Thursday, April 28, 2005

Fill Lake Powell first Here's an background article from the Pueblo Chieftain highlighting all the good reasons that the feds should let Lake Powell fill before Lake Meade. Lake Meade is ahead of Lake Powell to recharge. If it's forced on the downstream owners it's usually called a "water grab." Thanks to MakesMeRalph for the link. Colorado Luis: "The next phase is to get the various states to agree on a plan for sharing water during sustained drought years. Due to poor drafting when the Colorado River Compact was signed in 1922, the Lower Basin states have been able to argue that in a sustained drought, the Upper Basin states (CO, NM, UT and WY) must go completely dry before the Lower Basin states suffer a reduction from the 7.5 million acre feet per year they claim under the Compact. The Upper Basin states contend that the intent is to split the river 50/50. We're not close to having to fight that out yet, but there is enough distrust among the states that there has been no agreement on water releases from Lake Powell, which sits just above the demarcation line between the upper and lower Colorado River basins." Category: Colorado Water. 8:32:25 PM     Basin Mitigation HB 1296 was killed in the State House yesterday, according to the Rocky Mountain News [April 28, 2005, "Water 'mitigation' dies"]. From the article, "Plains lawmakers won a water battle Tuesday over their Western Slope colleagues, killing a bill that would have required compensation - "mitigation" - if water is transferred from one basin to another. Because Colorado water primarily has moved from the Western Slope to the thirsty Front Range cities and plains farms, the battle lines were clear...Later, Rep. Buffie McFadyen, D-Pueblo West, said she was disappointed, but was sure the issue would be back next year. 'There is inherent damage when water moves out of a basin,' she said." Category: Colorado Water 5:59:17 AM

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