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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Friday, June 13, 2008
 

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Here's a press release about the proposed rules that will govern the measurement of wells in the Republican River Basin, from the Colorado Division of Water Resources:

The Colorado Division of Water Resources announced that a hearing will be held at the Ambulance Barn in Wray, Colorado (304 W. 3rd Ave.) on July 2, 2008, beginning at 9:00 a.m., to consider adoption of rules and regulations that will govern the measurement of wells in the Republican River Basin. These rules will be applicable to all high-capacity wells within the basin. Wells that are permitted for small capacity type uses, (50 gallons per minute or less, domestic type uses, livestock uses) are exempt from these rules.

The hearing will be before the State Engineer's Hearing Officer, Joseph (Jody) Grantham. The public is encouraged to attend. Time will be allotted for all interested persons or parties who wish make any short comments concerning the proposed rules. Testimony and exhibits will be accepted by those parties who filed for formal party status, and written comments by interested persons or parties will also be accepted for consideration. The Hearing Officer will then take the rules under advisement to decide whether or not to adopt the rules. The procedures governing the hearing can be viewed at http://www.water.state.co.us/pubs/rule_reg/procreg.pdf [pdf].

State Engineer Dick Wolfe stated "These rules and regulations are necessary to help the State comply with the Republican River Compact. They really just help us get a handle on the total amount of ground water being diverted. Measurement of ground water is becoming more of the norm around the state with similar rules already in existence in the Arkansas and Rio Grande basins."

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

Category: Colorado Water
6:24:09 PM    


grist: "The Council on Foreign Relations released a new report this week on how the United States should approach foreign policy as it relates to climate change. 'Confronting Climate Change: A Strategy for U.S. Foreign Policy,' as one might expect, indicates that the U.S. needs to come up with a mandatory emissions reduction plan if it wants China, India, and other rapidly developing countries to sign on to a new global pact. 'Visible U.S. leadership is essential to getting other nations, especially rapidly growing developing countries, to make significant efforts,' the authors argue in the report. The report indicates that the U.S. needs to adopt a cap-and-trade system aiming at reductions between 60 and 90 percent below 1990 levels by 2050, and that the federal government should increase funding for the development of new low-carbon technologies. They also argue that our electricity grid should be improved in order to support new energy sources. Making these improvements at home will put the United States a better position to negotiate for a world treaty, argues the CFR 'task force' that put together the report, chaired by former New York governor George Pataki and former Iowa governor Tom Vilsack."

Category: 2008 Presidential Election
5:39:15 PM    


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From The Pagosa Daily Post: "Water impact fees assessed against businesses have drawn criticism as the local economy -- and Town and County sales taxes -- have declined. Some of this criticism has come from the PAWS board itself. Board member Bob Huff, recently, has expressed grave concern that the multiple fees paid by businesses - $50,000 for a medium-sized restaurant; $100,000 for a large nightclub -- are making the start-up of new businesses unlikely. After receiving a great deal of criticism and pressure from the local business community, now with less business and more time to attend meetings, the PAWS board directed Finance Director Shellie Tressler - there is a rather inexplicable 'assistant' affixed in front of Tressler's real position at PAWS - to develop an alternative impact fee program for commercial users last month. This Tuesday Tressler presented a concise (after the obligatory eyewash about the reservoir fee 'grace period'), well-reasoned new plan for assessing commercial impact fees. The new method for assessing commercial water impact fees appears to be fairer - based on usage rather than measures like square feet - and to provide some genuine incentives for firms to adopt the latest technologies and practices to save water. However, the new method does not dramatically drop water impact fees for start-up businesses, though some discounts may be realized by smartly-sized projects."

Category: Colorado Water
5:32:26 PM    


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From The Montrose Daily Press: "The new water tank on Sunnyside Road has been completed. It was connected to the city's water system beginning on Wednesday, the city of Montrose announced. The tank, located on the east side of the city, will provide enough storage for 3 million gallons of water. The added capacity will expand the city's ability to store water for emergencies and use during peak demand times. The construction of this tank is a part of the city's efforts to update the water storage infrastructure, which has not been expanded since 1962. The city is also in the process of planning for a third storage tank, which will bring the city's water storage capacity up to 9 million gallons, which is needed to meet accepted criteria for public water systems."

