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Tuesday, October 28, 2008
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Here's a look at the successes in fighting tamarisk along the San Miguel River, from the Telluride Watch. From the article:
An invasive plant that has sucked away untold gallons of the West's precious water while driving away native species during its advance along rivers and across wetlands has at last been driven from the banks of the San Miguel River, according to The Nature Conservancy.
An eight-year effort to eradicate tamarisk from the river came to an end near Uravan on Friday during a Conservancy-led effort that gathered together volunteers, agency staff, contractors, and others for a final "Save the Natives" workday aimed at ridding the last 1.5-mile stretch of riverbank of the noxious pest.
As a result, the San Miguel is the first formerly infested Western river to be declared essentially tamarisk-free thanks to chainsaws, clippers, heavy equipment, herbicides, and the grueling work of many, according to a Conservancy press release.
More Coyote Gulch coverage here.
Category: Colorado Water
7:19:29 PM 
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Here's a look at the Animas-La Plata Project, from the Durango Herald. From the article:
Next week, ground will be broken on a $6 million intake at Ridges Basin Reservoir southwest of Durango. Treated reservoir water then would be available for residents in a 250-square-mile area on Fort Lewis Mesa and possibly by residents of northern New Mexico. The reservoir, part of the Animas-La Plata Project, which is nearly complete, is to start filling in early 2009. EPC Corporation of Glendale, Ariz., has been hired to design and build the intake structure. "It was a pleasant surprise to get the (Dryside) project together so fast," Durango attorney Floyd "Bud" Smith said Monday. "We formed the La Plata West Water Authority late last year, and now we're ready for first-phase work."[...]
The authority was formed from a small nonprofit corporation that had been working for years on getting drinking water for the Dryside. The project became urgent as the A-LP approached completion because the Dryside intake site soon would be under water. Critical funding for the intake project came from the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Smith said. The former put up $3 million, the latter, $1.5 million - from the $20 million each tribe received in 2000 when the irrigation component was stripped from the A-LP. Seventy-five percent of those tribal "resource funds" as they're called must be spent on projects in conjunction with non-tribal entities. The Colorado Water Conservation Board contributed $1.1 million directly and indirectly. The remainder came from the Southwest Water Conservation District and the Animas La Plata Water Conservancy District...
Water for the Dryside will be treated at Ridges Basin then stored at a facility at Blue Hill - the highest point along Wildcat Canyon Road (County Road 141) that marks the dividing line between the Animas and the La Plata watersheds - for gravity-fed distribution to points west and south to the New Mexico line. The treatment plant is designed to process 2 million gallons of water a day initially. Eric Bikis of Bikis Water Consultants said an early proposal called for installing a turbine generator in the distribution line that could produce enough electricity to pay for pumping the water from Ridges Basin reservoir - named Lake Nighthorse for retired U.S. Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell - to Blue Hill. Mark Langford, president of La Plata West Water Authority, said 700 acre-feet of water in Lake Nighthorse available to his group is enough for 3,600 homes on the Dryside. The area currently has 1,500 to 1,800 existing homes, he said...
The Dryside project is not related to the recently voter-authorized La Plata-Archuleta Water District that would provide drinking water in a 400-square-mile area in southeast La Plata County.
More Coyote Gulch coverage here.
Category: Colorado Water
6:59:14 PM
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From the Aspen Times: "The Basalt town government will host a second River Master Plan Roundtable meeting Thursday, Oct. 30, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Basalt Town Hall. The meetings are being held to revisit a plan to address flooding potential and possibilities for public improvements along the Roaring Fork River, and how to implement that plan. The meeting is open to everyone.
Category: Colorado Water
6:41:49 PM
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From the Rocky Mountain News: "Nonprofit land trusts charged with overseeing thousands of acres of scenic lands will have to be state certified next year in order to continue accepting lands, under a new review process. Beginning Jan. 1, the Colorado Conservation Easement Oversight Commission will begin reviewing dozens of nonprofit trusts to ensure they are qualified to monitor lands and have the financial resources to defend the easements against development or misuse. The commission was formed by lawmakers this year after numerous abuses of the landmark easement program were uncovered."
More Coyote Gulch coverage here.
Category: Colorado Water
6:35:29 PM
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Here's a recap of yesterday's proceedings in the trial over the governance of the Rio Grande Water Conservation District's groundwater Sub-district #1, from the Valley Courier. From the article:
"This boat doesn't float," Alamosa Attorney Stephane Atencio said at the commencement of a trial over the San Luis Valley's first groundwater management sub-district plan...
