Saturday, June 28, 2008

Reservoirs of the San Luis Valley From The Center Post Dispatch: "The Saguache County Museum is happy to announce a new display of the Reservoirs of the San Luis Valley...The display has many large photographs of all the reservoirs, Terrace, La Jara, Rio Grande, Santa Maria, Mountain Home and Smith, Sanchez, Beaver Park, Continental and small reservoirs. You can see photos of the building of many of these reservoirs, from their beginning to completion. We also have the San Luis Valley Historical book on the history of the reservoirs $5." "colorado water" 8:04:26 AM

Energy policy: Oil Shale U.S. Senate and House Republicans introduced bills this week that include lifting the moratorium on finalizing rules for oil shale development and production, according to redOrbit.com. From the article: House and Senate Republicans picked up on President Bush's request to open up oil shale exploration in Utah and other domestic oil production options with two bills introduced Thursday. Each bill would remove the existing ban on the Interior Department from finalizing regulations to allow oil shale exploration on public lands. It would be a means to encourage companies to seek out producing oil in the West... The Senate Republicans introduced the Gas Price Reduction Act of 2008, which also calls for oil exploration in the outer continental shelf, increase federal money for plug-in cars and increased staff for the Commodities Future Trading Commission. "Our bill can be summed up in four words: 'Find more, use less,'" said Sen. Alexander Lamar, R-Tenn., at a press conference Thursday with 20 Republican Senators, including Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah... Bennett said Utah has a pilot project moving forward on state land that could prove as early as later this summer how technology works to produce oil shale... But Chase Huntley, energy policy advisor for The Wilderness Society said oil shale development is a "cruel fiction on the American people, promising a false solution to high gasoline prices that instead would hand over potentially tens of thousands of acres of federal lands to oil shale speculators. "This bill falsely promises that oil shale will lower gasoline prices, when in fact the industry is years if not decades away from proving the economic viability, technical feasibility, and environmental safety of the technologies needed to squeeze oil from rock," Huntley said in a statement. Huntley said the technology to develop oil shale is not ready and its environmental impacts -- particularly how much water it needs to be developed -- are not understood. "Pushing the BLM to finalize rules governing commercial leasing and production of oil shale now is irresponsible," Huntley said... Meanwhile, the Republicans from the House Western Caucus introduced the Americans for American Energy Act, which also removes the moratorium from the Interior Department...The House bill is more extensive than the Senate one and includes opening up oil drilling in the Arctic Natural Wildlife Refuge. The Senate bill purposely left that proposal out, Alexander said, because some Democrats have problems with it. "2008 pres" 8:00:47 AM

Brush source water protection plan From The Fort Morgan Times: "Anyone concerned with the protection of source water in Brush is welcome to attend a public meeting to address the topic Monday afternoon. The meeting, one in a series related to the Brush source water protection plan, will begin at 1:30 p.m. in the council chambers of Brush City Hall, located at 600 Edison St...For more information about the meeting, contact [Assistant Brush City Administrator Karen Schminke] at 970-842-5001." "colorado water" 7:49:50 AM

Eagle River Water and Sanitation District: Watering ban this weekend From The Vail Daily: "Residents from East Vail to Cordillera will have to put their water conservation efforts into overdrive this weekend due to a water shortage. Drinking water is safe, the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District says, but problems at the Avon Drinking Water Facility have forced the agency to ban lawn watering and ask residents to curtail indoor use." "colorado water" 7:35:01 AM

Independent voters and the west From The Denver Post: "One-third of Colorado registered voters are not affiliated with a political party. In New Mexico, Democrats outnumber Republicans by nearly 200,000, yet the state routinely votes for the GOP presidential candidate. Montana voters don't even register with a party. Brimming with individualistic, self-reliant, libertarian-leaning voters, the Rocky Mountain West will play a pivotal role this election season -- a year when independent voters are expected to make or break John McCain's and Barack Obama's presidential bids. Each candidate has his challenges in courting that independent streak. Voters here in recent elections have backed individual candidates regardless of political affiliation and have responded to messages emphasizing economic populism, fiscal discipline and the balance between individual rights and governmental protections...Because Democrats have lost most of the Southern states to the GOP and only a few battleground states remain, both campaigns are pouring resources into the region. Though short on electoral votes, Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico would have given John Kerry the White House in 2004. Those three states plus, perhaps surprisingly, Montana could go for either candidate this year, political analysts say." "2008 pres" 7:29:15 AM

