Coyote Gulch's Colorado Water
The health of our waters is the principal measure of how we live on the land. -- Luna Leopold
















































































































































































































































































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Wednesday, October 15, 2008
 

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Here's an update on the population of Tamarisk Leaf beetles found thriving in Fremont County, from the Pueblo Chieftain. From the article:

Tamarisk-eating beetles found in Fremont County likely are the descendants of bugs that were released in a nearby area two years ago, providing some hope that beetles released elsewhere in Southeastern Colorado could turn up later. "We installed bags on the trees, and put them in bags and let them get acclimated," said J.R. Phillips, Fremont County weed manager. "Then we let them out and didn't see them again. They literally disappeared." The same thing happened this year with releases in Pueblo, Baca and Prowers counties. Beetles brought over from the state insectary at Palisade were released last summer at several locations and no beetles have been detected in follow-up searches. Officials were somewhat dismayed by the short-term performance, but heartened to find an enclave of beetles in Fremont County.

But, if Fremont County's experience is a guide, those beetles might be trying to improve their diets with younger, fresher trees. The beetles were released in the Hardscrabble area near Florence on the Phillips family ranch, homesteaded by Phillips' great-grandfather, which has served as a laboratory for tamarisk control...

This year, the beetles were found in two areas of Fremont County, on Beaver Creek and on Four Mile Creek, both east of Canon City. The beetles apparently migrated four miles down the Hardscrabble drainage, crossed the Arkansas River and settled in the new areas. The releases were made in mature stands of tamarisk, and Phillips theorized that they were more attracted to younger, greener stands of tamarisk. The beetles have now entered a dormant stage, awaiting a new hatch in the spring, and tamarisk which had turned yellow are greening up, Phillips said. That could be evidence that the growing cycle of the trees has been interrupted - one of the consequences caused by the beetles - which will hurt the tamarisk in the long run.

While the beetles knock back tamarisk growth, they probably won't eradicate large stands, so other methods will still be needed to control the tamarisk. Fremont County has controlled thousands of acres of tamarisk using chemical spraying or physical removal, Phillips said. A project next year on Four Mile Creek will begin to remove first the tamarisk, then invasive weeds which follow the plants.

More Coyote Gulch coverage here.

Category: Colorado Water
6:44:25 AM    


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Click through to watch the League of Conservation Voters TV spot highlighting John McCain's desire to renegotiate the Colorado River, from Colorado Pols.

More Coyote Gulch coverage here.

Category: 2008 Presidential Election
6:37:32 AM    


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Here's a look at directional drilling for oil and gas, from 9News.com. From the article:

The buzz term these days, for both energy companies and conservationists alike is "minimizing footprint." In short, it means drilling more wells using fewer rigs. To do that, companies are relying on "directional drilling."

Unlike older rigs that had to drill straight down, the new generation can reach out, drilling horizontally, then vertically. They're able to send a shaft out a mile, then down another two miles to hit a 25-foot round target area of gas. Like a piece of wet spaghetti, put enough length on the pipe and it will allow an extraordinary amount of flex. Now rigs can drill in multiple directions, reaching more gas, without having to build more pads to support the drilling rig. Where there used to be 20 feet between wells and only about four wells per pad, companies can get 14 to 22 wells per pad. Less pads mean a lot less impact on the environment.

Bigger companies like Encana and Williams now use a system of pipes to move thousands of gallons of fluids between central facilities and the well sites. This eliminates the need for unsightly permanent storage tanks to collect the oil, gas and water that comes out of every producing well. It also eliminates the need to truck huge quantities of drilling fluids to well sites, which according to Encana spokesman Byron Gales, is a "win for the air, for the wildlife and the landscape." Encana and other bigger companies are also moving toward cleaner operating drilling rigs powered by natural gas.

More Coyote Gulch coverage here.

Category: Climate Change News
6:32:38 AM    


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Here's an update on the proposed Northern Integrated Supply Project from the Fort Collins Coloradoan. From the article:

Backers of the Glade Reservoir project say they're confident the water-supply project will win federal approval, but they are now expecting that approval to come sometime next year instead of by the end of 2008. Brian Werner, a spokesman for Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District, said most elements of the Northern Integrated Supply Project have taken longer than initially projected. Northern Water had once hoped to have the project complete by 2014 but is now looking at a 2016 completion date. "We hope to be able to start design in 2009," Werner said Tuesday. "It's taking longer than expected. We're at the mercy of the process in some ways. But we want to make sure the Army Corps gets this done right."

he U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has the power to approve or deny NISP based on environmental considerations, and earlier this summer asked supporters and critics to offer comments on a draft environmental impact statement...

Save the Poudre Coalition spokesman Gary Wockner said he thinks comments submitted by the coalition, Fort Collins and other skeptics were "devastating," and said he believes the Corps will reject the proposal. "NISP got overwhelmingly negative comments on the DEIS," Wockner said. "This project is looking increasingly suspect, because of the environmental problems and the growth projections that the cities are using, and the financing scheme."[...]

NISP's opponents have threatened legal action to block the project, which they say is too big, too expensive, and not needed given the economic climate. Supporters point out that few of the people who live on the Front Range today could live here without past water projects, such as the Colorado-Big Thompson, and Horsetooth Reservoir. Wockner said his coalition has proposed an alternative solution, using smaller reservoirs and buying water as necessary as growth occurs, which would protect local cities and towns from huge up-front construction costs for Glade and associated pipelines. Northern Water says the large project is needed because the growth will occur regardless, and building now will save money in the long run.

More coverage from the Denver Post. They write:

...a decision on the project probably won't be made until mid- to late 2009, said Brian Werner, spokesman for the water district. He said such delays are not unusual...

The project, known as NISP, will be designed and built by the water district. It is projected to be a $420 million undertaking that calls for the construction of two reservoirs. Glade Reservoir, north of Fort Collins, and the Galeton Reservoir, east of Ault, would supply 40,000 acre-feet of water to 15 municipalities and water districts across northern Colorado.

Several agricultural and farm groups, as well as the Greeley Chamber of Commerce, are backing NISP. But it's also drawn the ire of environmental groups, including the Save the Poudre Coalition, claiming the diversion of peak spring and summer flows from the Cache la Poudre River could damage parkland and wildlife habitat.

More Coyote Gulch coverage here and here.

Category: Colorado Water
6:20:17 AM    



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