At issue in the double trial that began on Monday in Alamosa are the approvals of the sub-district board's management plan by the local sponsoring district and by the state. District/Water Judge O. John Kuenhold is presiding over the trial that could take up to three weeks. Atencio represents resident Richard Ramstetter who has issues with the plan. Maintaining his nautical theme throughout his opening argument, Atencio said everyone involved in the trial was being asked to undertaken a voyage on uncharted waters in a vessel never built before. He contended that those who drafted the plan were sailors, not ship builders, and they did not construct a seaworthy vessel...
Also taking issue with the first sub-district's management plan were attorneys Tim Buchanan and Erich Schwiesow. Schwiesow, who represents the Costilla Ditch Company, asked the court to deny the management plan. His clients' concerns revolve around the protection of senior surface water rights, namely that the plan in its current form would not provide adequate protection. Schwiesow and others talked about a hydraulic divide that may or may not have existed in the past and which the sub-district board hopes to reestablish in order to protect senior water rights and preserve the Valley's aquifers.
Later testimony described the divide as a natural barrier between the unconfined aquifers of the river basin and the closed basin. The theory, which is currently under study, is that when the closed basin has ample water supplies, it forms that barrier that isolates/protects the river from the closed basin. Buchanan, who also represents senior water right holders, talked about how important it is to get this plan right. "This plan will lay the groundwork for future plans," he said. Other sub-districts are forming, he said, and the first sub-district's plan will serve as a guiding tool for them. He said the plan failed to comply with statutes and failed to protect senior surface water rights...
Attorneys defending the plan included Deputy Attorney General Peter Ampe who defended the state engineer's approval of the plan and water attorneys David Robbins, Bill Paddock and Richard Mehren.
Ampe said the goals of the water management plan are to replace injurious depletions caused by well users to the surface water system, bolster the aquifer and assist Colorado in meeting its Rio Grande Compact obligations. "I think the court will find the plan adequate to protect surface senior water rights and the water rights of well owners as well," he said.
Mehren said his clients in the Conejos River/tributaries area support ongoing cooperative and collaborative efforts to manage groundwater use in the San Luis Valley.
Paddock, who represents the Rio Grande Water Users Association, said the sub-districts and management plans are attempts to get the Valley's water system back in balance. Paddock added that the Valley economy is in large part dependent on agriculture and sub-districts are designed to maintain that agricultural economy. He said augmentation plans are inadequate tools for the Valley because they do not provide for agricultural sustainability. Paddock said this is the first of what could be five or six groundwater sub-district cases to come before this court. He said the guidance from the court on this first management plan would be crucial to subsequent efforts.
Robbins provided some water history leading up to the formation of the sub-districts and their attempts to address the negative impacts of water mining in the Valley while at the same time avoiding state regulation. He said the legislators who authorized the sub-district formation did not give the sub-districts police power but relied instead on the voluntary participation of landowners...
The first and only witness to testify on Monday was Lynn Kopfman, vice president of the first sub-district board of managers and a Center area farmer. He described the composition of the board, the development, purposes and details of the plan and public input into the plan.
He said the ultimate goal of the plan was to reduce pumping in the sub-district area in order to reduce negative impacts to surface water rights, bring the unconfined aquifer back into a sustainable condition and assist the Rio Grande Compact. He said the goal of the sub-district is to take up to 40,000 acres out of production.
One of the priority areas is a 3-4-mile area between Monte Vista and Del Norte about four miles from the river in the southwest corner of the sub-district, he said. Landowners in that area would be given additional bonuses for taking land out of production.
More Coyote Gulch coverage here.
Category: Colorado Water
6:12:52 PM
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From the Casper Star Tribune:
Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal has called for a deliberate process when considering shale extraction.
The presidential campaigns have weighed in, mindful of polls that suggest that finding new sources of energy is a priority for many Western voters. In the Mountain West, oil shale plays as prominent a role as natural gas and oil drilling. Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, John McCain's running mate, recently joined a Colorado crowd in chanting, "Drill, baby, drill," and "Mine, baby, mine." McCain spokesman Tom Kise said the GOP ticket supports a more cautious, if "all-of-the-above," approach to energy independence. "But whenever we're exploring for new energy sources, be it here in Colorado or off the coast, it has to be done in a way that is environmentally responsible," Kise said.
