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Wednesday, February 28, 2007
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Here's an update on Wyoming's cloud seeding project from the Rocky Mountain News. From the article, "The husband-and-wife team of Jody and Erin Fischer, along with Jason Goehring and Brook Herridge, make up the foursome from Weather Modification Inc., based in Fargo, N.D., who have been stationed in Riverton since early January to conduct cloud-seeding missions. In their Piper Cheyenne 2 airplane, pilot Jody Fischer and co-pilot Herridge fly over the Wind River Mountains in the hope of producing additional snowfall, which would increase the winter snowpack and improve the spring runoff. They release chemicals into the clouds, hoping to produce a reaction that will create snow.
"Erin Fischer is the data systems operator in the plane. She watches a computer screen as data is collected through a probe on the wing. On the ground, Goehring is the project meteorologist. It's his responsibility to determine when the weather conditions are right. 'We're in year two of a five-year pilot program,' Goehring said. 'We're funded by the Wyoming Water Development Commission and our job is to increase the amount of snow that falls out of the clouds and onto the mountains.'[...]
"In addition to seeding by airplane, ground-based launches also can be used. Both the ground-based and airborne cloud-seeding efforts use a silver iodide seeding agent contained in flares. The seeding isn't done during intense storms that potentially already can produce heavy snows. Under average conditions, seeding may be feasible six to 10 times per month, depending on conditions."
Category: Colorado Water
6:40:08 AM 
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Times are still tough for the farmers whose wells were shut down last spring up in northern Colorado. Here's a story from the Fort Morgan Times. They write, "Wiggins farmer Steve Bruntz does not know what he will do to survive after his wells were shut off by state officials. 'I[base ']m struggling to figure out what to do to make a living,' especially starting over at the age of 51, he said. As president of the Orphan Wells of Wiggins, he's fought to keep well water running for 40 farms, a feedlot and two commercial wells owned by Canfield Drilling. That totals up to 42 wells, and after the state gave its cease and desist order, only the feedlot can still use its well, Bruntz said. With corn at $4.30 a bushel, he figured out the loss of the 40 farms will mean a loss of $4.7 million to the county economy. He used corn because that was easiest to figure, but alfalfa prices are high, too, he noted. Looking through a plat map to identify other areas which have lost water as the state shuts down wells, he found at least 94 quarter sections between Masters and Morgan County Road 12. Combined with 44 farms from the old Central Colorado Water Conservation District, that comes to another $14.4 million loss to the economy, figuring the same corn prices, Bruntz said. That is only a fraction of what the whole county is losing and only the parts around his area he knows about, he said."
Category: Colorado Water
6:20:11 AM
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Here's a short article about restoring the Uncompahgre River through Montrose from the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. They write, "Building on the study, GGA approached the city of Montrose and the Colorado Division of Wildlife for the estimated $250,000 it would require to hire a river restoration expert, to buy rocks to place in the river, and pay the cost of the heavy equipment work. In 2004, Montrose allocated capital budget funds using Colorado lottery proceeds and took the lead on applying for a DOW Fishing Is Fun grant. With $238,000 combined from Montrose and the successful DOW grant, the talk was done and the work could begin. Sort of. It was another two years before the actual on-site work was started.
"Montrose selected Ecological Resources Consultants to create the design, apply for the numerous water-related permits and begin stockpiling rock to use in-stream. A major factor in the timing of the work was the stream flow. An in-stream project can only be conducted during periods of low flows. Heavy equipment such as a trackhoe and front-end loader actually drive in the river. More importantly, the reconstruction creates a water depth and current speed that maximizes the fish habitat at low winter flows when fish are most vulnerable. In October and November of 2006, ERC started and completed the river improvement work. Tons of boulders were hauled in and strategically placed, much of the typically wide and shallow river bed was narrowed and deepened, and current flows were directed away from erosive banks. This year, vegetation plantings are scheduled to protect exposed banks. Where a once flat and poor quality river system subsisted, the river is reborn. Like the classic car or the historic building, the new river within the city park is now proudly on display."
Category: Colorado Water
6:11:59 AM
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Congratulations to the Forest View Acres Water District whose water was named the best tasting in the state by the Colorado Rural Water Association. From the Colorado Springs Gazette, "And a tiny northern El Paso County water district has the best in the state. Forest View Acres Water District, which serves 282 homes between Monument and Palmer Lake, won a statewide water tastetesting competition run by the Colorado Rural Water Association this month. Now the district heads to national competition to pit its tasty water against the best in the country...
"The sample came from the district's treatment plant, which takes water from Monument Creek, filters out particles and adds chlorine for disinfection...Water districts with 10,000 or fewer customers are classified as rural, Hayes said. This excludes many city water systems.
"The national 'Great American Water Taste Test,' which starts May 1 in Washington, D.C., is run by the National Rural Water Association and attracts lots of attention, spokeswoman Kris Cash said. Last year's taste-test finals drew reporters from CNN, The Associated Press and New York Times, she said. John W. Keys, former head of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, will be one of this year's judges, Cash said. Beaver, Utah, took first place in 2006, she said. Past winners have come from Kansas, Virginia and Alaska."
Category: Colorado Water
6:00:36 AM
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Here's an update about the the Southern Delivery System from the Colorado Springs Gazette. From the article, "For decades, Colorado Springs has prided itself on pristine mountain snowmelt as its water source. Now, the federal government wants to study recycling sewage as an alternative to Colorado Springs Utilities' proposed $1 billion water pipeline project. 'The reuse alternative is currently under development, so we don't know what it will look like,' Bureau of Reclamation spokeswoman Kara Lamb said. 'But we do hope it will be a stand-alone alternative' to the Southern Delivery System...
"Lamb said the bureau wants to mull reuse because some citizens asked that it be considered. 'We felt that from the results we had from public comments that it was very important to look at reuse and include it,' she said. Those favoring reuse live in Pueblo, said Colorado Springs Utilities spokesman Steve Berry. Pueblo government officials generally oppose the Southern Delivery System.
"Berry said Utilities opposes reuse, which is generally defined as a 50/50 mix of treated effluent and fresh water that is treated again before being reused. Reuse, he said, would cost about $200 million more than the $1 billion pipeline and would jeopardize the city's use of its water rights. In addition, El Paso County taxpayers have pumped $65 million into Pueblo Reservoir over the years. 'That's an investment you don't want to pass up,' Berry said. Reuse traditionally is undertaken as a last resort after other water sources have been exhausted, he said, adding, 'We haven't done that.' Although adding an alternative may prolong the approval process, Berry said there's time. The city doesn't need the pipeline until 2012."
Category: Colorado Water
5:48:36 AM
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© Copyright
2007
John Orr.
Last update:
3/1/07; 6:57:45 AM.
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