Monday, May 21, 2007

WRDA and the Rio Grande The Alamosa News is running an article about the WRDA and what it means for the Rio Grande River basin. They write, "Due to the efforts of U.S. Senator Ken Salazar, the Water Resources and Development Act of 2007 includes $25 million for restoration and management of the Rio Grande. The act, which passed through the U.S. Senate on Wednesday, includes millions of dollars for Colorado water projects with the largest amount, $25 million, for the Rio Grande Environmental Management Program in Colorado, New Mexico and Texas. The program provides for restoration and management of the Rio Grande and its Alamosa and Conejos River tributaries. 'That is important for us because we need to make sure we are protecting our compact entitlements in the San Luis Valley and the Rio Grande Basin,' Salazar said." Thanks to SLV Dweller for the link. Category: Colorado Water 6:23:33 PM     Runoff Here's a short article about snowpack and projected runoff, from the Colorado Springs Gazette. They write, "Last winter arrived early and often, but overall, Colorado's water supplies for everything from drinking to rafting are about average. Parts of Colorado are drier than normal, particularly the Western Slope, but the Arkansas River Basin had 122 percent of its average precipitation this winter, and snowpack was about 77 percent of the average for this time of year last week -- better than most recent years. Colorado Springs and southeastern Colorado depend heavily on the basin. The South Platte River Basin is even healthier. Last week, the South Platte still had 103 percent of the average snowpack for this time of year. A foot of snow fell in northern and eastern El Paso County April 25, and a major storm socked the high country -- more than 20 inches fell on Pikes Peak -- on May 8. The 47-inch snow depth recorded at Glen Cove that day was the most since monitoring began in 2004." More coverage from the Denver Post. They write, "The Yampa River basin in northwestern Colorado, for instance, is down to about 29 percent of its average snowpack, and officials along the Gunnison River are expecting only about half of the normal flows as spring turns into summer... "The reservoirs along the South Platte all are nearly full - weeks ahead of schedule - and metro-area water suppliers are in rare jubilant spirits even while they continue to encourage water conservation among their customers." Category: Colorado Water 4:44:11 AM     Farm disaster on the South Platte Here's part two of the Greeley Tribune's (free registration required) editorial board series on the impending farm disaster up on the South Platte. From the opinion piece, "So what are some possible solutions to the situation? Ideally, an emergency session of the Colorado Legislature would be the first step to give farmers some relief at least through the 2007 growing season. But Gov. Bill Ritter and the Democratic majority of the legislature apparently don't see the need for such a session... "Some long-term actions: "Put authority back in the State Engineer's office that has been stripped by the Colorado Supreme Court, then better fund that office, so it can better administer the state's rivers. "Funding has been stripped from the Colorado Water Board over the past few years. Find ways to better fund that entity, which in turn could make it easier for water organizations in the state to get financial resources to build water storage projects. "Develop methods of measuring the amount of water during extreme storms, such as have been seen this spring, that rush down the South Platte River and is added to the river's aquifer. There is the technology available to measure that water, which then could be counted as part of irrigation well replacement plans. "Develop first- and second-use plans with municipalities whereby cities would get first, and even second use of water, but then let agriculture have second or third use of that water for irrigation purposes rather than recycling effluent back to the cities that use that water to irrigate parks, golf courses, thereby using that water to extinction. "Develop water cooperatives between agriculture, municipalities and recreational concerns that allows for the transfer of water between members of those cooperatives. That would include the idling of farm ground during dry stretches but provides a financial safety net for farmers who agree to idle irrigated land for a specific period." Category: Colorado Water 4:36:25 AM

© Copyright 2007 John Orr. Last update: 6/1/07; 6:57:26 AM.