commission approves an amendment to its rules and regulations to allow new Compact Compliance wells. The Board of Directors of the RRWCD stated it was extremely pleased to get these particular rights for the following reasons: 1)These rights are located in a deep and productive part of the Ogallala aquifer, which will provide a long-term water supply for the Pipeline project. 2)The location of these rights will minimize pipeline construction costs and the agreement with Cure Land, LLC, will allow the rights to be consolidated so that six to eight new wells can be constructed to keep costs to a minimum. Engineering and construction costs to build the twelve and a half-mile pipeline project are projected to be $21 million. 3)The RRWCD was able to acquire virtually all of the designated ground water rights located within a block of land nearly six miles by six miles in size, which will allow the flexibility to consolidate the rights without potential injury to other well owners...

Financing for the down payment for the rights to designated ground water was obtained by a $5 million loan from Farm Credit of Southern Colorado. That loan will be paid back in less than one year using RRWCD funds currently in certificates of deposit as they mature. The remaining financing for the $71 million project will come from the loan from the Colorado Water Conservation Board and RRWCD revenues. Plans are to have the Pipeline project completely paid off within twenty years. Annual water use fees for irrigation use will be increased from the current $5.50 per irrigated acre to $14.50 per irrigated acre to pay for the project, although the Board intends to review the rate structure for water use fees later this year. Other water use fees will probably go up proportionally, but the Board deferred a decision on an increase in those use fees to review the current rate structure. The pipeline project is scheduled to begin construction in the fall of 2008, with the goal of having the pipeline project in place to begin delivery of water in July 2009. This is a very aggressive schedule for a project of this magnitude, but is critical to prevent curtailment of wells under the State Engineer's proposed Compact Rules or as the result of legal action brought by the State of Nebraska or the State of Kansas to enforce the terms of the Compact. For more information, contact Stan Murphy at the RRWCD office, 410 Main Street - Ste 8, Wray, CO, 970-332-3552, rrwcd@centurytel.net.

More Coyote Gulch coverage here, here and here.

"colorado water"
12:11:16 PM     


Water issues seminar

From The Greeley Tribune "reg", "A seminar on the basics of local and global water issues will be conducted Feb. 9 in Greeley. The seminar, from 9 a.m.-12 p.m., will be at the Fellowship Church, 2376 4th Ave., north of Lowes. Presenters will include Charles Collins , a geology professor at the University of Northern Colorado, and Tom Cech, director of the Central Colorado Water Conservancy District. Andy Jones, an attorney who represents Central in water issues, may also be present. The seminar is sponsored by Cup of International, Project Beyond, the Fellowship Church, Christ Community Church and Vineyard Church in the City. There is no charge. For more information, call Justin Bieri, (970) 310-9198, Mike Webb, (970) 381-7999, or Matt Webb, (970) 405-7155."

"colorado water"
11:53:25 AM     


Southern Delivery System
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Officials have added sixth meeting for Fremont County about Colorado Springs' proposed Southern Delivery System according to The Cañon City Daily Record. From the article:

A spur-of-the-moment decision has led to a sixth public meeting -- this one in Fremont County -- for input into the Southern Delivery System water project. Interest shown in an informational meeting on Monday about the SDS water project convinced organizers to offer a local public meeting after the draft Environmental Impact Statement is released, which is expected to be Feb. 29. At that meeting Monday, Bureau of Reclamation spokeswoman Jaci Gould said five meetings were planned to obtain public input on the draft EIS. None of those planned meeting locations were in Fremont County. Later, after discussion between the Bureau, the City of Colorado Springs and the Fremont County Commissioners, the group decided a sixth meeting in Fremont County was necessary. "Springs Utilities has agreed to fund an additional Bureau of Reclamation meeting in Fremont County, for introduction of the draft EIS," said District 1 Commissioner Mike Stiehl, who organized Monday's meeting.

More Coyote Gulch coverage here.