Boxelder Creek Stormwater Project From The North Forty News: "Ever so slowly, the Boxelder Creek Stormwater Project is inching ahead. Estimated to cost about $10 million, the project would remove more than 600 properties from the Boxelder Creek floodplain. The project includes enlarging Clark Reservoir northeast of Wellington and building a second reservoir farther south in the basin. If all goes smoothly, construction of the project could begin in 2009. Fees to pay for it could also be implemented next year. More from the article: The Boxelder project would bring flood protection to a large area, stretching from north of Wellington to south of Timnath. It would remove floodplain designations in Wellington for both Boxelder Creek and Coal Creek. According to Wellington Town Administrator Larry Lorentzen, the town considered doing its own project in 1999 but the regional approach "will work out a lot better for everybody." The first phase of the project, which would involve enlarging Clark Reservoir, would take most of Wellington out of the floodplain. A few low-lying properties would likely remain in the floodplain, Lorentzen said. The initial phase has a price tag of $4 million, but the county was recently approved for a $3 million matching grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, bringing the local share down to $1 million. Along the length of the project, removing the floodplain designation would allow for development and would mean that many property owners could kiss their flood insurance policies goodbye... While some local residents see the floodplain as a bureaucratic invention, the state sees things differently. In fact, the Boxelder/Coal Creek drainage is on the top-10 list of priorities for Colorado's state floodplain manager. According to Larimer County officials, a 100-year flood in the Boxelder drainage could cause $109.8 million in damages. The three entities are now working out possible fee schedules for property owners within the service area, which extends from County Road 70 north of Wellington to south of Timnath. The town of Timnath is not involved in the project. Fees will include both development fees for new homes and businesses and monthly fees for everyone in the Boxelder watershed. Current estimates call for monthly fees of $6 per month for a single-family home and $36 for a 12,000-square-foot commercial building. Estimates for development fees are $500 for a single-family home and $3,000 for a 12,000-square-foot commercial project. While Fort Collins already assesses its residents a stormwater fee, Wellington and the county do not. Fort Collins does not plan to raise either its monthly stormwater fees or its development fees, according to Bob Smith, the city's water planning manager. According to Feil, there are about 8,350 properties in the proposed service area for the project, all of which would be subject to the new fees. Of those, only 642 are located within the 100-year floodplain. However, she explained that a 100-year flood would affect all properties in the basin, not just those in the actual floodplain. Even if property owners outside the floodplain are fortunate enough to not have damage to their homes, Feil said, they could be impacted for weeks by problems with water, sewer, transportation, emergency services or access. "colorado water" 7:23:01 AM

