Thursday, March 9, 2006

Northern Integrated Supply Project Everyone is hoping to build more reservoirs or enlarge existing storage to help with the unbridled growth on the Front Range. The Loveland Daily Reporter Herald has a report on the Northern Integrated Supply Project. From the article, "Firestone, Frederick and Dacono recently joined the Northern Integrated Supply Project, and many of the current participants are looking at taking a bigger piece of the pie, said Nicole Seltzer, project public liaison... "The Little Thompson Water District, which serves southern Larimer County outside Berthoud, made room after it decided to drop out. Seltzer said additional water also became available when the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District bumped up the size of the proposed reservoir... "The project would consist of two reservoirs. The Glade Reservoir, northwest of Fort Collins near Ted's Place, and the Galeton Reservoir, northeast of Greeley. Glade, a proposed 170,000 acre-foot reservoir, would provide 40,000 acre-feet of water a year. It would capture agricultural water from two ditch companies. In turn, junior water rights off of the Poudre River would be used to fill up Galeton, a proposed 30,000 acre-foot reservoir. "After an initial analysis that included several public meetings, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is further examining 17 areas of concern. Seltzer said the district plans to have a draft documenting the environmental impacts this fall. "With that, the Army Corps of Engineers will take more public comment on the project and how it will affect the surrounding areas before deciding whether to issue a permit sometime in 2007. Completion of the $368 million project is expected by 2019." Category: Colorado Water 6:09:02 AM     Arkansas River Basin roundtable update Last year the Colorado legislature passed HB 1177 - The Colorado Water for the 21st Century Act and decided that water roundtables for each of the basins in the state would be a way to keep water decisions from becoming contentious. Everyone involved would check their guns at the door, sit around a big conference table, lay out self-interests, and align them in a way that would achieve consensus. Today's Pueblo Chieftain brings us up to date on what's happening with the Arkansas River Basin roundtable. From the article, "Welcome to Water Buffalo 101. "Some came to hunt. Some came to herd. A few came out shooting. "And Bent County Commissioner Frank Wallace nearly started a stampede with a simple question at the Arkansas Basin Roundtable Wednesday. "'I've been coming to these meetings since they started,' Wallace said. 'I'd like to know what the hell we're doing here. The cities want water. Farmers want to sell. Communities want to protect the water. What are we doing?' "Luckily, the group stayed in place, meeting for the first time at Colorado State University-Pueblo, after six previous meetings at the Pueblo Convention Center. Much of Wednesday's meeting focused on how the 52-member roundtable will begin discussing serious water issues... "'Let's get our feet wet with the Southern Delivery System,' Fremont County Commissioner Mike Stiehl said. "He suggested a 'mock trial' on Colorado Springs' plans to built a pipeline from Pueblo Dam and its alternatives that are affecting Fremont County. "Dennis Smith, Lake County's representative, wanted to jump-start discussion on assessing water storage needs. "Avondale farmer Dan Henrichs talked about meeting urban water needs with agricultural leases, blasting the 'not one drop' mentality that would block more leases... "At one point in the meeting a flap over Colorado water law broke out, when moderator Gary Barber, representing El Paso County, tried to explain how the roundtable might work better than the doctrine of prior appropriation to solve certain types of water conflicts. He cited the 15-year-old voluntary flow program on the Upper Arkansas River as an example... "Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District Director Denzel Goodwin of Fremont County noted that the first thing he said after joining the roundtable was that prior appropriation - court rights for water use in order of historical claim - would be protected... "La Junta Water Superintendent Joe Kelley summarized the discussion, saying it underscored the need to find a way to listen to others' concerns. He said people in La Junta are tied to an agricultural economy, but also enjoy water-related recreation or shopping in the larger cities." Category: Colorado Water 5:52:55 AM

© Copyright 2007 John Orr. Last update: 3/24/07; 3:09:23 PM.