"colorado water"
11:41:28 AM     


CWCB asks for instream flows for Pine River
A picture named vallecitoreservoir.jpg

From The Durango Herald, "Irrigators, the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and the state have struck a deal to protect aquatic life on the Pine River. But it depends on whether the irrigators and the tribe can get extra water in Vallecito Reservoir. The Pine River Irrigation District and the tribe, which own five-sixths and one-sixth, respectively, of the water in the reservoir, have agreed to donate water to the Colorado Water Conservation Board for fish and habitat protection on the Pine River from the reservoir outlet to a point near Ignacio. Under the plan, the tribe and irrigators will release water downstream, but only if they receive "refill rights" - a right on water that refills the reservoir. Irrigation district officials say that without the refill right, they can't provide the state agency the in-stream water it seeks.

More from the article:

Steve Harris, a consulting water engineer to the district, said all water released from Vallecito Reservoir after the water year begins Nov. 1 counts against the "decreed" (court-approved) amount of water the tribe and district have enjoyed for 65 years - even if the water isn't used. Thus, winter releases, intended to lower the level of the reservoir in anticipation of spring runoff, could leave the district and tribe without water to donate. In drought years such as 2002 and 2003, there was no problem, Harris said. The district and the tribe were able to store their year's supply of water in the reservoir. But in years such as 2008 when a heavy snowmelt is anticipated, there could be a problem. Their decreed water could be gone before they need it. A refill right would give the potential water donors as much as 200,000 acre feet of decreed water, although it would involve a junior right, Harris said. Contrarily, if the district and tribe do nothing, another water user could step in front of them. The water-court process is scheduled to begin in Durango after Feb. 29, the deadline for filing protests. The only matter before the water-court judge would be the refill issue. The donation of water to the Colorado Water Conservation Board is not on the table. The agreement, which took five years to negotiate and was reached in 2007, is strictly among the parties.

The amount of water released for the Colorado Water Conservation Board would vary according to intended use, time of year and, of course, availability of water in the reservoir. Under the agreement, flows to maintain a natural environment could not exceed 136 cubic feet a second from May to September or 75 cubic feet a second from October to May. Flows to improve the natural environment could not exceed 360 cfs in May and from mid-June to mid-October and 140 cfs from mid-October to April 30. The flow could be bumped up to 720 cubic feet per second for the first two weeks in June to provide additional habitat enhancement.

"colorado water"
11:27:43 AM     


Agricultural efficiency seminar
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Farmers were treated to a day-long seminar on agricultural efficiency methods this week according to The Pueblo Chieftain. From the article:

A daylong science class for farmers Wednesday revealed how ongoing studies could make irrigation more profitable in the Arkansas Valley, while identifying needs for future research. At the same time, there was discussion about how to better provide the information to help farmers irrigate more efficiently. Researchers from Colorado State University and other agencies gave a series of technical presentations to a group of about 20 irrigators and government field workers. While the information is scientific, it does play in to many of the political issues surrounding Arkansas Valley water, said Abdel Berrada, of the CSU Arkansas Valley Research Center. "The research is aimed to help the farmers to better manage water and nutrients, but the interest is more in science than politics," Berrada said. "Eventually people are going to have to move toward more efficient use, because of the possibility of leases or future droughts."

Researchers looked at both structural and non-structural ways to stretch water supplies, an important distinction in light of proposed agricultural efficiency rules by the Colorado Division of Water Resources. The rules, which are still being studied, would look at how improvements like sprinklers, drip irrigation and lined ditches affect return flows to the river...

At the farm level, decreasing the amount of water put on crops will reduce salinity in the soil and improve crop yields, he said. "Efficient irrigation just makes sense," Berrada said. "The less water you are using, the less will leak into the groundwater tables." In addition, studies show farmers can maintain yields by applying far less fertilizer after reaching a point that is beneficial to crops. In one case, his own research showed, fields with residual nitrogen from overfertilization the previous season produced equally well without fertilizer. Despite what science has discovered, more research specific to the Arkansas Valley is needed, Berrada said. "We need to do an accounting of water to see how much is needed for crops and a profitable yield," Berrada said. "Before, we have just been doing an estimate."[...]

Jean Van Pelt, conservation coordinator for the Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District, explained how the Southeast Colorado Water Wise Web site works. The site provides a huge array of weather data including wind chill, humidity, hydrologic conditions, snowpack, river gauges, and basin water outlook. It also has links to numerous reports. The site was praised by Mike Bartolo, of the Arkansas Valley Research Center. "It's evolved into a good clearinghouse for a lot of information," Bartolo said. "You look at the next generation and they're more comfortable with getting information off the Internet on their phones. It's really what you're comfortable with."