Category: Colorado Water
5:31:38 PM    


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From The Montrose Daily Press: "Montrose County wants to 'be in the game' for old UMETCO water rights on the San Miguel River. Commissioners said they were concerned that if the rights are converted solely to instream flow, already limited water supplies on the county's West End could be further reduced. As part of a 1987 consent decree, UMETCO Mineral Company's rights on the San Miguel River Ditch were deeded to the Colorado Water Conservation Board, while its rights on the Johnson Ditch were put into trust, said Bruce Whitehead, executive director of the Southwest Water Conservation District. The water conservation district, which serves parts of Montrose, is awaiting the completion of a commissioned study before making recommendations to the state conservation board concerning the old UMETCO rights. These rights went into trust under a 1987 consent decree, as part of the company's Superfund cleanup agreement for the West End community of Uravan. The water rights for the Johnson Ditch went to the Uravan Water Trust. Montrose County wants to be sure the towns of Nucla and Naturita are not left high and dry by whatever the state board should decide. It wants the rights to 40 cubic feet per second from the San Miguel River Ditch, 50 cfs from the Johnson Ditch and six wells near Uravan."

More Coyote Gulch coverage here.

Category: Colorado Water
5:30:25 PM    


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From The Grand County Daily Sentinel: "The Colorado River is once again on the rise, but it is not expected to reach anywhere near the levels it had a week ago. As of 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, the Colorado River at Cameo was measured at 10 feet, below the river's maximum safe level of 12 feet. But as the weather remains relatively warm, the water is predicted to rise to around 10.5 feet by June 20, then drop from there, according to the National Weather Service. Earlier this month the Colorado River reached a high of 11.8 feet. On June 1, 1984, it reached a record depth of 14.36 feet, and the last time it neared the 12-foot mark was June 5, 1997, when it reached 11.7 feet, according to the Weather Service."

Category: Colorado Water
5:28:35 PM    


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Here's a report about HB 08-1353, Verify Conservation Easement Tax Credits [pdf], from The Cortez Journal. From the article:

A new state law enacted by Gov. Bill Ritter on June 5 supports Colorado's incentives for preserving unique natural and agricultural lands by sending a strong message that abuses of the program won't be tolerated, according to conservation advocates, according to a statement from the Montezuma Land Conservancy. Ritter signed House Bill 1353 at a State Capitol ceremony with the legislation's sponsors, House Majority Leader Alice Madden and Sen. Jim Isgar, as well as land conservation organizations including the Colorado Coalition of Land Trusts, the Nature Conservancy, the Colorado Conservation Trust, and the Trust for Public Land, according to the statement. Montezuma Land Conservancy participated on the task force that shaped the legislation. "The new law keeps Colorado at the forefront of national efforts to encourage conservation of one-of-a-kind landscapes," Ritter said in the prepared statement. "But it creates tough new safeguards against abuses of Colorado's conservation easement tax credits. Colorado will continue to support legitimate land conservation, but we will not tolerate schemes to exploit the program for financial gain."

Conservation easements are considerably less expensive than buying land outright, according to the Montezuma Land Conservancy. Conservation easements are sold or donated by private landowners to nonprofit or governmental entities to guarantee that a parcel of land will never be developed. The land remains in private ownership, and property owners may continue using their land as they have [~] for example, for farming or ranching. "The Colorado legislation will increase accountability and oversight of the state's conservation easement program while maintaining the tax incentives, which have helped preserve a total of more than 1.2 million acres of working farms and ranches, river corridors, wildlife habitat and scenic open lands across Colorado," said Jill Ozarski, executive director of the Colorado Coalition of Land Trusts, which represents 54 land trusts, conservation groups and government entities touching every corner of the state.

According to the Montezuma Land Conservancy statement, the bill's tougher standards include increased accountability for conservation easement appraisals, a certification program for the groups that hold conservation easements, strengthened oversight and enforcement of the state tax credit, and the creation of a Conservation Easement Oversight Commission. "The Colorado Conservation tax credit has helped 40 families preserve over 10,000 acres of land in Montezuma and Dolores counties," David Nichols of the Montezuma Land Conservancy said in the statement. "This new law is designed to ensure that landowners donating good conservation easements like those in Montezuma and Dolores counties can receive this financial benefit while stopping those transactions that were abusing the system. Keeping the financial benefit for local farmers and ranchers is very important as it can sometimes make it possible for families to afford to keep their farm rather than have to sell it."[...]

Locally, Montezuma Land Conservancy was able to assist 12 farmers and ranchers conserve more than 2,700 acres through the use of conservation easements while these increased incentives were in effect in 2006 and 2007.