Northern Integrated Supply Project: Conservation Here's an article about water conservation and the Northern Integrated Supply Project, from The North Forty News. From the article: In all the deliberations about the Northern Integrated Supply Project, a common complaint has been that the Army Corps of Engineers--and the project applicant--didn't give enough credence to the benefits of water conservation. Conservation provides both possibilities and limitations, when it comes to supplying the water needs of northern Colorado communities. In June, the North Forty News asked water conservation experts about potential water savings from both municipalities and the agricultural sector, as part of the solution for supplying the thirsty--and growing--Front Range... Before the drought, water consumption in Aurora was about 180 gallons per capita per day. Water usage has crept back up since the worst drought years, but consumption is still at 137 gpcd today. That compares with consumption of 155 gpcd in Fort Collins and 140 gpcd in Frederick, one of the participants in the Northern Integrated Supply Project. There are 15 participants in NISP [Northern Integrate Supply Project], and according to the draft environmental impact study for the project, average water consumption for the partners is 161 gpcd. However, that figure is based on water use from 1998 to 2003, and many of the communities have put conservation programs in place since the severe drought of 2002. The following are some of the water conservation policies and practices used in Aurora, as provided by Aurora's water conservation supervisor Kevin Reidy. Tiered water rates, with higher rates for greater consumption. Rebates for water-efficient appliances such as washing machines, toilets, showerheads and faucets. Some of these items are provided by the city at no charge. Free indoor water audits and landscape irrigation audits. Lawn permits: Permit requirements for new lawns include soil amendments, an irrigation clock and sprinkler heads with check valves. Irrigation systems are inspected by the city before a permit is issued. Bluegrass turf: Front yards may include only 25 to 40 percent bluegrass; back yards are limited to 45 percent. Residents may, if they choose, have 100 percent xeriscape lawns. Reclaimed water: The city reuses some of the water that would normally go to a water treatment plant. This water is treated to a lesser degree at a special plant, then used as nonpotable water on Aurora's golf courses and parks. New automatic car washes and power-washing facilities: water recycling is required. Staffing: The Water Conservation Division of the Aurora Water Department had two employees in 2002; that number has increased to 13. Enforcement: Water monitors issue a warning for a first violation. After that fines are stiff, from $250 per violation for single-family homes to a minimum of $800 for a commercial violation. However, the city emphasizes an educational approach. In 2007, 632 warnings were issued, but only four fines were levied. Reidy estimated that Aurora's entire water conservation program will save 8,000 to 10,000 acre-feet of water over the next 20 to 25 years... Agriculture uses 80 to 85 percent of the water in Colorado, so conservation champions argue that if agriculture used water more efficiently, that could provide more water for other users, namely towns and cities. However, there are problems with that argument even when it comes to terminology. Reagan Waskom, director of the Colorado Water Resources Research Institute based at Colorado State University, explained that with agricultural water rights, there is a big difference between "efficiency" and "conservation." Efficiency refers to strategies such as lined irrigation ditches and pivot sprinklers. For example, flood irrigation with unlined ditches is considered 30 to 40 percent efficient, while pivot sprinklers are rated as 75 percent efficient. As a result, flood irrigation requires the farmer to divert more water to put the same amount on the crop. However, even with efficiency measures, the farmer still uses the same amount of water for a given crop. That amount, called the "consumptive use," is all the farmer is entitled to under his water right. The rest of the water diverted to his property, including water that is "saved" by using these efficiency methods, must go back to the river as "return flow." People downstream - often in another state - have rights to this return-flow water. So, whether or not a farmer uses efficiency measures, he is still entitled to only the amount of water historically consumed by his crop. The water "saved" cannot be sold to a municipality or used to irrigate additional acreage. Conservation, on the other hand, refers to using an amount of water that is actually less than what has been historically consumed. Conservation can be accomplished in several different ways: practicing deficit irrigation, or using less than the optimum quantity of water for a crop; changing to different crops that require less water or have a shorter growing season; reducing the number of irrigated acres; or reducing evaporation losses. Conservation does increase the amount of water available to other entities--but at a cost. Outcomes can include reduced crop yields, greater exposure to pests and increased management costs--all detriments to the agricultural producer. Using conservation methods (less water) on a large scale would change the return-flow picture, Waskom said, so it would impact water rights downstream. "We need to figure this out," he said, and that endeavor will involve both legal and engineering work. When it comes to conservation, Waskom said, "We think it is a path of the future, but no one has figured out how to administer it."[...] Another question is, who would bear the costs? Currently, Waskom noted, the Colorado Water Conservation Board is tackling the issue. The board has allocated $1.5 million to fund conservation projects that it can study. It's a worthwhile effort but a complicated one, Waskom said. Water-sharing arrangements between farmers and cities are also a possibility. But while the legalities of these arrangements are worked out, Waskom said, it's simpler and less expensive for cities to simply buy up ag water while it's still available. With the hurdles involved, he added, ag conservation cannot make up for all the water that NISP would provide. More Coyote Gulch coverage here. "colorado water" 7:12:13 AM