"colorado water"
10:41:31 AM     


Northern Integrated Supply Project
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Here's an opinion piece in opposition to the Northern Integrated Supply Project from The Fort Collins Coloradoan. From the article:

My name is David Roy. I am a Fort Collins City Council member representing District 6, the northwest part of Fort Collins. I am writing to share my views about an issue that is of singular importance to Fort Collins: NISP, or Northern Integrated Supply Project. This project has massive implications, not just for Fort Collins, but also for a large portion of Northern Colorado. Some of the communities lining up for the water from this project are Erie, Evans, Frederick, Firestone, Dacono, Severance, Lafayette and Fort Lupton. Being sold by the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District as the salvation of agriculture's future in this region, the water from this sprawl-inducing project, because of economic realities, will grow only rooftops. One key feature of NISP for you to know about is the proposed development and construction of Glade Reservoir...

NISP will destroy the Poudre River you know and love as it runs through Fort Collins by reducing its water flows dramatically. One tradeoff, according to the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District, will be some recreational opportunities above Ted's Place made possible with a new reservoir. The decision maker for this project is the Army Corps of Engineers. The task of the Corp is to examine the impact of Glade Reservoir on water quality, wildlife, socioeconomic factors, wetlands and hydrology. The Corp will have a public comment period once it issues its determination...

Not only has the Poudre River provided us with much through our history with it being a "working river" in many ways, it is also the linchpin of exciting ideas for an even more vibrant and healthy Fort Collins. The NISP project puts into jeopardy a future for Fort Collins featuring a flowing Poudre River through town and puts at risk the well-planned future for the Downtown River Corridor of Fort Collins, based in large part on this natural amenity. The Army Corp of Engineers is expected to open up its process to public comment in the next one to three months. If you have ever worked to protect the Poudre River or have the desire to see it saved and protected, your participation is essential. NISP is a destructive plan, not only for the Poudre River, but also for the entire region. It relies on rooftops to pay for this $410 million project and puts at risk one of the most beautiful settings in our area. It also jeopardizes the future water flows through Fort Collins of a river loved by many citizens near and far and the vision for an even stronger and more exciting Fort Collins.

More Coyote Gulch coverage here and here.

"colorado water"
10:14:17 AM     


Water policy
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Here's a report about runoff from agriculture and the changes it is causing to the Mississippi River, from WebWire. From the article:

Midwestern farming has introduced the equivalent of five Connecticut Rivers into the Mississippi River over the past 50 years and is adding more carbon dioxide annually into its waters, according to a study published in Nature by researchers at Yale and Louisiana State universities. "It's like the discovery of a new large river being piped out of the corn belt," said Pete Raymond, lead author of the study and associate professor of ecosystem ecology at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. "Agricultural practices have significantly changed the hydrology and chemistry of the Mississippi River."

The researchers tracked changes in the levels of water and bicarbonate, which forms when carbon dioxide in soil water dissolves rock minerals. Bicarbonate plays an important, long-term role in absorbing atmospheric carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. Oceans then absorb the excess carbon dioxide and become more acidic in the process. "Ocean acidification makes it more difficult for organisms to form hard shells in coral reefs," said R. Eugene Turner, a co-author of the study and a professor at the Coastal Ecology Institute at Louisiana State University. The researchers concluded that farming practices, such as liming, changes in tile drainage and crop type and rotation, are responsible for the majority of the increase in water and carbon dioxide in the Mississippi River, which is North America's largest river.

Raymond said that the research team analyzed 100-year-old data on the Mississippi River, warehoused at two New Orleans water treatment plants, along with data on precipitation and water export. "A notable finding is that changes in farming practices are more important than changes in precipitation to the increase in water being discharged into the river," he said. The researchers used their data to demonstrate the effects of excess water on the carbon content of the river, and to argue that nutrients and pollution in the water are altering the chemistry of the Gulf of Mexico. Besides Raymond and Turner, the other authors of the study, "Anthropogenically Enhanced Fluxes of Water and Carbon from the Mississippi River," are Neung-Hwan Oh of the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, and Whitney Broussard of the Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences at Louisiana State University. A grant from the National Science Foundation funded the research.

