Flaming Gorge water

Pueblo Chieftain

Re: “Flaming Gorge water plan inches along,” March 31 Chieftain: Let me explain why Colorado should “stick a fork” in the proposed Flaming Gorge pipeline. Colorado’s Front Range communities can meet their future water needs with innovative strategies that are faster and cheaper to develop and less controversial and environmentally damaging than the proposal to pump water 500 miles from Flaming Gorge Reservoir to the Front Range.  The pipeline proponents claim that Colorado must develop its remaining Colorado River Compact water or risk losing it to downstream states. Recent state studies show, however, that Colorado may not have any water left to develop under the compact, especially if water availability in the Colorado River basin declines as a result of climate change, as many scientists predict.

Even if there is Colorado River water left under the compact, developing it through the Flaming Gorge pipeline would reduce opportunities in other parts of the state, including the Western Slope.

There are better alternatives. As recently outlined in the “Filling the Gap” report, Front Range communities from Denver to Greeley can more than meet their water needs in 2050 through a pragmatic mix of voluntary and temporary ag/urban sharing arrangements, conservation, reuse, and environmentally responsible water projects.

Simply put, there’s no compelling need for a Flaming Gorge pipeline. For more information, see http://www.tu.org/sites/www.tu.org/files/documents/FillingTheGap.pdf. 

Drew Peternell

Director

Colorado Water Project

Trout Unlimited

Boulder

http://www.chieftain.com/opinion/tell_it_to_the_chieftain/flaming-gorge-water/article_9624018c-624b-11e0-b08c-001cc4c002e0.html

TU hires new Gunnison River basin coordinator

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 14, 2011

Contact:

Drew Peternell, (303) 440-2937, x 102

dpeternell@tu.org

Cary Denison, (970) 596-3291

cdenison@tu.org

TU hires new Gunnison River basin coordinator

Part of sportsmen group’s expanded presence in western Colorado

Trout Unlimited’s Colorado Water Project today announced the hiring of Cary Denison as project coordinator for the Gunnison River basin in west-central Colorado. Denison, a native and long-time resident of the Gunnison basin, will be headquartered in Delta. Denison will plan and implement habitat improvement projects on key stream reaches in the Gunnison basin, with the goal of protecting, reconnecting and restoring trout populations. Cary will collaborate with water users, private land owners and agency staff to improve streams and implement cooperative arrangements that benefit both agricultural producers and fish habitat. 

Denison will work closely with volunteers in TU’s Grand Valley Anglers, Gunnison Angling Society and Gunnison Gorge Anglers chapters. 

Prior to joining TU, Denison headed Colorado Land and Water Specialists, a water resources management firm that planned, designed and constructed stream restoration and irrigation projects in the Gunnison basin. He also has worked for the Colorado Division of Water Resources as a water commissioner in the Gunnison and San Miguel River basins, reviewing water court applications, assisting water users and administering water rights during periods of water shortage.

In his various roles, Cary has worked extensively with private landowners and irrigators to create collaborative and productive relationships.

“Cary brings a wealth of experience to our efforts in the Gunnison basin,” said Drew Peternell, director of TU’s Colorado Water Project, which works to improve stream flows and coldwater fisheries in the state. “He is a problem-solver with a proven track record of managing water resources and water projects. He also has a strong commitment to finding water solutions that benefit both private landowners and fisheries.”

As is true in many areas across Colorado, fish habitat in certain stream segments in the Gunnison basin is fragmented and degraded. Trout Unlimited, a grassroots sportsmen’s conservation organization with 10,000 members in Colorado, is expanding its restoration work in the Gunnison. TU’s goal is to work collaboratively with ranchers and landowners to restore streams and improve flows with irrigation upgrades and other tools.

“This is a natural extension of the restoration work I’ve been doing for years in the Gunnison basin,” said Denison of his new position. “I have a strong connection to these waters. I grew up fishing here, and today I boat and fish the Gunnison with my kids. I’m excited about this opportunity to make a difference for my home waters.”

Front Range groups must protect resources

GJ Sentinel Regarding the Feb. 16 article, “Fisheries weigh options for, against diversions”: We appreciate The Daily Sentinel’s coverage of the potential impacts of the additional trans-mountain water diversion projects being proposed by Denver Water and the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District. The article contains several statements that bear clarification.

First, Denver and Northern are not entitled to build the new projects regardless of their impacts to fish and wildlife resources in western Colorado. The water rights for the projects only establish a place in the water rights priority line. But, to build the projects, the proponents must secure necessary federal, state and local approvals. To win these approvals, Denver and Northern are required to take steps to avoid fish and wildlife impacts.

Second, it is inaccurate to say that Denver and Northern will divert the desired additional increments of water whether the projects are built or not. Think about it for a minute. If Denver and Northern can take the additional water without the projects, why would they spend millions of dollars to permit and build them?

Third, Denver is proposing to spend $5 million to $7 million to mitigate impacts of its project, but these funds will be directed at impacts on South Boulder Creek and the North Fork of the South Platte River. Denver is offering virtually no mitigation for the Fraser and Williams Fork basins — the two basins that will bear the brunt of the impacts of the proposed Moffat project.

Soon, Colorado Division of Wildlife staff will be called upon to advise the Wildlife Commission on measures needed to protect fish and wildlife resources from the impacts of the proposed trans-mountain diversions. We urge the DOW to base its analysis on sound science and to fulfill its responsibility to protect these priceless natural resources.