Southern Delivery System The Pueblo Chieftain is reporting that U.S. Representative Mark Udall is urging Reclamation to slow down the process around Colorado Springs' proposed Southern Delivery System. From the article: In a letter released Friday, Udall said it is likely the bureau's analysis of the SDS project will be challenged in court by opponents of the pipeline, so he urged the federal agency to slow down its work in finishing a final environmental impact statement. Udall also warned that the bureau's work likely will be reviewed by the House Natural Resources Committee, on which he serves. "I am concerned the proposal may be headed for an inevitable and costly legal battle," Udall wrote in a letter to Mike Collins, the area manager for the bureau. Udall compared it to the current conflict over the bureau's environmental analysis to allow Aurora to have a 40-year contract to store water in Lake Pueblo. Udall said the public comment on the SDS proposal has demonstrated widespread criticism of the project and he said that slowing down the environmental study would give the federal agency more time to consider all the comments, and work toward some agreement among all the parties. Note: Aurora's long-term contract and the Southern Delivery System are separate issues connected however by the use of Fryingpan-Arkansas project facilities. More coverage from The Colorado Springs Gazette. From the article: Mark Udall wants to delay a Colorado Springs water project and is urging federal authorities to give "serious attention and full consideration" to Pueblo Chieftain publisher Bob Rawlings' opposition. Rawlings is one of the most vociferous opponents of the $1 billion Southern Delivery System, now undergoing a review of its environmental impacts... Udall's move angered Colorado Springs Mayor Lionel Rivera, who's visited Udall numerous times in his Washington, D.C., office to talk about the project. "Why is he waiting until the eleventh hour to weigh in on this when he hasn't said anything for four years?" Rivera said. "This isn't even in his district."[...] Pueblo is a Democratic stronghold, while Colorado Springs is overwhelmingly Republican, but Udall was not motivated by politics in sending the letter, his spokesman said today. "It's not about politics; it's about the quality of water in Colorado," [Alan] Salazar said. In the letter, Udall wrote, "His (Rawlings') comments, and others, really underscore the depth of concern that exists about the project and how it might affect water users throughout the Arkansas River basin." Salazar said Udall wants the bureau "to be sensitive to the impacts, the way this process proceeds and the comments from the various communities." and find more collaborative solutions... The mayor also noted the city has worked with Fremont County, Pueblo, the Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District and others to advance the project, which will benefit the Springs, Pueblo West, Fountain and the Widefield/Security area. "We know we have an obligation to mitigate flows down Fountain Creek, and we're going to do that," Rivera said. "Sen. (Ken) Salazar has spent a lot of time speaking to everyone and trying to bring them to consensus. Congressman Udall has not." More Coyote Gulch coverage here, here and here. "colorado water" 6:57:06 AM

Iraq Daniel Larison (via The American Conservative): Yet to a much greater degree than today, as Reihan knows, Baghdad used to be a relatively integrated city that saw intermarriage and mixed neighbourhoods filled with members of different sects. Sectarian identity did not used to possess quite the same political significance that it acquired immediately before and ever since the 2005 elections, but once it became a badge that determined where you could live, who your friends could be and what kind of name you should give when confronted by armed goons all of that went to pieces. Harmonious and cosmopolitan it may not have been, but it was far more so in the "bad old days" than it has been since, which is really what is behind Klein's point about the cleansing of sectarian enemies out of mixed neighbourhoods. Destructive sectarianism has restored some measure of peace in the same way that the burning of the Greek and Armenian quarters in Smyrna more or less ended the Greco-Turkish conflict, which is to say in the worst possible way. The point isn't that Baghdad has not become a multifaith enclave, but that it used to be something like that and was then turned into a highly segregated and divided city thanks to the mix of invasion, insecurity and sectarian-cum-democratic politics. Hence, the nightmarish violence of 2006 has subsided into merely horrible because most of the potential victims of new sectarian violence have been pushed into new parts of the country, fled to Syria and Jordan or elsewhere or were killed in the first waves. And this is dubbed success. This was the point Klein was making here[^]the causes of reduced violence are many and some have nothing to do with the additional brigades, and some are the after-effects of the magnificent failure of the occupation to fulfill its obligations to secure the population of the country it ostensibly controlled. Meanwhile, "surge" defenders would very much like to credit the change in tactics with most or all of the improvements, and then allow this reduction in violence to make it seem as if something fundamental had changed about a society in which armed gangs were butchering civilians just a year and a half ago for happening to be in the wrong district. That is what I call an unpersuasive case. "2008 pres" 6:42:58 AM

10 rare clouds Here's a link to photos 10 rare clouds from Cool Things. You water nuts will enjoy them so click through. "colorado water" 6:42:22 AM