"2008 pres"
10:03:41 AM     


Supply news
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From YourHub.com, "The Jefferson County Department of Health & Environment (JCDHE) encourages residents who use well water to participate in a limited study of radiation levels in well water in Jefferson County. This program is funded through a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. This study will determine how many wells have elevated levels of various radioactive contaminants, including gross alpha, gross beta, radon, uranium and radium.

More from the article:

JCDHE will test selected wells at no charge to residents. To qualify, your system must have either:

A small pressure tank as we need to drain it to allow sampling of "fresh" water.

A faucet between the well and pressure/holding tank so JCDHE can sample without having to drain the tank.

You must also be available to allow us to sample during normal work hours . If you have an outside faucet, you do not need to be present during sampling. No evening or weekend sampling will occur.

We will make every effort to not disclose your name, address, or the results of these tests. However, this information will become a public record, and we cannot guarantee that the results will be confidential. For more information or to apply, please call John Moody at 303-271-5714.

The Craig Daily Press asks, Have you tested your well lately?. They have a primer of sorts:

It is important to periodically inspect exposed parts of the well for problems such as: A cracked, corroded or damaged well casing; A broken or missing well cap; Settling and cracking of surface seals.

It is best to collect a water sample at a bathroom faucet with the aerator removed. If you are retesting a well that has previously tested positive for bacteria or after a disinfection treatment, sample as close to the well as possible. If you have a holding tank or in-house water treatment system, you may want to collect separate samples at the well and at the bathroom faucet. Kitchen faucets with swivel arms are not recommended locations for sampling. Before filling the sample bottle, run cold water though the faucet at full flow for three minutes, and then reduce the flow to a trickle and let run for one additional minute. Wash your hands with soap and warm water before opening the sterile sample bottle (do not touch the inside of the bottle or lid). Do not rinse the sample bottle before filling to the level indicated on the bottle. Cap the bottle tightly and label it with your name, address, date and time of sampling. Keep the sample cool and deliver it to the lab within 24 hours.

There are a variety of bacteria, parasites and viruses that cause health problems when humans ingest them in drinking water. Testing water for each of these germs is difficult and expensive. Instead, water quality and public health workers measure coliform levels. The presence of coliforms in drinking water suggests there may be disease-causing agents in the water. Coliforms are a broad class of bacteria that live in the digestive tracts of humans and many animals. Labs may test for total coliforms, fecal coliforms or E. coli, any of which indicate microbial contamination. Results are generally reported as no coliforms present, the actual number of organisms detected per 100 ml of water, or as too numerous to count. Some labs may simply report results as bacteriologically safe or unsafe. If your drinking water contains more than 1 coliform organism per 100 ml or is reported as unsafe bacteriologically, the well should be disinfected and retested in one to two weeks. If subsequent tests indicate bacteria are still present, the source of the contamination must be identified and eliminated before the water is safe to drink.

There are several options for private water supply disinfection. These include continuous chlorination, shock chlorination, ultraviolet radiation (UV), ozonation, boiling and pasteurization. Each of these methods has advantages and limitations, but they are all intended for use on clean, clear water. Water supplies must be sealed and protected from sources of bacterial contamination for disinfection methods to function properly.

"colorado water"
9:43:12 AM     


Endangered Species
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The U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee has unanimously approved legislation to implement the federal share of the Platte River Cooperative Agreement , according to The Environment News Service. From the article:

