Saturday, May 13, 2006

EPA report on wadeable streams Here's the link to the EPA's Wadeable Streams Assessment: A Collaborative Survey of the Nation's Streams EPA 841-B-06-002 April 2006. From their fact sheet, "The Wadeable Streams Assessment (WSA) is a first-ever, statistically-valid survey of the biological condition of streams throughout the U.S. Wadeable streams-streams and rivers that are shallow enough to sample without boats-were chosen for study because they are a critical natural resource, because we have a well-established set of methods for monitoring them, and because they are frequently under-sampled in traditional monitoring programs. This project was a collaborative effort involving states, EPA and other federal agencies, tribes, universities and other organizations." Thanks to beSpacific for the link. Category: Colorado Water 9:15:22 AM     Coal-bed methane water production Durango Herald: "A 6th District water court judge in Durango has refused the state's request to throw out a lawsuit by area landowners against gas-extracting companies. The lawsuit was filed in November 2005 by Jim and Terry Fitzgerald in La Plata County and Bill and Beth Vance in Archuleta County. The couples, whose ranches are in the heart of a coal-bed methane gas region, allege that gas extraction should be subject to the same state Division of Water Resources regulations as agriculture and sand/gravel operations. Judge Gregory Lyman's order was issued April 25." Category: Colorado Water 7:43:38 AM     Roy Roath: If I could make it rain I would Drought conditions are settling on Colorado again, here in the summer of 2006. Here's an article from the Pueblo Chieftain about the moisture problems in eastern Colorado. From the article, "Rangeland specialists told a group of farmers and ranchers this week that Eastern Colorado remains locked in a serious drought and conditions aren't going to get much better... "Rangeland specialists say that an estimated 7,000 Southeastern Colorado farms and ranches valued at an estimated $89 million are in jeopardy as a result of the current drought. Roath said managing water is critical to recovering from a drought. 'Precipitation in and of itself is pretty helpful, but how you manage that precipitation when it comes, is critical,' he said. The onset of the drought began in 2000 when dry weather caused many rangeland areas to have appreciably less forage, placing stress on perennial plants. Roath said the worst year was 2002 when a dry winter caused many range plants to greatly reduce the number of new buds for forage material to be produced in the spring... "The current dry spell has caused a decrease in the production from cool season grasses, such as western wheatgrass and green needlegrass. Roath said several plants on loamy plains ecological sites in Eastern Colorado have been lost. He told ranchers that the most important objective in managing land in a drought situation is to increase ground cover with plants...Roath said that the period from Oct. 10, 2005, to May 1 was the driest period of time on record in the state - exceeding the winter of 2002." Coyote Gulch is asking Denver Water and the other water utilities that have lifted watering restrictions to reconsider. Let's all acknowledge that the state is in drought and that the streams need as much water as we can send down them. We live in the desert, let's use water wisely. It's past time to adopt a permanent conservation attitude. Category: Colorado Water 7:17:49 AM     Fort Lyons water to Lowry a water grab? Pure Cycle's proposed pipeline and their plans to deliver Arkansas River water to the old Lowry Bombing Range in the Denver Metro area was the talk of southeastern Colorado yesterday, according to the Pueblo Chieftain. From the article, "A Thornton company's plans to pipe as much as 60,000 acre-feet of water a year out of the Lower Arkansas Valley to serve a future development in the Denver area has sent shock waves across the valley's small farming communities... "The 113-mile long Fort Lyon Canal is the largest in the valley. It starts about 4 miles west of Colorado 109 near La Junta and snakes across the valley where it drains northeast of Lamar near Thurston Lake. Its storage canal, which runs to the north of the main canal, is 53 miles long... "Bent County Commissioner Frank Wallace said Pure Cycle's plan is just a way to get through water court. Last year, High Plains lost a Colorado Supreme Court appeal of Pueblo Chief District Judge Dennis Maes' 2004 dismissal of a change of use for its Fort Lyon's shares. Maes ruled High Plains did not have an end user for the water, as required by Colorado water law's anti-speculation doctrine." Category: Colorado Water 7:01:21 AM     Help for South Platte farmers The Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District and the city of Fort Collins have promised some trans-mountain water to help out the farmers on the South Platte whose wells in the river's alluvial aquifer were shut down this week, according to the Fort Collins Coloradoan. From the article, "After a lengthy board meeting Friday morning and a two-hour conference call with district water-right owners in the afternoon, the water district agreed to lease 10,000 acre-feet of water to well users. While promising, it was unclear whether the development would solve a problem that threatens to wipe out $1 million in crops, including those of some of the state's most prominent farmers. That's because cities that worry their water rights could be harmed by well-pumping this year would have to sign off on the plan, as would the state. The deal was approved Friday by several cities and irrigation ditch owners, but the plan still required approval from the state and other irrigation ditch owners who had sued the Central Colorado Water Conservancy District to shut down the wells... "It's 'possible' the 10,000 acre-feet, which would come from the Northern water district's Windy Gap Project on the Western Slope, would be enough to cover this year's well use, which is still just 15 percent of normal, Hertzke said.. "Under the plan, Northern water district would lease Windy Gap water to the Central water district for about $600,000. The Central water district also reserved 2,000 acre-feet of rental water from Fort Collins on Friday, said Dennis Bode, the city's water resources manager. The city made the water available about two weeks ago at $28 an acre-foot. Fort Collins already has leased about 16,000 acre-feet to area farmers this year, Bode said." Here's the coverage from the Rocky Mountain News. They write, "Without water, more than $1 million of crops are likely to die within 10 days, said Jim Reasoner, president of the Central Colorado Water Conservancy District. The deal reached Friday, which officials caution still has not been approved by all parties, calls for moving 10,000 acre-feet of water from the Western Slope, enough for this summer's crops on the affected farms. The water would come from the Windy Gap Project through the Central Colorado Water Conservancy District and might allow farmers to restart their pumps as early as next week, said Greg Hertzke, water acquisitions manager for the district. Several cities and irrigation ditch owners participating in the Windy Gap Project agreed to the proposal. But the cities of Boulder, Highlands Ranch and Sterling, which have been sharply critical of the well owners, had not approved the agreement. State Engineer Hal Simpson also must approve any plan..." "Aurora, too, has said it will free up water for the farmers. Late Friday, Aurora Utilities Director Peter Binney said 500 to 1,000 acre- feet might be available but that the technical calculations aren't finished. To restart the wells would likely require an emergency trip back to water court, where those who have objected to the irrigation wells would have to approve any new plan to pump this year, Reasoner said." Here's the coverage from the Denver Post. They write, "It is not clear whether the 10,000 acre-feet will be enough to help the farmers. Some are completely well-dependent, while others also irrigate their crops with river water... "In addition to Windy Gap water, the central district may have access to more water from the city of Aurora. The district already has a lease from the city for about 8,800 acre-feet of water, and there may be a way to extend that supply, said Peter Binney, Aurora's utility director...Both Congresswoman Marilyn Musgrave and Sen. Wayne Allard have asked President Bush to declare a national disaster for Weld, Morgan and Adams counties." Category: Colorado Water 6:45:52 AM

© Copyright 2006 John Orr. Last update: 12/29/06; 11:37:12 AM.