Wednesday, January 18, 2006

Rotational Crop Management Bill Colorado Luis: "I've come to realize lack of water doesn't slow down population growth in Colorado. It only makes development more expensive because someone has to buy water rights away from farmers and change the use to residential use. There is an interesting bill being carried by state Rep. Mary Hodge (D-Brighton) that is going to make it easier for farmers to sell water to cities on a temporary basis and without also having to sell out the farm. There is a little bit of something for everyone here: growing cities get water, farmers can make money selling water without getting out of the business, and the rest of us don't have to put up with calls for new dams up in the mountains. Here's an article from New West about the Rotational Crop Management Bill. From the article, "Colorado farmers have a new way of boosting their business while preserving their lifestyle, which to some sounds like a dream come true. A new bill in front of the state Legislature called the Rotational Crop Management Bill gives farmers leverage to do more with their water than just grow crops." Category: Colorado Water 7:19:20 AM     SB37 Here's an article from the Fort Morgan Times about SB37 introduced this week in the Colorado legislature. The bill would provide guidance to water courts in regard to flows for whitewater parks. From the article, "Lawmakers are making another attempt in this year's Colorado Legislature to get a firmer grip on a relatively new law allowing water rights for recreational use before there is nothing left for future growth or diversions. "Senate Bill 37, introduced last week by two Western Slope Democrats, is the latest round in Colorado's water wars. It does not set a specific limit on recreational water rights, but attempts to give water courts more guidance for deciding how much water is needed for increasingly popular whitewater parks." Category: Colorado Water 7:12:08 AM     Fountain Creek cleanup Here's an article from the Pueblo Chieftain detailing Colorado Springs' problems keeping their sewage out of Fountain Creek. They write, "Colorado Springs Utilities has until next month to come up with a supplemental environmental plan to determine how part of its fine for raw sewage spills will be spent on fixing problems along Fountain Creek. Meanwhile, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment expects to take action in the near future on a 44,400-gallon sewage spill earlier this month, Steve Gunderson, director of the water quality control commission, said Tuesday. Colorado Springs originally was ordered to pay a fine of $110,470 in mid-November and the money was to have gone directly into the state treasury, Gunderson said. However, during a 30-day comment period, the Pueblo City Council and the Pueblo City-County Health Department asked the state to apply some of the money from the fine toward programs to improve Fountain Creek below Colorado Springs, Gunderson said." Good idea. Category: Colorado Water 7:05:57 AM

© Copyright 2006 John Orr. Last update: 12/29/06; 11:00:38 AM.