The legislation, passed out of the committee as HR 1462, will authorize the Secretary of Interior to proceed with the program and includes $157 million to carry it out. The cost will be shared 50/50 by the states and federal government. The states will provide $30 million annually and credit for contributions of water or land for the purposes of implementing the program. The Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Commissioner of Reclamation, is authorized to modify the Pathfinder Dam and Reservoir with the state of Wyoming. The 54,000 acre-feet capacity of the Pathfinder Reservoir, which has been lost to sediment but will be recaptured by the project, may be used for municipal, environmental, and other purposes, the bill provides. The sponsors of the legislation, Senators Ben Nelson and Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, and Wayne Allard and Ken Salazar of Colorado, applauded the committee's action as a major step towards final passage of the bill. "The Platte River recovery is absolutely critical to improving and maintaining habitat for threatened and endangered species while allowing water use and development along the Platte River. Our legislation will ensure that this plan is able to be fully implemented and we are pushing the Senate to act on it as soon as possible," said Senator Nelson, a Democrat. "With the Committee's unanimous action, the road is clear for Senate passage of this bill." "When a program is developed that protects water users' rights and creates wildlife habitat protection it is a win-win for every one involved. The Platte River recovery plan does just that," said Senator Salazar, a Democrat and a member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. "The program allows continued water use and development along the Platte that is critical to our farmers, ranchers and local communities and I am proud to support this sound conservation bill." "This legislation aims to address one of the most pressing needs in the West, ensuring that the Endangered Species Act does not stop our most precious natural resource from flowing," said Senator Allard, a Republican. "I have been an outspoken critic of the Endangered Species Act, but when I see a program designed to work with people to find real solutions I support it. This program is a good step forward in recovering endangered species and still providing the necessary water to meet the demands we face in the Platte River region." "This is important news for Nebraskans," said Senator Hagel, a Republican. "This is the kind of intra-state cooperation that will be necessary to address future water challenges in Nebraska and across the U.S."

More coverage from The Grand Island Independent. They write:

The legislation, which the committee approved on Tuesday, will authorize the secretary of the interior to proceed with the program and includes $157 million to carry it out. The cost will be shared 50/50 by the states and federal government. Through the program, the states will provide benefits for the endangered and threatened species as well as land, water and scientific monitoring and research to evaluate benefits of the program...

Ron Bishop, manager of the Central Platte Natural Resources District, said much of the recovery program has been at a standstill in anticipation of the federal funding, such as the land and water acquisition portions of the plan. "It has been sitting, waiting whether the administration is going to fund the federal part of the proposal," Bishop said. He said Nebraska's share is about 40 percent that has either already been contributed or will be an in-kind contribution once the project gets rolling. Two of the big goals of the recovery plan are to increase flows in the Platte River and create new habitat to benefit the four endangered and threatened species the program is designed to protect. The species are the endangered interior least tern, whooping crane, pallid sturgeon and the threatened piping plover. Once the recovery project gets going, Bishop said, much of the habitat that's part of the project will be located and acquired in the Central Platte NRD. Bishop said the plan proposes to acquire 10,000 acres of new habitat. The proposed area is between Lexington and Chapman. He said the land will be purchased from willing sellers, but increasing river flow may involve further regulating water use along the Platte River.

On Friday night Whooping Cranes were seen dancing in the streets. Music provided by the Piping Plovers.

More Coyote Gulch here.

"2008 pres"
8:43:31 AM     


Climate Change: The earth is a beautifully complex system
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It's getting harder and harder to find people that pooh pooh humankind's effect on the planet's warming. Most that still argue that the warming is natural and not effected by greenhouse gases belching from power plants and automobiles are doing so from a political or economic point of view rather than a scientific point of view. Several scientists in California are now saying conclusively that the current low flows in the Southwestern U.S. along with reduction in snowpack and earlier runoff is the result of human pollution, according to The UPI. From the article:

California scientists said humans are to blame for diminishing water flow in the western United States. Researchers from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Scripps Institution of Oceanography said the Rocky Mountains have warmed by 2 degrees Fahrenheit and the snowpack in the Sierras has dwindled by 20 percent over the past 20 to 30 years due to human-caused climate change. The research, published in the online edition of Science Express, looked at air temperatures, river flow and snowpack over the last 50 years, the Livermore lab said Friday in a release.

"It's pretty much the same throughout all of the western United States," said so-author Tim Barnett of Scripps. "The results are being driven by temperature change. And that temperature change is caused by us."

More coverage from Science Blog:

The team scaled down global climate models to the regional scale and compared the results to observations over the last 50 years. The results were solid, giving the team confidence that they could use the same models to predict the effects of the global scale increase in greenhouse gases on the Western United States in the future. The projected consequences are bleak. By 2040, most of the snowpack in the Sierras and Colorado Rockies would melt by April 1 of each year because of rising air temperatures. The earlier snow melt would lead to a shift in river flows.

As for the warming, with the existing greenhouse gas in the atmosphere, the Earth will continue to warm for the next 80-100 years. "For someone who has seven grandchildren, that scares the hell out of me," Barnett said. "I've seen the future and I don't like it." Other Livermore contributors included Celine Bonfils, Govindasamy Bala and Art Mirin.