More Coyote Gulch coverage here.

Category: Colorado Water
5:27:23 PM    


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From The Cortez Journal: "Jackson Gulch Reservoir live content stood at 9,948 acre-feet with a 9,948 acre-feet maximum capacity and a 9,296 acre-feet average (1971-2000) end-of-month content. At Jackson Gulch, a daily maximum/minimum of 23/23 cubic-feet-per-second was released into the Mancos River, but 55 acre-feet were released for municipal purposes. McPhee Reservoir live content stood at 265,285 acre-feet, with a 381,051 acre-feet maximum capacity and a 354,188 acre-feet average (1986-2000) end-of-month content. At McPhee, 84,736 acre-feet were released into the Dolores River, and 35,116 acre-feet were released for transbasin purposes. At McPhee, a daily maximum/minimum of 2000/801 cubic-feet-per-second was released into the Dolores River."

Category: Colorado Water
5:25:58 PM    


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From The Summit Daily News: "U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard and Democratic congressman Mark Udall rebuked a proposal by a Utah congressman that would allow President Bush to skip regulatory hurdles and begin oil shale development. The proposal introduced this week by Utah Rep. Chris Cannon would allow immediate development of oil shale on public land. Allard supports oil shale development, but spokesman Steve Wymer says the senator will oppose any proposal that skips the regulatory process. Udall says the proposal proves some have 'oil shale fever' and want to sacrifice Colorado's Western Slope."

More Coyote Gulch coverage here.

Category: 2008 Presidential Election
5:25:03 PM    


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Here's a look at the proposed Northern Integrated Supply Project from The Fort Lupton Press. From the article:

Afloat in controversy, the Northern Integrated Supply Project is rapidly becoming a national platform for environmentalists, just as the public comment portion gathers steam. Much of the recent debate centers on an Army Corps of Engineers draft environmental impact study released April 30. In a letter dated May 30 to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sierra Club Chair of the Poudre Canyon Group, Mark Easter, asked for a 90-day extension to the currently allotted 90-day period, effectively doubling the public comment phase. The request, filed on behalf of 18 environmental groups, includes membership totals of roughly 300,000 state and 3 million national members. "We have a large team of scientists and attorneys studying the document," Easter said. "The Poudre is one of the most endangered rivers in America. We are meticulously analyzing the DEIS so that we can defend the Poudre River."

The letter minimizes the impact of delays on the project, and notes that; "Public input is at the very core of the public review process embodied in the National Environmental Policy Act and the Corps of Engineers 404(b)(1) guidelines. An extension to the comment deadline will allow for more effective public participation in review and comment on this DEIS. Extending the deadline will not result in a significant delay considering that the project proponents and the Corps of Engineers have been working on elements of this DEIS for several years."[...]

The city of Fort Lupton, a partner in NISP since 2004, met during regular session June 4 and fast-tracked additional funds to the project due to overruns related to the public comment portion. It's set for final approval June 11. In a letter dated May 14, NISP project manager Carl Brouwer approached the city with a request for additional money to complete the NISP permitting process, including public hearings, collecting comments and completion of the final EIS. According to Brower, the $100,000 balance remaining at the end of April is insufficient to cover costs. Brouwer is requesting an additional total of $500,000. Broken in equal shares as per ownership percentages, Fort Lupton's portion, based on a 7.5 percent share of the project, comes to $37,500. By comparison, Erie, with the largest stake in NISP at 16.25 percent, received a bill for $81,250. If approved, the additional funds would bring Fort Lupton's total cost thus far to $345,076, according to city finance director Claude Hanes. Those funds are just the tip of the iceberg, based on projections regarding engineering and construction costs.

More Coyote Gulch coverage here and here.

Category: Colorado Water
5:24:07 PM    


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From The Lamar Ledger: "Mandatory Water restrictions don't appear to be on the horizon for Lamar residents said Water Resource Manager Doug Montgomery Monday evening. Montgomery told the city council, municipal water supplies appear to be adequate at this point to avoid mandatory restrictions. He said voluntary restrictions would remain in place...Montgomery said reasons behind the positive outlook for the community's water supply included the heavier than average mountain snow packs. As a result of the deep snow pack, the city of Lamar was awarded twice as much Frying Pan-Arkansas Project water as in normal years. Lamar's normal Fry-Ark water totals 1,000 acre feet but the city will receive 2,000 acre feet for 2008."

