Coyote Gulch's Colorado Water
The health of our waters is the principal measure of how we live on the land. -- Luna Leopold








































































































































































































































Central Colorado Water Conservancy District

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Saturday, April 12, 2008
 

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Here's a recap of the recent meeting of the Headwater Authority of the Upper South Platte up in Park County, from The Fairplay Flume. From the article (part 1):

Roughly 75 people heard experts field questions for approximately one and a half hours after their presentations on in-situ uranium mining in South Park at a meeting in Fairplay on April 2. The meeting was sponsored by the Headwater Authority of the Upper South Platte. HASP is a joint business venture between the Center of Colorado Water Conservancy District and the Upper South Platte Water Conservancy District.

Among the speakers was William Wilson, president and chief executive officer of New Horizon Uranium Corp., the company proposing in-situ uranium mining northeast of Hartsel along the Elk Horn Road. The county road bisects South Park from Como to Hartsel...

Wilson opened the meeting by explaining the time frame of operations. The company is now in the first stage of a five- stage process. During the first stage that will last about one year, the company will stake claims, acquire leases from surface property owners and select target areas for exploration drilling. The company plans to drill 20 holes to identify areas for mining uranium. During stage one, surface and groundwater samples will be taken and tested for uranium content. Wilson said the company would sample private wells at the request of the property owner. Stage two would involve drilling approximately 1,000 holes to establish the extent of the uranium ore body. Then a mining feasibility study would be completed. That would take between one and two years. During stage three, applications for all federal, state, and local permits would be submitted. It could take up to three years to receive all permits. Permits Wilson mentioned include an exempt aquifer permit form the United States Environmental Protection Agency, permits from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, a surface reclamation permit for Colorado Department of Reclamation Mining and Safety and any permits that Park County would require. Stage four, mining, would commence once all permits are received. Wilson anticipated that would be seven or eight years from now. He said mining would probably last five to seven years. Stage five, restoration of the well field and surface reclamation, would take about three years after mining was completed.

Parson said even though the mining process uses harmless substances such as oxygen, carbon dioxide and baking soda, it isn't harmless. These substances not only release uranium from the ore body, they also release any other heavy metals found in the rock. These are then all pumped to the surface. According to Parsons, several issues exist including "excursions" where the aquifer in the geologic formation being mined and used to transport uranium travels to other groundwater aquifers. Water under pressure is pumped into the mining zone and then pumped back to the surface. The geologic layers above and below the mining area must be impermeable (water can not travel through them) to prevent contamination of other aquifers. Parsons said cross-contamination can happen if the subsurface is fractured or if wells are nearby. "Track records of the companies show there are excursions," Parsons said. A second issue, Parsons said, is that national regulations require companies to attempt to restore the mined aquifer to pre-mining standards. "Again, the track record is fairly poor," Parsons said. Three examples were cited by Parsons. In Texas where 32 mines exist, groundwater regulations were lowered so companies could meet the standards. In Wyoming, the Smith Ranch Highlands Mine was cited for violations on March 10, 2008, for several reasons, including lack of groundwater restoration. Parsons said that 10 years after mining has ceased, the aquifer is in the same condition as it was when mining stopped. Another example was near Grover in Weld County, where post-restoration of 1980s mining shows a 16-fold increase in radiation in the aquifer. Grover is near the Wyoming, Nebraska, and Colorado state lines.

More Coyote Gulch coverage here and here.

Category: 2008 Presidential Election
11:19:29 AM    


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Here's a report about HB 08-1030 and HB 08-1044 and the recommendations of Governor Ritter's South Platte River Task Force from The Northern Colorado Business Journal. Here are a few excerpts:

Two bills that would have offered a bit of relief for hard-pressed South Platte River basin farmers whose irrigation wells were shut down in 2006 have died in the Legislature. The bills, House Bill 1030 and House Bill 1044, would have made it easier for farmers with junior water rights to develop water replacement plans to make whole senior water rights holders in the basin and get their wells pumping again.