More Coyote Gulch coverage here.

Here's an article about sustainable living from The Mother Earth News.

Here's a recap of day one of CSU's climate change teach-in from The Fort Collins Coloradoan. From the article:

Climate change will affect some of the world's weakest and often those who are not major contributors to the problem, a Colorado State University professor said Wednesday, the first day of a two-day climate change "teach-in." "The people least responsible for climate change will be the first to feel the effects," said Lori Peek, assistant professor in the department of sociology at CSU. The teach-in was part of a national program called Focus on the Nation, where more than 1,100 universities participated in providing education about global warming.

Children, who make up more than half the population of countries most at risk for climate change, can easily fall prey to disease and natural disasters on the increase with warming temperatures, Peek said. Impoverished people and countries also are less likely to be able to access resources to mitigate the effects of climate change...

Climate change might not raise food prices, but it could damage water quality, said James Pritchett, an associate professor of agriculture and resource economics at CSU. Pritchett said some climate models suggest that parts of Colorado could see more precipitation and, in turn, more crops. That could also mean farmers apply more fertilizer, which, combined with an increase in storms, could run off into rivers and lakes and sully water quality in rivers, lakes and aquifers.

More coverage from Canada.com. They write:

Large tracts of land and ancient vegetation that has not seen the light of day in 1,600 years have been liberated from ice caps on Baffin Island, confirming the unprecedented scale of climate change underway in Canada's North. The "current warming exceeds any sustained warm episode in at least the past 1,600 years," reports a U.S. research team that is dating the landscape reappearing as the island's ice disappears.

While scientists and Inuit have noted the recent Arctic heat wave is extraordinary, the emerging moss, plants and rocks shows just how extraordinary. It exceeds the medieval warm period between 1000 and 1200 AD when Norse settlers took up farming in Greenland and Inuit hunters fanned out across the Canadian north, the researchers say. "It is very unambiguous," says lead author Gifford Miller, of the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research at University of Colorado, noting how the moss, plants, lichens and rocks carry a chemical signature showing how long they have been under ice. They reveal some of the ice caps formed initially about 350 AD and persisted through the medieval warm period until they melted away, many them in the last few years, says Miller. The vanishing ice caps will be featured on the cover of Geophysical Research Letters this month. "The fact that they are now melting like crazy is even more remarkable because it is occurring in the face of a long-term trend that should result in cooling," says Miller, explaining how less solar radiation has been hitting the Arctic in summer months for the last 3,000 years because of a natural cycle that affects orientation of the sun and Earth. "The modern warming really is unusual," he says. "From a millennial perceptive, it's unprecedented."

The hundreds of small ice caps on Baffin Island's interior plateau are tiny compared to much bigger and older ice fields in Greenland and Canada's North. But Miller says they are "very special" because they, and the things they covered, are such good indicators of climate change. Unlike bigger ice fields that typically flow, slide and scrape along valleys and hills, the small ice caps do not disturb the underlying ground as they recede. "They never erode at their base because they are not moving, and as they melt the landscape is revealed," says Miller, who first visited the Baffin plateau in the 1980s. He says he was "shocked" to realize a few years ago that one ice cap he had visited has vanished completely, and dozens of others were on the way out. He then pulled together a team to take a closer look. They analyzed aerial and satellite images dating back to 1949 that show Baffin Island's interior plateau has lost more than half of its 150 square kilometres of ice caps in the last 50 years...

Radiocarbon dating of the samples shows the plateau has had ice caps for most of the past 2,800 years, and they are now the smallest since at least 350 AD. They also show how the ice caps expanded significantly after 1280 and 1450 AD, when huge tropical volcanoes hurled ash and gas into the atmosphere. One "tantalizing" theory, says Miller, is that the eruptions tipped the climate system into a period of prolonged cooling that resulted in the Little Ice Age that persisted until the 1800s. The centuries-long cold snap saw Arctic sea ice and glaciers expand to the point that Inuit hunters became more dependent on seal than whales for food and Greenland farms were abandoned. The warming now underway correlates with rising greenhouse gas emissions, chief among them carbon dioxide produced by burning of fossil fuels that trap heat in the atmosphere. Human impacts "are now on a par with these other types of natural phenomenon that drive the climate system," says Miller, stressing the need to curb human emissions to try slow the warming.