Aspinall Unit update Blue Mesa Reservoir will probably not fill this year, according to The Crested Butte News. From the article: Blue Mesa Reservoir is not expected to fill this summer, despite the predictions of water officials earlier this spring. During a regular meeting of the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District (UGRWCD) on Monday, June 24, district manager Frank Kugel said the actual runoff entering the reservoir would fall short of Colorado River Forecast Center projections. "As it stands, we're not going to fill Blue Mesa," he said. Kugel says the Bureau of Reclamation, which is responsible for operating Blue Mesa Dam, is now expecting the reservoir pool to peak about nine feet short of full. "That nine feet contains roughly 80,000 acre feet of water," he said after the meeting. Kugel says the water shortage, "has a significant impact on recreational opportunities," and could also complicate potential calls for additional water at the Redlands Power Canal, a canal that diverts water from the Gunnison River for power production near Grand Junction. "Upper basin storage is a valuable thing to this community," he says. "The (Bureau of Reclamation) is very disappointed that they did not hit the full level and released more water than necessary," Kugel said at the meeting. According to Bureau of Reclamation water resources group chief Dan Crabtree the bureau bases its management of Blue Mesa and the Aspinal Unit (Blue Mesa, Morrow Point and Crystal Dams) on runoff forecasts provided by the Colorado Basin River Forecast Center, a branch of the National Weather Service. Crabtree says the River Forecast Center begins forecasting spring and summer runoff in January each year. "We design our operations based on their forecasts. Sometimes we hedge a little bit toward it being drier, or it being wetter. This year we hedged a little bit toward the drier side, but stayed close to their predictions," Crabtree says. "They are still confident we're going to get a lot of water in July[sigma] We're not quite as confident as they are." 2008 is not the first year that the River Forecast Center has overshot runoff projections. "This is a disturbing trend we've had for the last few years," Kugel said. Board member Steve Glazer agreed it was becoming a recurring problem. Glazer believed there were two things affecting the forecasts, the first being the sheer geographical size of the runoff area the River Forecast Center has to consider. The second problem was a limited amount of data being collected, Glazer said... Earlier during the meeting, Gunnison District Court Chief Judge Steven Patrick administered the oath of office for the UGRWCD's new and returning board members. Gunnison representatives Diane Lothamer and Bob Drexel resigned from the board last month, and Gunnison residents Bill Nesbitt and Jim Pike have been appointed to take their place. Taylor River area resident Ken Spann is continuing service on the board for another term. "colorado water" 6:41:47 AM

Lucky Jack-Mt. Emmons molybdenum mine: Mining claims valid? From The Crested Butte News: "Two political heavyweights are getting directly involved in the Lucky Jack-Mt. Emmons molybdenum mine issue. United States Congressmen John Salazar and Mark Udall, both of Colorado, have jointly sent a letter to the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Bureau of Land Management asking the agencies to make sure the Lucky Jack project proponent, U.S. Energy Corp, has valid mining claims. The company has 300 patented claims and more than 5,000 acres of unpatented claims. 'It is our belief that a comprehensive validity review of the unpatented Lucky Jack mining project claims will help prevent unnecessary watershed disruption and the costly expenditure of federal, state and private sector funds,' stated Representatives Salazar and Udall in a press release." "colorado water" 6:41:08 AM

? for President? Political Wire: "Sen. Barack Obama enters the fall campaign with a tight lead, 43% to 38%, over Sen. John McCain, according to a new Time magazine poll of registered voters. The poll shows Obama gaining only a slight bounce from Hillary Clinton's departure from the campaign early this month." Political Wire: "A new SurveyUSA poll in Ohio finds Sen. Barack Obama edging Sen. John McCain in a presidential match up, 48% to 46%." "2008 pres" 6:40:35 AM

Eagle River restoration Here's an update on a restoration project on the Eagle River, from realvail.com. From the article: When the Vail Valley Foundation and its partners closed on the 72-acre Eagle River Preserve parcel on Sept. 13, 2005, everyone involved acknowledged that returning the former gravel pit to its natural state would definitely be a work in progress. Now, almost three years later, the first phase of the reclamation is nearing completion, with public tours tentatively slated for the site in September. Eagle River Preserve is slowly morphing back to a condition similar to what it once was 100 years ago when the valley's population was largely farmers and ranchers... Three short years ago, Eagle River Preserve showed the scars of three decades of gravel mining, with chalky, hard-packed soil and sediment ponds. Today, with the removal of the heavy mining equipment and the addition of fill material, the new open space project is taking shape. A new stream and a series of ponds and wetlands have been constructed, and numerous trees and shrubs have been planted. Native wildlife is returning. Foxes are now a common site, Canadian geese and other water birds enjoy the new ponds and a bear has also been spotted near the Eagle River's edge. Eagle County, which now owns the property, is overseeing the restoration of Eagle River Preserve, with governance provided by a strict conservation easement that was put in place at the time the property was purchased... The pond and stream complex utilizes water from the J.M Dodd Ditch, which was purchased with the property. Work on the water feature was partially funded by a recent grant from the Natural Resources Defense Fund... For additional information on Eagle River Preserve, contact the Eagle County Community Development Department or the Eagle Valley Land Trust. Thanks to Restoring Rivers for the link. "colorado water" 6:39:44 AM

© Copyright 2009 John Orr. Last update: 3/14/09; 10:23:46 PM.