HB 1030, sponsored by Rep. Mary Hodge, D-Brighton, and Sen. Greg Brophy, R-Wray, was killed in the Senate on March 11. The bill would have forgiven farmers from having to replace water pumped from the river prior to March 15, 1974. That's when the legal landscape changed in the South Platte basin, with all water replacement plans filed with the state's water courts required to follow new rules adopted by the state engineer. Controversy has since swirled around that date, and HB 1030 intended to settle it by specifying that any augmentation - or water replacement - plan filed in the basin not require the replacement of out-of-priority depletions caused by pumping before then. But legislators, persuaded by senior rights owners who refused to excuse those long-ago depletions, mobilized to kill the bill.

HB 1044, also carried by Rep. Hodge, died in February on a House vote. That bill would have permitted someone with excess augmentation credits to loan that water for use in another decreed augmentation plan or substitute water supply plan to replace current-year depletions caused by previous pumping. The bill would have required such loans to be made between water rights owners on the same stream system, and that the water only be used for agricultural irrigation and for no longer than 180 days during a calendar year. It would also have required the state engineer to approve the loan in advance after determining it would not cause injury to other decreed water rights.

More Coyote Gulch coverage here, here, here and here.

Category: Colorado Water
10:52:47 AM    


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April 20th is the date for the annual Crystal River Kayak Races, according to The Glenwood Springs Post Independent. From the article:

This year, CRMS will hope for sunny skies and are even expecting upwards of 70 boaters to hit the water in one of Colorado's oldest kayaking competitions on April 20 in Carbondale. The races include two disciplines -- slalom and boatercross -- and high schoolers from around the state will be attending the event, which is part of the High School Whitewater Cup race series. The race is not only for prep boaters, however, as community members of all ages and skill levels are encouraged to register and race. Races begin at noon with the slalom race. Boatercross races will follow directly after and the races should conclude by mid-afternoon. In slalom, racers navigate between widely spread gates. In boatercross, multiple boaters race simultaneously and maneuver for position. Last year, the event included a downriver race as a third discipline, but that will not be included this year...

Registration begins at 10:30 a.m. All racers should be present for an 11:30 a.m. racer's meeting. The entry fee is $15 for individual races or $20 for both. The race is free for spectators.

Category: Colorado Water
10:30:21 AM    


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Governor Ritter lifted the boil order for Alamosa yesterday, according to The Pueblo Chieftain. Residents will now have to get used to the taste of chlorine. From the article:

They couldn't hear the celebration going on in Alamosa - the sound of tap water filling water glasses - when the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment lifted a state-imposed "boil water order" for the San Luis Valley community on Friday. "We're celebrating here with a toast - tap water, of course," laughed Judy Egbert, Alamosa city clerk. "It's been a long wait. Everybody can go back to using their water." It's been 24 days to be specific, since city and then state health officials ordered Alamosa-area residents to stop using their domestic water because it was contaminated with salmonella. The contamination left 389 people ill, 16 of whom had to be hospitalized...

Meanwhile, the investigation into the actual cause of the salmonella contamination in the city's water supply continues. The city is chlorinating the water to help protect it from future contamination. "We're going to be chlorinating our water from now on," Egbert said.

More coverage from The Summit Daily News (free registration required). They write:

Alamosa officials opened the faucet, poured themselves a glass of water and toasted the state health department's declaration Friday that tap water was safe to drink after more than three weeks of restrictions because of salmonella contamination. "It tastes different," Alamosa City Clerk Judy Egbert told The Associated Press by telephone of the chlorine now in the previously untreated water. The state's declaration took effect at 2:30 p.m. Friday. Nearly 390 salmonella cases related to the outbreak in Alamosa have been reported since the first instance surfaced on March 7. At least 107 cases have been confirmed, and 16 people required hospitalization.

Update Here's the view down in Alamosa from SLV Dweller.

More Coyote Gulch coverage here.

Category: Colorado Water
10:16:06 AM    


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Here's the latest on Colorado Springs' proposed Southern Delivery System and Pueblo County's 1041 regulations, from the The Pueblo Chieftain. From the article:

Colorado Springs has asked Pueblo County for a finding of no significant impact on its proposal to build a pipeline through the county. The request is being made through Pueblo County's land-use regulations under the 1974 HB1041, which allow counties to regulate significant statewide activities. Colorado Springs is asking to be exempt from the regulations because similar projects, including the Fountain Valley Authority pipeline and a Pueblo West sewer line, have been built without a 1041 review, said Kim Headley, Pueblo County planning director...

