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Monday, May 19, 2008
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Environmental News Network: "As the Kansas Legislative session closes, Governor Kathleen Sebelius has for a third time vetoed a bill that would have allowed a coal generating station in western Kansas to expand by adding two new coal-fired units. It would also have raised electricity rates across the state for the benefit of a single company. 'Throughout this entire Session,' the governor said, 'the legislature has failed to craft a comprehensive energy policy for our state. Here, nearing the end, their one statewide policy is to raise the electric bill of every Kansan.'"
Category: 2008 Presidential Election
6:35:01 PM 
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From email from Reclamation (Kara Lamb): "Anticipating the coming run-off and responding to rising inflow, we have increased our releases from Green Mountain Dam again. By this afternoon, the Lower Blue should be running at about 800 cfs."
From email from Reclamation (Erik Knight):
Reclamation has received the May 15th runoff forecast from the Colorado Basin River Forecast Center which predicts the April through July runoff to Blue Mesa to be 40,000 ac-ft greater than previously estimated. This brings the most probable April through July runoff into Blue Mesa to 1.1 million ac-ft which is 153% of average.
In addition, we have been gathering input from the public and resource agencies, including the State of Colorado, National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service and others, to determine the spring release operation for the Aspinall Unit. These discussions have resulted in a general operation plan comprised of the following goals:
- Attempt to maximize flows of the Gunnison River at Whitewater with a goal of reaching 14,000 cfs by adding flow to the descending limb of the North Fork peak.
- Provide a peak of at least 6,000 cfs in the Black Canyon below the Gunnison Tunnel.
- Attempt to minimize flooding at Delta
Based on information received from the Colorado River Basin Forecast Center on May 15th, the North Fork is most likely to peak around May 21st. Reclamation’s attempt to match the descending limb of this peak will be dependent on the peak’s magnitude and duration, but ramping up could begin toward the middle or end of the week of May 18th, with high releases from Crystal continuing through the Memorial Day Weekend and a portion of the following week. These dates and flowrates are likely to change as runoff conditions fluctuate. Please refer questions to Dan Crabtree at 970-248-0652 or by replying to this email.
Category: Colorado Water
5:59:53 PM
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From The Pueblo Chieftain: "Rye residents will continue boiling water to prevent drinking potentially contaminated water for an unspecified, extended time frame, Mayor Tom Holgerson said Sunday. "It is going to be quite some time (before the order is lifted,)" he said of the precautionary boil order state health officials issued May 4. No bacteria was found then but residents were told to boil water to keep from ingesting disease-causing organisms that can cause nausea, cramps or diarrhea."
6:38:47 AM
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According to The Boulder Daily Camera May is dedicated to Boulder Creek. Some excerpts:
During this month of May dedicated to Boulder Creek, we should remember when once it flowed freely, without our help, down off the Continental Divide to find its way to the Platte, into the Missouri, and so to the Mississippi -- Boulder Creek doing its part in that immense watershed which defines the shape of our continent.
Inevitably, Europeans did come up the Platte, into our valley, and pressed on up the creek into the mountains and found gold. In their enthusiasm, they denuded forests and sent their mine tailings downstream every spring to turn the Boulder Creek milk white for most of June. The creek was Boulder's lifeline; though few would have thought of it in that way. Rather, we forced it to carry all manner of waste and bear every abuse. Only when we had destroyed the greenback trout did we begin thinking about the economic importance of recreation and tourism. Interestingly enough, the railroads, in their self-interest, first brought the sturdy rainbow trout from California to replace the lost greenbacks. Boulderites were of two minds about our local mountains. They were resorts of beauty and wonderful places to go, but they were also resources to exploit. If miners were using and abusing the creek's water in the mountains, farmers out in the valley were fighting for it for their crops, while we town folk drank and washed in it as it ran down little ditches in front of our homes.
Category: Colorado Water
6:30:41 AM
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From The Aspen Times: "The Snowmass Water and Sanitation District should soon obtain the raw water storage it has been seeking, but it won't be in the form of a 60-foot dam and half-mile long reservoir on Snowmass Creek. Within the next 30 days, the district expects to purchase its first reservoir from the Ziegler family. As part of the deal, it will cancel its right to build a controversial dam and reservoir on Snowmass Creek."
More from the article:
On April 9 and May 14, the Pitkin County commissioners approved the district's request to expand Ziegler Reservoir and make it a public water supply. With that approval in hand, district manager Kit Hamby plans to purchase 17.5 acres of land, the reservoir and the Ziegler's water rights for $3.5 million -- substantially less than market value, according to Peter Ziegler. The district intends to expand the reservoir from 57 to 225 acre feet, at a cost of $6 million to $7 million. Hamby said the purchase and expansion will be financed through tap fees. The district may also take a loan out from the Colorado Water Conservation Board.
Category: Colorado Water
6:22:43 AM
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© Copyright
2008
John Orr.
Last update:
6/1/08; 10:14:05 AM.
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