"2008 pres"
8:17:00 AM     


New Fort Collins water conservation plan?
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Here's a look at a new water conservation plan going before the Fort Collins City Council, from The North Forty News. From the article:

Achieving increased water conservation goals will require financial incentives, greater education and limited legislative mandates. Those are the key recommendations contained in a water conservation plan soon to go before the Fort Collins City Council. And beyond such conservation strategies, the plan supports the city's effort to develop more storage capacity to capture water when it's available, to use when it's not. If adopted, rebates of up to $50 could be available to residents installing high-efficiency toilets or $150 for "smart" irrigation systems that adjust watering based on conditions. Homeowner associations could get grants of up to $1,300 for similarly improving their irrigation systems. Rebates also could be available to restaurants, laundries and other business making similar water-saving investments. The city would get into the act, too, working to reduce losses in its water system. In addition to such voluntary incentives and educational programs, the plan also offers the potential for stricter regulatory methods in revising city landscaping irrigation codes.

In addition to those efforts, the plan asserts that "additional water storage capacity is needed to increase the yield and reliability of the water system." Both long- and short-term storage are needed, according to the plan, to "increase the reliability and redundancy desired to meet the growing water demands of water customers." That recommendation goes to the heart of efforts by Fort Collins and its partners to increase the capacity of Halligan Reservoir on the North Fork of the Poudre River. The expansion would create an additional 12,000 acre-feet of storage capacity. An acre-foot is 325,851 gallons of water, about enough to meet the annual needs of a family of four. "The city of Fort Collins has almost no storage," said water conservation specialist Laurie D'Audney. "We don't feel like we can conserve ourselves out of having Halligan." Consultants retained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers currently are developing a draft environmental statement examining the proposed expansion of Halligan and nearby Seaman Reservoir. Fort Collins hopes to complete the Halligan expansion by 2010.

Developed by a Boulder consulting firm, the proposed water conservation plan is aimed at reducing water use in the city from the current estimated 156 gallons a day per person to 140 gallons a day by 2026. Thanks to current conservation efforts and adoption of a tiered rate structure, city annual water use already has declined from a peak of nearly 10,295 million gallons in 2000 to a low of almost 7,984 million gallons in 2004 during the depths of the drought. That rate has since crept up to 9,268 million gallons in 2006. The plan found that Fort Collins household water use was less than some similar-sized Front Range cities. Still, it remained about a third greater than the amount the Environmental Protection Agency contends could be achieved - leaving plenty of room for improvement. Employing the recommended conservation measures, the report predicted, would reduce the per capita use even below the targeted amount - saving an estimated 3,974 acre-feet of water per year. That's a fraction of the total 400,000 acre-feet available for use annually from the Poudre, noted Fort Collins Water Resources Manager Dennis Bode. But he added that it is significant in terms of operating the water collection and distribution system efficiently. Further, Bode said, the more water saved through conservation, the more that is available for rent to other users, particularly agriculture...

The plan's implementation was estimated to cost just over $700,000. Almost half that amount would go toward reducing utility water losses and updating the landscaping and irrigation standards. The greatest water savings was expected to result from the rebates and incentives for commercial conservation efforts, followed by the rebates for high-efficiency toilets and irrigation technology.

"colorado water"
7:53:55 AM     


Snowpack news
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Here's a report on snowpack in Northern Colorado from The Greeley Tribune "reg". From the article:

The 2008 snowpack in the northern Colorado mountains is off to a decent start, just like it was in 2007. But 2007 didn't improve much after January, despite the fact that 80 percent of the snowpack typically comes in March, the snowiest month of the year, which also traditionally produces the wettest snow of a season...

[John] Fusaro said he was a little surprised by the first survey of the season. "I know we didn't get as much snow as southwest Colorado, but I thought we might have had more than we did," he said. Overall, the Big Thompson River readings are a little below the 30-year average, while the Poudre is a little above, helped by above-average readings in the higher reaches of the canyon. That's almost identical to last year's readings, Fusaro noted. "The higher elevations got off to an OK start last year, then just kind of held its own through the rest of the season, and by the time we got to March everything was below the 30-year average. The snow in the lower levels was almost gone by early April," he said...This year, the snow depth at Cameron Pass, at the summit of the Poudre Canyon, averaged better than 60 inches and was 70 inches deep in some areas...