"Unlike the Bush administration's reckless develop-at-all-costs strategy, (Barack) Obama will work with local stakeholders to determine the best path forward and will ensure that science -- not big oil -- guides our decision-making processes," Obama campaign spokesman Matt Chandler said in a written statement.
More Coyote Gulch coverage here.
Category: Colorado Water
5:52:39 PM
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Yesterday we wondered what Pure Cycle intended to do with their water from the Lower Arkanasas River intended for Lend Lease's development at the old Lowry Bombing Range. Here's an article about the subject, from the International Business Times. They write:
Pure Cycle Corporation announced today that Lend Lease Lowry Range LLC (Lend Lease) has notified the Colorado State Board of Land Commissioners (State Land Board) of its intent to terminate, as of December 31, 2008, its agreement with the StateLand Board regarding development at the Lowry Range. Lend Lease, an Australian based developer, entered the Colorado development market in 2005 after it was selected by the State Land Board to develop portions of the Lowry Range property. More than 25 years prior to Lend Lease's selection, the State Land Board sought to protect and develop its water resources on 24,000 acres of the Lowry Range in order to assure thatan adequate water supply would be available for future development and, by doing so, to secure a multigenerational, non tax-based revenue source from its water assets for the benefit of the Colorado public education system.Throughout the Lowry Range development selection process, the State Land Board was careful to protect its long standing agreements and investments in its water assets.
More than 12 years ago the State Land Board and the Rangeview Metropolitan District entered into agreements with Pure Cycle Corporation to provide water and wastewater services to 24,000 acres of the Lowry Range. Two of the six sections of the Development Parcel are subject to these longs tanding water agreements.
One of the foundations of the State Land Board's water agreement are that it assures commercially reasonable costs for water and wastewater services while simultaneously providing the State Land Board with a continuing royalty interest from its water assets. Using a market based pricing structure, the agreement requires developers of the Lowry Range to pay fair market rates for water service based on comparable rates established by certain neighboring water providers.
Pure Cycle's investment in the State Land Board's Lowry Range water assets began over 20 years ago. Since that time, Pure Cycle has invested nearly $70 million into the Lowry Range water assets and has successfully adjudicated annual water supplies of over 30,000 acre feet of drought proof groundwater and approximately 3,200 acre feet of renewable surface water supplies; along with non-jurisdictional water reservoir sites providing forat least 25,000 acre feet of storage. To bolster the State Land Board's Lowry Range water assets, in 2006 Pure Cycle purchased an additional 60,000 acre feet per year of senior renewable water rights that Pure Cycle has made available for development at the Lowry Range and other areas along the Front Range. Lend Lease's proposed development on the two sections of the Lowry Range, subject to the existing agreements between the State Land Board and Pure Cycle, would consume only about 1,000 acre feet per year of water and would generate tens of millions of dollars in water royalty revenues directly benefiting the School Trust...
"We are disappointed with Lend Lease's attempts to intervene in the State Land Board's water assets and preexisting agreements. Nevertheless, PureCycle continues to work closely with its long standing partner, the State Land Board, to find cooperative solutions that meet the interest of its shareholders as well as the School Trust beneficiaries," commented PureCycle President and CEO Mark Harding.
"Pure Cycle has been providing domestic water and wastewater services to customers on and off the Lowry Range for over 10 years. In the event Lend Lease terminates its interest in the Lowry Range, Pure Cycle will continue to provide sustainable, renewable, cost effective water and wastewater services to current and future developments at the Lowry Range and the region. We remain committed to ensuring that the Lowry Range water assets continue to provide the School Trust beneficiaries access to tens of millions of dollars of water royalty revenues," Mr. Harding continued.
More Coyote Gulch coverage here.
Category: Colorado Water
6:48:34 AM
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Here's a report on tests for the pesticides used to fight the pine beetle infestation up in Grand County, from the Sky-Hi Daily News. From the article:
Tests studying the effects of tree-spray chemicals found both carbaryl and permethrin at one test site in a Grand County, Colorado, lake. The U.S. Geological Survey conducted the first set of sample testing for tree-spray chemicals on July 18 at Grand Lake, Shadow Mountain Dam, Granby Reservoir dam, Willow Creek Reservoir dam, Windy Gap Reservoir dam, the North Inlet and the Colorado River inlet to Shadow Mountain Reservoir. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment forwarded the results. Sites were chemical-free except for the Colorado River inlet to Shadow Mountain Reservoir site, according to Grand County Water Quality Specialist Katherine Morris. There, a carbaryl value of 0.6 micrograms per liter, or 6 one-billionths of the concentrated compound, was found. A permethrin value of 0.14 micrograms per liter was also detected. Permethrin and carbaryl are chemicals used in popular pine-beetle insecticides. At those levels, they are not a "human health hazard," but the positive results do create concern for freshwater invertebrates, according to Morris.