MELY WHITING, Counsel

Trout Unlimited

Colorado Water Project

Pagosa Springs

http://www.gjsentinel.com/opinion/articles/printed_letters_march_7_2011

Filling Front Range water gap

Pueblo Chieftain Guest commentary from Drew Peternell, director of the Colorado Water Project for Trout Unlimited,  Bart Miller, director of the water program for Western Resource Advocates and Becky Long, water caucus coordinator for the Colorado Environmental Coalition.

http://www.chieftain.com/opinion/ideas/filling-front-range-water-gap/article_266b0db4-46c5-11e0-8007-001cc4c03286.html

A Sustainable Solution for Meeting Colorado’s Water Needs Through 2050

DENVER – Western Resource Advocates (WRA), Trout Unlimited (TU) and the Colorado Environmental Coalition (CEC) today released a plan that outlines how Colorado Front Range communities can meet projected human water demands through 2050 while keeping rivers healthy.  In the new report, “Filling the Gap: Commonsense Solutions for Meeting Front Range Water Needs,” the conservation groups detail an approach that relies on low-impact water supply projects, conservation, water reuse, and agricultural-urban water cooperation to meet Colorado’s growing water demands. Colorado is currently working through the Interbasin Compact Committee (IBCC) process to determine how the state’s river basins can meet their future water needs.  The IBCC is considering a number of new storage projects, transbasin diversions, and moving of water over long distances.  The “Filling the Gap” report offers an alternative plan showing how Front Range communities in the South Platte River Basin, home to some of Colorado’s largest municipalities including Denver, Boulder, and Fort Collins, can meet  future needs without new major diversions of water from other river basins.  The plan outlined in the “Filling the Gap” report is designed to be less expensive than traditional water supply approaches.

PDF copies of the report can be found at: http://www.tu.org/sites/www.tu.org/files/documents/FillingTheGap.pdf

High Country trying to deal with Front Range water needs

Janice KurbjunSummit County Correspondent Post Independent

Front Range residents and industry are expected to need 1.06 million acre-feet of water annually by 2050 — an increase of 365,000 acre-feet over today's needs — and several conservation organizations think there are better ways to get it than by building transbasin diversions.

Conservation organizations Western Resource Advocates, Trout Unlimited and the Colorado Environmental Coalition released a report Tuesday that claims “Colorado can chart a new innovative path forward that protects our rivers, streams and local communities.”

Read the Article

New report offers alternative vision for state’s water needs

Summit County Citizens Voice

by Bob Berwyn

“Many of Colorado’s rivers and streams are depleted to the point that they no longer support robust fisheries or recreational opportunities,” said Drew Peternell, director of TU’s Colorado Water Project. “Additional diversions from these streams could be devastating.  ‘Filling the Gap’ charts a responsible path for meeting our water needs while protecting our state’s high quality of life.” http://summitcountyvoice.com/2011/03/02/new-report-offers-alternative-vision-for-states-water-needs/

Hick has opportunity for new era in water planning

Daily Camera

Now is the time for Colorado to embrace new thinking about water supply. Gov. Hickenlooper can lead the way by promoting a balanced vision of Colorado`s water future that preserves and enhances the health of the state`s rivers.

Drew Peternell is Director of Trout Unlimited`s Colorado Water Project in Boulder. Trout Unlimited is a grassroots sportsmen`s conservation group with 10,000 members in Colorado.

Read more: Hick has opportunity for new era in water planning - Boulder Daily Camera http://www.dailycamera.com/guest-opinions/ci_17098800#ixzz1BPmunEx2

Settlement reached in Dry Gulch water case

By Randi Pierce

PagosaSUN.com staff

After years of litigation, the Pagosa Area Water and Sanitation and San Juan Water Conservancy districts have agreed to the terms of a settlement with Trout Unlimited in the case of the proposed Dry Gulch Reservoir. The local chapter of TU brought forth litigation in 2004 over concerns that the then 35,000 acre-foot reservoir and accompanying rights for diversion and refill amounted to a water grab on the part of PAWSD.

“The settlement underscores that municipal water projects must be based on well-founded, substantiated data about future growth and water needs,” [Trout Unlimited’s attorney, Andrew] Peternell said in the press release. “In a time of water scarcity, Colorado must embrace water solutions that meet a range of needs, including municipal growth, agriculture and wildlife and recreation. No water user can take more than its fair share.”

http://www.pagosasun.com/archives/2010/12December/120910/pg1drygulch.html

 

Pagosa reservoir closer to reality

Durango Herald

By Patrick Young

“This is a victory for the San Juan River,” Drew Peternell, director of Trout Unlimited’s Colorado Water Project, said in a news release issued Friday. “The original application could have been devastating to fish habitat and the river ecosystem, but now we have a settlement that balances the districts’ need for water with the health of the San Juan.”

Trout Unlimited twice appealed the district court’s decision to award water rights for the project on the grounds that the districts were being too speculative in their predictions of population growth. In both instances, the Colorado Supreme Court sided with the environmental group and denied the project’s water rights.

As part of the deal, the water districts have agreed to draw no more than 11,000 acre-feet per year with a 10-year average of no more than 9,300 acre-feet per year. The districts also must maintain water levels in the San Juan equal to twice the flow required by the Colorado Water Conservancy Board’s in-stream flow requirements.

In-stream flow water rights are water rights held by the water conservancy board, mandating minimum water levels in the state’s waterways to prevent environmental degradation.

http://durangoherald.com/article/20101206/NEWS01/712069944/-1/s