Thursday, September 25, 2008

Micro-hydroelectric power for Gunnison County? From The Idaho Mountain Express: "Water officials in Gunnison County are looking into the possibility of small hydroelectric projects, also called microhydro. Unlike the big dams that block streams, the microhydro technology allows the power of moving water to be harnessed to produce electricity, but often with no evidence of the turbine within the stream or creek. "You can actually drop these turbines into the river and anchor them, and you can still raft over them and they don't impact fish," said Steve Schechter, a director of the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District." More from the article: Drawing the district's attention is a new funding from a Colorado state agency for feasibility studies, plus loans of up to $2 million at low cost. One potential sticking point, reports the Crested Butte News, is transmission. Power lines are frowned upon in the Gunnison Valley, a place of soothing hay meadows. The thinking is that if Gunnison County can get a few kilowatts here and there from microhydro production, that will diminish the amount of electricity that must be imported from distant sources. More Coyote Gulch coverage here. Category: Colorado Water 6:52:48 AM     Denver Water rates to go up on January 1st Denver Water is once again punishing conservation raising rates, according to The Denver Business Journal. From the article: Water bills for Denver Water customers will climb effective Jan. 1, 2009, after a vote Wednesday by the utility's board of directors. Denver residential customers will see bills increase by an average of $19.14 a year, the utility said Wednesday... Suburban customers served by Denver Water will see water bills rise by an average of $33.12 per year. The utility's board of directors also voted to adjust rates for commercial, industrial and governmental customers, who pay seasonal water rates. The inside-city rates for these customers will be adjusted from $2.47 per thousand gallons to $2.96 in the summer, and from $2.06 per thousand gallons to $1.48 in the winter... "Rates are more affected by rising operating costs than by changes in demand," said John Wright, manager of rate administration, in a statement. "In the long run, conservation is a less expensive supply option than finding more water and building new storage facilities." Denver Water is funded primarily through rates and system development charges, commonly referred to as "tap fees," charged to new customers connecting to the water system. The independent municipal agency, which doesn't receive tax dollars, uses rates to recover the costs of providing water service and to encourage efficiency by charging higher prices for higher water use. Category: Colorado Water 6:46:28 AM     Wolford Mountain Reservoir: Zebra mussel update Here's an update on the fight against zebra mussels at Wolford Mountain Reservoir, from The Sky-Hi Daily News. From the article: No zebra or quagga mussels have been found in Wolford Mountain Reservoir, and officials want to keep it that way. "We were tested mid-August for the larva and it came back negative," said Jeff Miller, Wolford Recreation Facility Concessionaire. "Right now, we're understanding that it is a mussel-free lake." More than $15,000 was spent on a program this fall to ensure boats don't transport mussels into the lake, and Colorado River Water Conservation District has budgeted $60,000 to keep the program running next year, he said. The program pays for inspectors, salaries, supplies, contamination vessels, signage, education and training. The road near the inspection area also had to be widened. The Department of Wildlife donated decontamination vessel equipment to Wolford this year, but the district could have to purchase the equipment next year. A contamination vessel is a high-pressure washer that produces hot water. It costs between $8,000 and $20,000, Miller said. If an inspector is not at the gate, a phone system is set up so people can call for an inspection and a worker will be there within 10 minutes. Once they pass inspections, they are allowed through the gate. The program started this fall to set up equipment, work on flaws and see how they could improve this fall, he said... Inspections will be ongoing until Nov. 1, when the boat ramp is closed. Inspectors do a visible inspection for mature mussels. They examine boats' livewells, motors and bilge areas before they are allowed on the lake, Miller said... Mussels migrate while in that larva stage and are microscopic. If someone doesn't drain their livewell or motor they can be "easily transmitted," Miller said. "You have a hard time catching them in the larva stage -- they're microscopic. They can stay alive in a water solution as long as it meets their environment. They can stay alive quite a while." If boats are wet or mussels are found o they are decontaminated. This takes 15 to 20 minutes. Inspectors spray the boat with 140-degree water. The hot water kills mussels. So far, Wolford has done about four decontaminations. When boats get off the lake, a Wolford label is tagged between the boat and trailer. The boat can then come back to the reservoir without going through inspections again. More Coyote Gulch coverage here. Category: Colorado Water 6:40:14 AM

© Copyright 2008 John Orr. Last update: 10/1/08; 6:47:18 AM.