The level of permethrin detected, a chemical that does not break down as rapidly as carbaryl, could pose a disruption in the food chain by killing off one identified species of the water flea Daphnia Magna, a food source for Kokanee salmon and mysis shrimp, she said. Triggered by the positive results, Morris re-tested the site on Aug. 23. Results showed the chemicals were no longer present due to chemical break-down or flush-out. There are a variety of possibilities that would explain the higher concentration of chemical; Morris guessed someone handling the insecticides may have disposed of residue or excess chemical improperly. Overspray, she guessed, wouldn't have produced such values. Designed specifically to break down, "these are not strongly persistent environmental chemicals," Morris said. "They break down over time unlike pesticides of an historical note. That doesn't mean they're not strong; they need to be taken seriously."
The "half lives" for compounds denote the rate of reduction over time and what percentage remains in water and soil. "The 'half life' ensures it will degrade over time," Morris said. Overspray that lands in soil breaks down halfway with the help of the sun in roughly three weeks. In soil with a lot of oxygen, the rate is from four to 72 days. In water, overspray breaks down halfway from about four days to two weeks...
Operators of chemical sprays must follow labels as law and should be careful of overspray on hardscapes such as driveways and roofs. Most labels give instruction on how far applicators must remain from water. Absent label instructions, the rule of thumb is that applicators should stay at least 30 feet from water sources, Morris said.
Category: Colorado Water
6:40:29 AM
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From the Pueblo Chieftain: "Construction on the long-awaited $3.3 million sanitary sewer project in the north Canon City neighborhood could start this winter if all of the final legal hurdles can be cleared...Many residents have dealt with septic problems for years caused by high water tables and poor soil conditions. Those residents in 2006 petitioned Fremont County and the Fremont Sanitation District to help them obtain sanitary sewer service, according to Commissioner Ed Norden. Sanitation District Manager George Medaris said there are two key components to finance the project. The first is a $1.3 million Community Development Block Grant from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs. The second is a $2 million loan from the Colorado Water Resources and Power Development Authority."
Category: Colorado Water
6:29:09 AM
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Here's a recap of last night's informational meeting to discuss the pipeline process through Pueblo Couny for Colorado Springs' proposed Southern Delivery System, from the Pueblo Chieftain. From the article:
Easements for a pipeline through Pueblo County that primarily serves communities in El Paso County will be negotiated on a parcel-by-parcel basis..."Our goal is to make everyone financially whole," said Steve Droge, real estate specialist for the project.
Monday's meeting was lightly attended because many people had come to an identical meeting last week. There were, however, more detailed explanations available about how easements would be acquired and about some of the conditions that would accompany the easements. Colorado Springs officials were unable to immediately provide a total of how much money is available for easements, but explained how they would be obtained. The pipeline would pass through 140 properties in Pueblo County, as well as 20 roads and several drainage ways. Colorado Springs has identified only one home, on Industrial Drive, that it would have to buy...
Most of the property, however, does not have structures that would be in the way of a 100-foot-wide easement that would run through Pueblo West and the undeveloped area north of it. The easements on those properties would be negotiated on a case-by-case basis, according to market value, Droge said. There is no blanket formula to determine prices, since an appraiser has to look at the value of each parcel, he said. Several property owners at the meeting were concerned about deflated values in a depressed real estate market and the fact that they would still be paying property taxes on property they couldn't fully use. Colorado Springs would hire an appraiser for the project and would pay for an alternative appraisal if the homeowner is not satisfied, said John Fredell, SDS project director...
There are also issues where the pipeline would cross Walker Ranches, the largest single property owner along the route in Pueblo County. Endangered species have been found along the proposed route and still are being catalogued by the Nature Conservancy, said Gary Walker. Walker, who earlier raised concerns about work on the property that was intrusive and damaging to cattle operations when the Fountain Valley Conduit was built, is also alarmed by the route of the pipeline, which veers off the course of the existing pipeline. The proposed route could lead to erosion and disturb delicate ecosystems, Walker said...