In fact, Colorado Springs filed a court case saying they should be exempt from the 1041 process in 2005, shortly after Pueblo County revised its 1041 rules. Colorado Springs is appealing Pueblo Chief District Judge Dennis Maes' ruling the Southern Delivery System is subject to county review. Colorado Springs made the same sorts of arguments in the hearing that led to Maes' decision, and Pueblo County's attorneys contested them, saying SDS could create a warehouse-sized pump station below Pueblo Dam, cross numerous properties, disrupt roads and increase flows on Fountain Creek. "We're still trying to set up a pre-application meeting with Colorado Springs to look at their request and respond to it," Headley said. "I'm not about to sit here and pre-judge the finding until we go through the entire process."

More Coyote Gulch coverage here.

Category: Colorado Water
10:06:26 AM    


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From The Arizona Central: "Above-normal runoff on the upper Colorado River will allow federal officials to release more water from Lake Powell into Lake Mead this year, further protecting Arizona from future shortages. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation said Friday that it will release an additional 653,000 acre-feet into Lake Mead, the primary storage reservoir for Arizona, Nevada and California. The bureau said runoff on the upper Colorado is expected to reach 122 percent of normal, the highest in at least six years."

Category: Colorado Water
9:57:13 AM    


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The Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District upped its quota this year, according to The Longmont Times-Call. From the article:

The Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District decided Friday to increase this year's quota for Colorado-Big Thompson Project water. Shareholders will get to use 70 percent of their water this year, up from the 60 percent originally decided on in November. That means users will get seven-tenths of an acre-foot of water for every C-BT share they own...

Traditionally, the district's board of directors reassesses the quota in April. The 70 percent quota, board members said, will allow the C-BT Project to recover from recent drought and still supply enough water -- possibly more than enough -- for the needs of the users. The quota is determined by looking at snowpack, runoff and estimated diversions. It also attempts to balance water needs for this year with storage needs for the future. According to the Berthoud-based Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District, Lake Granby -- the system's largest collection reservoir -- is at 43 percent of capacity, down from 46 percent at the same time last year. But as of April 1, according to the district, the snowpack in Colorado's Upper Colorado River Basin was at 105 percent of average.

More coverage from The Greeley Tribune. They write:

The city of Greeley may have enough available water this year to help out farmers, officials say. That idea is based on the board of directors Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District of the Colorado-Big Thompson Project setting a 70 percent delivery quota Friday -- a 10 percent increase from the initial quota set in November. The board, in a press release, said the 70 percent quota will ensure adequate water supplies through the summer and fall while allowing the C-BT storage reserves to continue recovery from drought conditions that marked the beginning of the century.

In increasing the quota, the board encouraged entities that may have more water than they need to make that extra water available through the rental market to those who need it, particularly farmers in the region. Jon Monson, director of the city of Greeley's water and sewer department, said he will take the quota, along with snowpack numbers, to the city's water board next Wednesday. The board will then decide whether the city will have an adequate supply of water or if it is at drought levels. "My guess is that we'll have an adequate year and if that's the case, we could have some ag rental water available similar to what we had last year," Monson said. He stressed not all the numbers are in, but said the city had between 10,000 and 12,000 acre-feet of rental water last year. Greeley owns 23,000 units of Colorado-Big Thompson Project water...

Jerry Winters is a Greeley attorney who represents Weld on the district's board. He said in the press release the 70 percent quota will allow the district to continue building reserves for the future, noting the C-BT active storage is about 16 percent below the long-term average. As of April 1, the snowpack on the upper Colorado River was 5 percent above the long-term average and inflows into the C-BT's Western Slope collection system were projected to be 5 percent above average. Lake Granby, the system's largest reservoir, is at 43 percent of capacity, which is down 3 percent from the same date a year ago.

