Saturday, May 20, 2006

Preferred Options Storage Plan Legislation for the Preferred Options Storage Plan is not moving ahead, according to the Pueblo Chieftain. From the article, "Legislation to study water storage options in the Arkansas Valley is stalled again, as Colorado Springs and the Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District remain miles apart in negotiations. A committee that has been working on legislation for the Preferred Storage Options Plan withdrew its most recent draft Thursday at the Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District meeting. Issues surrounding Lake County, the Lower Ark District and Colorado Springs have mired the legislation, said Harold Miskel, chairman of the PSOP committee... "...deeper problems are surfacing from an apparent rift in PSOP negotiations between Colorado Springs and the Lower Ark District. Negotiations began about 16 months ago, and both sides say progress is slow, and another meeting is scheduled next month. Wednesday, the Lower Ark board voted to notify Congress it won't take a position on PSOP until negotiations are complete... "The Lower Ark district is stressing water quality, a water management program that would unite ditch companies and issues relating to Fountain Creek. 'They realize the water management program is their future water supply, but it's also the future of the valley,' [Lower Ark Executive Director Jay Winner] said. The plan would allow municipal water leases on parcels of land that would rotate throughout the valley. Valley ditch companies have not signed off on the deal, but have been contacted by the Lower Ark District. Last week, Lower Ark President John Singletary said the announced plans of Thornton water developers Pure Cycle Inc. to build a pipeline to Arapahoe County from the Fort Lyon Canal illustrates the urgency of the plan. 'I think they took a real step backward when they didn't help us on HB1352,' Winner said, referring to state Rep. Buffie McFadyen's defeated water quality bill. 'There won't be a deal until we have a deal on everything,' Winner said... "Colorado Springs said the negotiations are going slowly, but should not even be included in the legislation, water resource planning supervisor Brett Gracely said. The legislation should, instead, concentrate solely on studying the main tenets of PSOP whether Lake Pueblo can be safely enlarged and what priorities will be used to store water in the future... "Colorado Springs is particularly concerned about a 'Phase II' portion of the most recent version of the bill that would authorize study of cumulative socioeconomic and environmental impacts dating back to 1975, including a concept known as environmental justice. Much of the wording of that portion of the bill was added at the request of U.S. Rep. John Salazar, D-Colo. 'It sets a precedent with the federal government on items that have been a state issue,' Gracely said. 'We're resistant to federal involvement in state water rights, it sets a bad statewide precedent.'" Category: Colorado Water 7:52:15 AM     Water summit Thursday at Northeastern Junior College Sterling Journal Advocate: "Progressive 15 will be hosting a water summit Thursday at Northeastern Junior College... "The water summit will cover topics including legislation, updates from interbasin compacts and water conservancy districts, funding for water projects, economic impact of water study and examples of partnerships with Front Range communities. There will be an opportunity to share ideas on possible solutions to the water crisis that will help in long-range planning... "Progressive 15 events are open to the public and the organization encourages participation in the summit. Advance registration is required. Information: www.progressive15.org or (970) 867-9167." Category: Colorado Water 7:39:45 AM     Farm disaster on the South Platte Rocky Mountain News: "Water from the Western Slope began flowing to parched Eastern Plains farmers Friday night, but there was no guarantee it would save crops hit hard by a state-ordered irrigation well shutdown... "Friday night, 10,000 acre feet from the Windy Gap Project near Granby began flowing. 'We turned on the pumps tonight,' said Brian Werner, spokesman for Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District. That water will help those farmers who can can take delivery from the river and apply it straight to their fields. But farmers who rely solely on irrigation wells will get no relief because the state, three Front Range cities and some surface-water farmers have not signed off on an overall agreement. Their wells cannot start pumping again without the approval of the main objectors, including Boulder, Sterling and Highlands Ranch... "Reached late Friday, Carol Ellinghouse, Boulder's water resources coordinator, said it was news to her that the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District was turning on the water. Ellinghouse reiterated that Boulder and 35 other objectors still are reviewing the overall water supply proposal.Boulder has done its preliminary analysis of the plan, but needs more information, Ellinghouse said. 'They didn't give us enough information to evaluate it,' she said. 'Things like which particular wells are going to be turned on and which will be left off. They said some will be on and some will be off, so it's pretty basic information like that that was missing.' Category: Colorado Water 7:26:47 AM     Don Ament: We need moisture There's nothing like the return of drought to help farmers and officials find religion. Here's an article about the need for rainfall in Colorado from the AP via the Casper Star Tribune. They quote Colorado Agriculture Commissioner, Don Ament, as saying, "We need moisture and we need it over most of the state, including Denver. That's the prayer for this week." From the article, "Warm weather and decreased snowpack in much of Colorado mirror conditions found in 2002's drought and could hurt farmers and ranchers across Colorado, state Agriculture Commissioner Don Ament said. Alfalfa farmers in southern Colorado's San Luis Valley stand to lose much of their alfalfa crop this year and wheat farmers on the Eastern Plains are worried their crop could dry up unless rain falls on their fields soon, he said... "The Pueblo Chieftain reported Thursday that the San Luis Valley could lose $60 million because of the alfalfa losses. That includes the loss of this year's crop, damage to subsequent harvests and the drop in farmers' income, according to Merlin Dillon, a Colorado State University agronomist, who discussed the situation with the Alamosa County commissioners this week. Commission Chairman Darius Allen, who lost just about all the 1,000 acres of alfalfa he raised with two partners, said that crop insurance will only cover a small amount of the losses for farmers, the Chieftain reported. He said U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar and Rep. John Salazar, both D-Colo., have been asked to help get emergency funds to help the farmers... "In southeastern Colorado, at least one auction barn has been busier than normal this week as some ranchers start to sell calves because they fear there won't be enough grass to support all their cattle. Don Honey of La Junta Livestock Auction Co. said some ranchers are selling calves at 250 lbs. rather than waiting until the fall when they would bring in more money at between 500 and 600 lbs." Category: Colorado Water 7:17:08 AM

© Copyright 2006 John Orr. Last update: 12/29/06; 11:39:20 AM.