Monday, February 9, 2009

La Nina settling in We guess its official, La Niña is settling in, according to a report from NOAA. They say, "La Niña is expected to continue into Northern Hemisphere Spring 2009." Category: Colorado Water 7:15:27 PM     Ouray city council approves Black Canyon minimum flows agreement From the The Watch (Beverly Corbell): "A decades old water fight with the federal government came to an end for the Ouray City Council Monday when it voted to remove objections to a settlement for reserved water rights at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. "The fight to protect those rights has been going on 'for years and years,' City Manager Patrick Rondinelli said. "'The federal government tried to wipe out all water rights.'" More Coyote Gulch coverage here. Category: Colorado Water 6:50:08 PM     Lake Mead: Quaggas colonize test pipe in two months From the Las Vegas Journal: (Henry Brean): "It took just two months for quagga mussels to find and colonize a piece of pipe that was submerged in Lake Mead as part of a test by the regional Clean Water Coalition. The 15-foot-long pipe was pristine when it was sunk in about 110 feet of water in November. When it was pulled from Boulder Basin late last month, it already was speckled inside and out with juvenile quaggas no bigger than a grain of sand." More Coyote Gulch coverage here. Category: Colorado Water 6:09:57 PM     Northern Integrated Supply Project: Black & Veatch report disputes Fort Collins' objections to the project Here's a look at the Black & Veatch report commissioned by the participants in the proposed Northern Integrate Supply Project, from the Fort Morgan Times. From the article, "The letter to the Corps, the Black & Veatch study summaries and other related information are available on the NISP Web site (http://www.gladereservoir.org/) on the Water Quality Information page." More Coyote Gulch coverage here and here. Category: Colorado Water 5:59:17 PM     HB09-1174, Augmentation relief for South Platte Basin irrigators Here's a look at HB09-1174, Exempt Pre-1974 Well Depletions. It passed the state house of representatives today, according to a report from the Greeley Tribune. From the article: The bill, HB 1174 -- carried by Rep. Jim Riesberg, D-Greeley, passed on final reading in the House Monday morning and will now be heard by the Senate. It would let farmers off the hook for pumping more water in the basin they took out-of-priority if they did so before March 15, 1974. A water judge could review the amended plan for augmentation of the river basin. Category: Colorado Water 5:45:03 PM     Boulder County: Boulder non-profit packinging rebates and tax credits for new solar installations From the Longmont Times-Call (John Fryar): "Boulder County residents considering solar hot water systems for their homes may be eligible for rebates to offset the costs of installing those systems. The Center for ReSource Conservation, a Boulder-based nonprofit organization, has begun accepting applications for the program. It's expected to provide up to 100 rebates that, when coupled with available tax credits, can save Boulder County homeowners an estimated 50 to 55 percent of the costs of installing solar hot water systems. "Large systems, those that generate 60,000 or more BTUs a day, can cost between $7,000 and $12,000 to install, according to Debbie Fox, director of the Center for ReSource Conservation's Energy Division.." Category: Colorado Water 5:36:08 PM     Montrose County approves new regulations for the licensing of septage haulers Montrose County has issued new rules for septage haulers, according to a report from Katharhynn Heidelberg writing for the Montrose Daily Press. From the article: The county [last] Monday approved new regulations for the licensing of systems cleaners. The adoption of the regulations clears the way for the city to take over a county-constructed receiving station in northern Montrose... The centerpiece of the regulations is a tracking system that will allow the county and the city to monitor what is happening to waste from septic tanks. "When we agreed to a septage receiving system being built, one of the requirements we made was that the regulations be in place before we open it up," Municipal Services Director Jim Hougnon said... Once the receiving station is operational -- things are not quite ready to go, Hougnon said -- septage haulers will have options other than storing waste with West Montrose Sanitation, hauling it from the county to Delta facilities, or using it in land-application (spreading it on cultivatable acreage)... The county will begin issuing systems cleaner licenses in March. Licensing requirements include payment of fees, registration of vehicles, vehicle and liability insurance and the submission of quarterly reports to the county sanitarian that account for day-to-day activities associated with waste removal and disposal. Systems cleaners who do not have a license can be fined or prosecuted. The local governments are planning a joint meeting with waste haulers Feb. 18, to go over procedures and regulations. More Coyote Gulch coverage here. Category: Colorado Water 6:45:52 AM

© Copyright 2009 John Orr. Last update: 2/12/09; 7:11:36 AM.