More coverage from The Fort Collins Coloradoan. They write:

The 70 percent quota means participating entities will receive 0.7 acre feet of water for every unit owned in the project. An acre foot is 325,900 gallons, enough water to supply two urban households for a year. Fort Collins as well as other local communities and irrigation companies own shares of Colorado-Big Thompson water. City officials said earlier this week they expected to have an adequate supply of water this year with a 60 percent quota. The higher quota means the city is likely to have additional water to lease to area farmers.

Category: Colorado Water
9:47:13 AM    


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From The Longmont Times-Call: "A report released Friday predicts that northwest Colorado's population could double to about 417,000 over the next 30 years because of the energy boom, and the number of gas wells could soar to more than 50,000. The report commissioned by the Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado highlights the energy boom's benefits -- job growth, revenue -- and costs -- increased infrastructure and capital expenses, higher housing prices. The region could face $2.1 billion in costs over the next 28 years for roads, bridges, water and sewer plants and other improvements and up to a $1.4 billion funding shortfall for the infrastructure, according to Denver-based BBC Research and Consulting, which wrote the report. The report says high housing costs, now matching or exceeding Denver-area prices, and labor shortages in other businesses due to competition from the energy industry have become pressing issues in the study area -- Moffat, Garfield, Mesa and Rio Blanco counties. The projections don't delve much into the impacts of commercial oil-shale development, considered to be at least 10 years away."

Category: 2008 Presidential Election
9:39:28 AM    


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Here's a speakout suggesting that killing HB 08-1330 -- which would provide for elected boards for water conservancy districts -- might be the best course of action. From the article:

I testified against HB1330 on behalf of Colorado Association of Realtors, which supports principles of Colorado water law and property rights. 1330 was too flawed even if there were a need for revision. CAR's Legislative Committee, with members from all over the state, saw major problems inherent in the bill, that electing Directors could do more harm than good, so opposed it. We have no ties to WCDs or other entities.

For background, by law WCDs in Colorado have 15-member Boards of Directors, appointed by the area district judge. Directors serve staggered 4-year terms, can be re-appointed or not. The law requires a minimum one-year residency, property ownership in the district, geographic balance and some knowledge of water law. The purpose is clearly to assure fair representation and responsible administration of water rights. Directors take their duties seriously. It's hardly a "mere" appointment for the "landed gentry." The law has worked well for years, as have other appointed boards.

HB1330 deleted all standards. Rep. Weissmann, the bill's primary sponsor, stated that he did not have to know anything in order to be elected, therefore saw no reason why knowledge of water law should matter to run a water conservancy district, remarkably. We disagree. That attitude makes ignorance equal to actual knowledge, not positive for a subject as important as water management...

Because HB1330 called for elections, all requirements for directors had to be removed. Significantly, anyone could have been elected after just 32 days' residency (stated in the bill), with zero understanding of water law, no commitment, no geographic representation (as legislative districts have), and no rule that they continue living in a district after an election. It takes little imagination to realize how outside entities could gain control, to the detriment of citizens. Nothing in HB1330 stated where elections would be held, who would conduct them and count votes. Parts of multiple counties are included in some WCDs. Presumably only those citizens residing Response to Doe article, Speakout, of 3/9/08 p. 2 within a district's mapped boundary would have been eligible to vote, but there is no sensible way to identify them. That[base ']s an impossible standard, reason enough by itself to say no. Amounts raised from mill levies per district are not large, in spite of Mr. Doe's sense of outrage. Districts don't operate for profit, but would have borne large election expenses, which could have bankrupted them in short order, due to almost-yearly elections. What then? If the district had no money to perform its duties, it might fail; the water right could be re-adjudicated, sold and taken from a region, leaving citizens denied their water. WCDs could have become very tempting targets.

That's not so far-fetched. For 20 years, San Luis Valley citizens have defended against at least four major water schemes designed to export water for others' mega-profit, and know only too well the lengths to which investors will go to acquire water for personal gain. HB1330 would have allowed-statewide[~]takeovers of WCDs by stacking the board or via bankruptcy. How "democratic" is that? In fact the biggest winners from 1330 may have been developers and/or water brokers, with near-unlimited funding to achieve such goals, not likely Rep. Weissmann's intent.

Category: Colorado Water
9:31:57 AM    



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