Category: Colorado Water
5:23:22 PM    


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Here's a in-depth article about endocrine disruptors from The Colorado Springs Independent. Read the whole thing. A couple of excerpts:

Known as endocrine disruption, chemicals found in computer screens and car seats, shower curtains and shampoo, plastic water bottles and prophylactics are skewing our odds against cancers and causing developmental delays and reproductive roadblocks, including declining sperm counts...

Situated in the ice-sculpted Colorado valley of Glacier Gorge, Mills Lake is considered one of the most stunning features in Rocky Mountain National Park. At nearly 10,000 feet and fed by snowmelt from the Continental Divide, Mills should be among the purest pools of mountain water in existence. But the presence of "intersex" rainbow trout, males with some very female characteristics, suggests otherwise.

More Coyote Gulch coverage here and here.

Category: Colorado Water
5:21:02 PM    


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Here's a recap of last Tuesday's meeting of the Rio Grande Basin Roundtable, from The Valley Courier. From the article:

On Tuesday night the Rio Grande Interbasin Roundtable voted to approve four grant requests that will be used for water projects affecting the Rio Grande Basin...

The unanimous vote to grant funding to the four projects culminated months of cooperation between local water organizations and the Rio Grande Interbasin Roundtable. Funds were granted to the following: the Rio Grande Headwaters Restoration Project, Santa Maria and Continental Reservoirs Rehabilitation, Manassa Land and Irrigation Company and Platoro Reservoir Rehabilitation.

The Rio Grande Headwaters Restoration Project was the first to obtain approval from the Roundtable. Co-chairman of the Headwaters and River Restoration Project Steve Russell said a study performed in the 1990s showed the Rio Grande does not meet its historical needs, does not properly support wildlife and fishery and has problems meeting the Rio Grande Compact. Funding from the Roundtable will help implement restoration of 12 miles of river frontage in Alamosa County primarily through riparian stabilization. Russell said bank erosion causes sediment loading and leads to poor water quality and fishery conditions. "They're losing quite a bit of bank. It's very unstable," he said. Russell said the project's main goal is to reduce the sediment and keep the river in its channel. The Roundtable granted the Headwaters and River Restoration Project $35,000 out of the basin account. The group is also asking for $250,000 from the state account.

The Roundtable also granted funds to Santa Maria and Continental Reservoirs Rehabilitation. The money will be used to conduct hydrology, hydraulics and engineering studies. "We're looking for funding to give us studies to give us answers to some of the problems we're looking at," said grant writer Nicole Langley. Langley said the reservoirs have problems with seepage and limited capacity. The goals of the studies include finding ways to increase capacity of the reservoirs. The Roundtable granted $50,000 from the basin account and the project seeks $141,700 from the state account.

The Manassa Land and Irrigation Company was also granted funds for Conejos River diversion and stabilization. The company will replace 'the core,' a diversion structure located where the river crosses State Highway 285. The structure is almost 100 years old and is difficult to maintain and even dangerous. "It's incredible the amount of water they're trying to control through this outdated structure," said Roundtable member Judy Lopez. The funds will also allow for stabilization of riverbanks. The Manassa Land and Irrigation Company was granted $60,000 from the basin account and seeks and additional $333,700 from the State Account.

The final project granted funding by the Roundtable was Platoro Reservoir Restoration. "There's a very possible malfunction of this high risk reservoir," said Conejos Water Conservancy District Manager Bob Robbins. The reservoir will be restored in three phases. In the first phase a bypass piping system will be installed to divert water to meet the mandated seven cubic feet per second in stream flow. The main discharge pipe will be repainted in the second phase. In the final phase worn out butterfly valves and operators on the dam will be replaced. Basin funds will be used for Phase III. They requested $50,000 from the basin account and for $200,000 from the state account.

The four proposals will be presented to the Colorado Water Conservation Board in September at the Rio Grande Interbasin Roundtable's recommendation.

Category: Colorado Water
5:20:01 PM    

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Here's a look at a proposed study on moving water in the Arkansas River Basin recommended for funding by the Arkansas Basin Roundtable, from The Pueblo Chieftain. From the article:

Moving water, either through sales or leases of agricultural rights to cities, will always have consequences for both water supply and quality. Better understanding those consequences for the Arkansas River is the goal of an ambitious study proposed by Colorado State University professors Tim Gates and John Labadie. The roundtable sent the CSU request for $1.65 million to the Colorado Water Conservation Board. "We can't deal with a problem of moving water either in or out of the basin without looking at the entire basin," Labadie told the Arkansas Basin Roundtable this week. "We believe that, with the storage we have in the Arkansas River basin, we can use it to improve efficiency and still meet the needs of water rights and the Arkansas River Compact."