The Pueblo West Metro District owns many of the parcels along the route as well. Unlike private land, property owned by a governmental entity cannot be condemned, so different rules for negotiation may apply in those cases, Pueblo West Metro District Manager Don Saling said last week.
More coverage from the Pueblo Chieftain:
The short-term trends of the stock market and other sectors of the economy would have little impact on the development of a long-term water project planned by Colorado Springs Utilities...
The timing of the project could be altered by a downward trend in growth, but is less likely to be changed by national economic trends, said John Fredell, SDS project manager. "This is a long-term project and we're not going to make our decisions based on short-term trends," Fredell said. Colorado Springs issued a $28 million bond issue during the second week of October, the worst week ever on Wall Street. Although it was small in comparison to SDS, it shows the strength of Colorado Springs' ability to get financing. "We don't see the economic situation affecting us. We have one of the highest credit ratings in the United States,[per thou] Fredell said. Colorado Springs Utilities revenues were down this year because development charges produced less revenue than expected with a downturn in new construction. While Colorado Springs has looked at the timetable for the project against the projected demand, it has not changed the 2012 date for implementation of the project.
More coverage from the Colorado Springs Gazette:
Wednesday, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation will hold a hearing at the Pueblo Convention Center, 320 Central Main St. in Pueblo, from 6 to 9 p.m. Officials will present information and take comments on recent changes to the plan - the most significant being abandoning the Jimmy Camp Creek Reservoir in favor of the proposed Upper Williams Creek Reservoir near Drennan Road.
Thursday, Colorado Springs Utilities will hold the last of four meetings on its land-use application with Pueblo County to build the pipeline. Officials will discuss the impacts to Fountain Creek and regional efforts that are under way to improve the waterway. The meeting is 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the El Pueblo History Museum, 301 North Union Ave. in Pueblo.
More Coyote Gulch coverage here.
Category: Colorado Water
6:22:49 AM
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Fromthe Craig Daily Press: "The city of Craig recently instituted a new bulk water sales system for those who buy large amounts of water for businesses or homes. The new system is more consumer-friendly, city Finance Director Bruce Nelson said. Prepaid water accounts are kept on file at City Hall, which will prevent problems with lost money. Bulk water stations -- at either 1775 Yampa Ave. or 1100 W. First St. -- also offer options for Visa and Mastercard payment, either through debit or credit cards, which was not possible before. Those with water cards for the old system will need to purchase a new prepaid card for $5 if they wish to continue using a water card. They also may have their money refunded and use Visa or Mastercards for free. Residents do not need a city account to purchase water. For more information, call City Hall at 826-2005."
Category: Colorado Water
6:12:45 AM
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The Denver Post is running an article about opposition to the proposed Amendment 52. From the article:
Amendment 52 -- which would redirect some oil-and-gas severance-tax revenues from water to highway projects -- is drawing fire from water officials and conservation groups across the state. "At a time when we are under pressure to get more out of our water resource and protect the environment, this would seriously hamper us," said Harris Sherman, executive director of the state Department of Natural Resources. At risk, Sherman said, are more than $50 million in funds to do water supply planning, offer low-interest loans for local water projects and for programs to control invasive species, manage forest health and help endangered species. Over time, the revolving loan fund for water projects administered by the Colorado Water Conservation Board would see about $134 million less in its account, Harris said.
Supporters of the proposal reject the criticism, which they say is aimed at defeating the proposal in favor of a Ritter administration amendment to use severance-tax money for college scholarships. "This is all about politics," said Sen. Josh Penry, R-Grand Junction, a sponsor of Amendment 52. Penry said that when Gov. Bill Ritter chose to seek the severance-tax change through the ballot rather than the legislature, those seeking more money for highways "were forced to put our own proposal to the voters."[...]
Groups including Trout Unlimited, Ducks Unlimited, the Northern Colorado Conservancy District, the Greeley Water Board and water conservation board say redirecting dollars slated for water will hurt the state. "We know that we are facing a growing population and a need for water projects," said Chris Treese, a spokesman for the Colorado River District. "This just hurts." The Denver Water Board also voted to oppose the highway proposal. "The endangered species fish recovery program on the Colorado and (South) Platte rivers is funded with this money, and losing it could affect our compliance with the Endangered Species Act," said Denver Water Commissioner Susan Daggett.
More Coyote Gulch coverage here and here.
Category: Colorado Water
6:09:07 AM
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© Copyright
2008
John Orr.
Last update:
11/1/08; 8:15:34 PM.
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