Water content of the northern Colorado snowpack, Feb. 1, 2008: Deer Ridge 3.7"; Hidden Valley 4.4"; Willow Park 10.3"; Bear Lake 9.6"; Big South 2.6"; Chamber's Lake 4.6"; Joe Wright 14.6"; Cameron Pass 18.1"; Deadman Hill 10.8".

"colorado water"
7:46:19 AM     


Whirling disease resistant rainbows reproducing in the Fryingpan drainage
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From The Aspen Times "reg", "For the first time since whirling disease decimated most naturally reproducing rainbow trout populations in Colorado more than a decade ago, a new strain of the sport fish has reproduced naturally. The breakthrough took place in ponds along the Fryingpan River above Basalt. A second population of the new cross-breed of trout has spawned successfully in the Gunnison River, according to state wildlife officials, giving rise to the hope that wild, self-sustaining rainbow trout populations will thrive once more in Colorado rivers...The new strain, a cross between the Hofer rainbow trout and other trout used for stocking purposes, appears to be resistant to whirling disease, according to the Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW). Even more encouraging, so are its offspring."


7:36:33 AM     

Final report published in Kansas vs. Colorado
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The final report from the Special Master in the case Kansas vs. Colorado was released yesterday according to The Pueblo Chieftain. From the article:

A final report aimed at concluding a century of litigation between Kansas and Colorado over the Arkansas River was issued Friday by Special Master Arthur Littleworth. "This is the fifth and final report in this case, which includes a proposed judgment and decree that is crafted with the firm intent to end the 100-year history of litigation over rights to the Arkansas River," Littleworth wrote in the introduction to the three-volume report.

The report also includes 19 exhibits, and a proposed judgment and decree. It sets up a plan for arbitration to be used by the states in future years, rather than through prolonged litigation. The U.S. Supreme Court will accept exceptions from the two states during the next two months. There would be a briefing if exceptions are filed, and after that, the court is expected to finalize the judgment and decree...

The case also sets up a 10-year rolling accounting of flows at the state line, and specifies the model that will be used to determine the flows. The first 10-year period ended in 2006, and showed Colorado had a credit of 3,882 acre-feet. The 10-year period that ended in 2007 also shows no deficit, Littleworth said. Littleworth's report specifies that any future deficits over a 10-year period must be paid by Colorado on an annual basis.

Littleworth praised former state engineers from both states for working to reach agreement on disputed issues after his last report in 2003. "Many of the issues settled by agreement involved extremely technical and complex matters. It is to the credit of the respective engineers and experts of the states that so much agreement was reached," Littleworth wrote. "The personal involvement of David Pope, chief engineer of Kansas, and Hal Simpson, state engineer of Colorado, deserve special acknowledgement." Finally, the court would retain jurisdiction in the case until Dec. 31, 2008, to ensure compliance to the decree...

John Martin Reservoir construction was completed in 1948, and Kansas and Colorado ratified the Arkansas River Compact in 1949. John Martin serves to divide the flows between the two states, holding water in accounts for Kansas until the state calls for it The compact does not guarantee Kansas a specific amount of water, nor limit water development (dams or wells) in Colorado. The compact, through the Arkansas River Compact Administration, also regulates the operation of John Martin Reservoir by the Army Corps of Engineers.

More Coyote Gulch coverage here and here.

"colorado water"
7:31:23 AM     


CSU: Water Tables
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From The Fort Collins Coloradoan, "'Water Tables,' an evening with experts to benefit Colorado State University's water resources archive, will look at the region's water history. The event begins at 5 p.m. Feb. 9 in the Morgan Library and Lory Student Center on campus. Tickets are $125 per person. Reservations and more information are available at http://lib.colostate.edu/devel op/events/2008/watertables/. This year's theme, "From Water Fights to Water Rights: Groundbreaking Moments in the Greater Colorado Water Story," will focus on pivotal moments in the region's water history. The night includes a reception and tours of the water resources archive in the Morgan Library. Guests can view photos, documents, maps and other artifacts connected with Colorado's water past while talking with water experts. Afterward, guests will go to the Lory Student Center where water experts will facilitate conversations during dinner."

"colorado water"
7:17:20 AM     



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