It's a big task, and one that has never been worked out to perfection in a watershed that encompasses 28,268 square miles, is home to 835,000 people and has a diverse economy with competing water needs. The problem is that every change of use - from selling water rights to getting a court decree for an exchange - has the potential to harm somebody else's water right. The legal remedy is to take an application to water court and obtain a decree. In theory, this gives anyone with a water right an opportunity to examine how a move would affect their water right.

In practice, there are pitfalls. First, you need money to hire lawyers and engineers to adequately review water court applications. The lawyers rarely bring the facts to full-blown discussions, instead working out stipulations for requirements that generally protect flows under broad hydrologic conditions. Farmers have long said that court decrees require them to "use or lose" water rights. Until Pueblo Dam was completed and the winter water program put in place, irrigation ditches tried to run water year round to preserve their share. Finally, the task is complicated because there is no such thing as an average year when it comes to water availability. The water comes in winter blizzards, a surge of spring runoff or a spate of summer storms. Or, like in 2002, barely at all. Additionally, paper trades of water stored at different spots occur frequently without the relatively formal restrictions of a court decree...

It's a task the CWCB is looking at, with a $200,000 appropriation this year to look at the feasibility of setting up the study. Similar models - computer simulations of what happens when water is moved - have been done in the other Colorado basins, but were delayed in the Arkansas River basin because of ongoing compact concerns...

The roundtable itself recognized early on that a matrix of all the available studies would be needed at some point to evaluate proposals. It proved to be a daunting task. Recent federal projects have illustrated the consequences of not getting it right: Environmental reviews for a long-term water storage and exchange contract between Aurora and the Bureau of Reclamation drew dozens of comments and a federal lawsuit; the proposed Southern Delivery System draft environmental statement elicited hundreds of concerns; the Preferred Storage Options Plan withered under the weight of objections. At the state level, a proposal to apply rules to agricultural efficiency so that it does not increase consumptive use initially met with a wave of resistance. Labadie said the CSU approach will lead to better results. Originally, CSU set out to study salinity and waterlogging on irrigated farms in the Lower Ark Valley. Now, 10 years and $2.5 million later, it has become apparent that change on a large scale can make a bigger difference for individual farmers. With funding from conservancy districts and the cooperation of farmers, thousands of measurements in hundreds of fields have been made, covering nearly the entire farming area east of Pueblo County. One farmer told The Pueblo Chieftain the data from the study was so good, he tried unsuccessfully to convince the researchers to include more of his farm ground. "In the process, we have developed an unprecedented database," Labadie said...

Most research involves statistical sampling and plugging the information into a computer model. Labadie said this proposal is different, and would expand field observations to larger-scale models of areas throughout the basin. He described it as a "geospatial" model that would provide a complete picture, rather than a spotty sample. "It doesn't matter how good your models are, without good data you're wasting your time," Labadie said, noting he, other professors, students and volunteers have made observations. "We've had a huge army working out in the field. This is not a pie-in-the-sky idea, but a real study on the ground."

The new project anticipates expanding that effort to the entire basin, as well as looking at recovering water from tamarisk removal and beginning to address socioeconomic and environmental consequences of water transfers, something that is missing in most current studies...

Four water conservancy districts, the Southeastern, Upper Ark, Lower Ark and Purgatoire, are supporting the studies, and their managers spoke in support of the application. The roundtable agreed to support the study with the collaboration of the districts, as well as the CWCB to make sure efforts are not duplicated.

Category: Colorado Water
6:39:27 AM    


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Here's an update on Wiggins' search for water to satisfy their future needs, from The Fort Morgan Times. From the article:

Wiggins Town Council members did just as critics have asked -- talked to people about various options for buying new water to replace a failing well system. The council has been criticized for focusing only on a plan that would result in buying a 100-acre farm north of town with its 10 shares of Weldon Valley Ditch Co. water to use for augmentation and another small acreage about eight miles from town where a well would supply the town with water, although they have had earlier estimates of other options.

Last week, the council went to talk to the board of the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District about what it would cost to buy Colorado-Big Thompson water from Fort Morgan. On Tuesday, Wiggins officials talked with the Morgan County Quality Water District board about what it would cost to join the district, Mayor Mike Bates said during the council's Wednesday meeting...

He did not say much more about the visits, but a synopsis of the costs was available at the meeting. It showed that it would cost about $8.28 million to join MCQWD and about $7.7 million to buy Fort Morgan water. Those figures are much higher than the estimated $3.9 million cost for the Weldon Valley water plan. The cost of water to households would rise by $72 a month if the council went with the Quality Water option, $70 a month with Fort Morgan water and $28 a month for the Weldon Valley plan.

However, the council is still trying to decide if buying the farms would meet the town's needs, council member Vince Longcor said. One problem with the Weldon Valley plan is that it looks like the town could expect to receive from 12 to 20 acre-feet of water from the 10 shares, which would not meet the augmentation goals for the 240 acre-feet the town needs to completely replace its supply, said water engineer Brent Nation. That is because the town could only use about half of the 40 acre-feet of the gross amount of water due from the 10 shares. When a municipality changes the use of water from agriculture to town use, it can only claim the amount historically used on the crops, he said. Nonetheless, the topsoil at the Weldon Valley farm would be good for creating a dike to hold augmentation ponds and the sandy soil underneath good for letting water seep into the aquifer, which are good signs, Nation said. It is possible to pump water into the river through the ditch system, but that would only work in the summer and an augmentation plan requires year-round water replacement, which is what the ponds would be for, he said. As far as finding more augmentation water, it would be possible to use some of the water coming out of the sewer treatment plant as long as it is pumped to the aquifer basin, although it would take a while for the water to count toward augmentation because it has to have time to seep into the soil, Nation said. The present well water could be used for watering the football field and parks, which would reduce the need for new water, said Public Works Director Jon Richardson...

Bates said replacing the water supply is crucial, because Wiggins could run out of water in seven to 15 years at the present rate. There is also a worry the nitrate levels could become so high the state health department would shut the wells...

Opponents of the Weldon Valley plan wanted to know why the town could not use water from the Thomas wells, which were signed over to the city last year. The state will not allow Wiggins to drill required new wells to the 160-foot depth needed to access that water, only allowing a 142-foot well, said Town Administrator Bill Rogers. That makes the Thomas wells basically useless, he said. Former Mayor Ron Uhrich said he had heard that the state has no right to block the town from pursuing its 113 acre-feet from the Thomas wells. Nation replied that a water lawyer told him the Groundwater Authority, which is setting the rules, has the authority to oversee wells.

More Coyote Gulch coverage here.

Category: Colorado Water
6:25:23 AM    


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The Northern Colorado Business Report is reporting that the Colorado Farm Bureau is on board with the proposed Northern Integrated Supply Project. This isn't much of a shock since part of the stated goal for the project is to keep from drying up more agricultural land. From the article:

The Colorado Farm Bureau has sent a letter to the Army Corps of Engineers strongly supporting a proposed water storage and supply project that would create two new reservoirs in Northern Colorado...

"Colorado Farm Bureau has long been known for its support of efforts to increase water storage capacity in our state," said Alan Foutz, Colorado Farm Bureau president, in a letter to Chandler Peter of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. "The Northern Integrated Supply Project will ensure adequate water supplies for an increasing population as well as help meet other water needs in the South Platte Basin."[...]

Foutz noted that, without NISP, an additional 40,000 to 60,000 acres of productive farm land will be dried up, or about 60 to 100 square miles.

More on NISP from The Berthoud Recorder. They write:

The proposed Northern Integrated Supply Project will change more than just river water. The Cache la Poudre River and regional wetlands are popular destinations for Berthoud's birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts. It is one of the few remaining free running river systems in the U.S. and was recently added to American Rivers' annual most endangered list. The Northern Integrated Supply Project (NISP) would divert thousands of acre-feet of water from the river to feed two reservoirs...

The combination of dams, reservoirs and increased water demands would have major effects on both land and water areas in the region. Water ecosystems will be impacted by lower river levels just below the proposed dam where water will be diverted during the river's peak flow, typically in June and July. Water will be diverted into the proposed Glade Reservoir during these high flow seasons. But, according to Colorado Water Institute Director Reagan Waskom, rivers are more than just water. He said, "Rivers move sediment; they feed the wetland areas and they are habitats for many different sets of species." He emphasized that all of these aspects of the river would be impacted by diverting and storing the water elsewhere. However, he said, it's important to understand how the proposed projects will fit in with existing ones, and what the cumulative impact will be.

The EIS lists several specific impacts, including "channel scouring" (river washing sediment and debris downstream), watershed levels and habitat changes for river and land species such as the Preble's meadow jumping mouse. The proposed Glade Reservoir north of Fort Collins would cover over its habitat, which provides hunting grounds for snakes, hawks and other predators. Because the Preble's mouse is listed on the Environmental Protections Agency's endangered list, its habitats are special cases in development of projects like dams and reservoirs. "We can take a look at the specific problems," Waskom said, "but it all comes down to the overall health of the environment, and that's the big question."

More Coyote Gulch coverage here and here.

Category: Colorado Water
6:09:02 AM    


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Here's an update on efforts to form the proposed La Plata/Archuleta Water District, from The Pine River Times. From the article:

Primary election day, Aug. 12, will be the day for residents and landowners in the southeast part of La Plata County to decide whether to form a rural water district. On June 5, District Court Judge David Dickinson approved the petition from supporters of the La Plata/ Archuleta Water District (LAPLAWD) to set the election. Voting will be at polling places. Besides voting on whether to form the district, voters will elect a five member board of directors to serve if the district is formed. Nomination for directors closed yesterday. District organizer Dick Lunceford told the Times that people have submitted nominations in each of five director districts.

LAPLAWD attorney Eric Jorgenson said that if formed, the district probably will seek voter approval in November to issue up to $25 million in bond debt and to impose a 5 mill property tax. The district service area goes south to the state line, east to the Archuleta County line, west to the Animas River, and north of Highway 160, including the east half of County Road 240 and up to Vallecito dam. The service area excludes growth areas claimed by Ignacio, Bayfield, and Durango, and existing metro districts that provide water.

The total build-out cost is projected at $85 million, Lunceford said. The first part of the system will be built with the $25 million of bond money. The rest will be built as money is available, Lunceford said. The expectation is that the 5 mill property tax will bring in $4.5 million in the first year, he said. Board members will be elected from five districts that will be drawn according to population, not geographic area, he said. Amy Kraft, who works for the proponents, said the service area has 7,000 to 10,000 tax paying electors. Those who can vote in the formation election include property owners and non-property owners living within the district who are registered to vote, non-resident property owners registered to vote elsewhere in Colorado, and spouses of eligible property owners. Owners of excluded property cannot vote. The water district service plan is available online at laplawd.org.

More Coyote Gulch coverage here.

Category: Colorado Water
6:00:34 AM    


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Here's a report on efforts to control tamarisk in western Colorado that utilize the Tamarisk Leaf beetle, from The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. From the article:

...the tamarisk beetles that were released in the Parachute area may do more to control tamarisk than all the other efforts undertaken by [Rob] Raley, a ranch/wildlife manager for the Williams Production RMT energy company, and his human, saw-wielding crews. Raley arranged Thursday's beetle release in cooperation with Dan Bean, director of biological pest control for the Colorado Department of Agriculture. Bean and assistants from the department's Palisade Insectary drove the beetles in two small buckets to Parachute, and then followed Raley up Hayes Gulch, a Williams drilling area where the invasive tamarisk are competing with young cottonwoods for control of the drainage.

While efforts such as Williams' to cut down tamarisk have had some effect, Bean said the beetle, which feeds on tamarisk foliage, shows promise of killing off as much as 80 percent of tamarisk trees...

He welcomed the idea of some quarter-inch-long allies joining in the fight. Williams is donating a total of $30,000 over three years to the insectary in appreciation for its assistance. The beetles also are native to Central Asia, but not the United States. Bean said they were first released domestically in Nevada in 2001, after 11 years of study to determine if introducing another non-native species would be a safe means of taking on tamarisk. To date, he said, there have been no known negatives, such as unwanted feeding on other plants. One concern is that, in other states, the beetle would reduce tamarisk where the plant has become a nesting site for the endangered Southwestern willow flycatcher bird. But if that occurs, it would let willows come back, Bean said. "You would end up with better habitat for the bird," he said. The beetle was first released in Colorado in 2005 in the Horsethief Bench area near the Loma boat landing of the Colorado River. About six more releases have occurred in the state. Thursday's was the farthest upstream along the Colorado River drainage.

More Coyote Gulch coverage here and here.

Category: Colorado Water
5:50:57 AM    



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