Colorado needs a middle way on resource development or the political pendulum will wreck our economy and environment. http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_9641091
This is a job for ---- Halliburton!
"Why not build a water channel or pipeline from, say, Iowa all the way to Colorado?" http://foxforum.blogs.foxnews.com/2008/06/23/water-public-works-and-the-needs-of-a-great-nation/
[Something to ponder from the "I have no idea what I'm talking about but geez I'm brilliant" school of resource management. While you read this, think about the difference in wages in the U.S. vs. China]
Water conservation coordinator is seeing results
Highlands Ranch - conserving water? - Read on.... ed
Contributed by: Daniel Smith/YourHub.com on 6/23/2008
[excerpt] "The district's water budget implemented in 2003 was the first in Colorado, and gives each customer a goal or budget based on indoor and outdoor water usage by lot size, green areas and other factors. Rates increase as usage goes over the budget increments, from $2.30 per thousand gallons to more than $7 for customers who are over 140 percent of their budget."
Invasive species like zebra mussels are threatening river ecosystems, biologist says
Matt Terrell
[Vail Daily}
Vail, CO Colorado
"....Didymo is one of a handful of bothersome, unwelcome species that could have a profound effect on our ecosystem if we’re not careful, says Brian Healy, a biologist with the U.S. Forest Service....."
http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20080620/NEWS/928144175/1078&ParentProfile=1062
Be there for the showdown!
This Monday morning, the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission will hold a public hearing on its proposed “rules” for oil and gas exploration. As part of its ongoing effort to stack the deck against conservationists and sportsmen, the industry is expected to try to pack the auditorium with people on their payrolls, many of whom will sign up to speak.
If the recent hearing in Grand Junction is any indicator, the O&G people will arrive well in advance of the scheduled start time and sign up so many of their people that on-time arrivers will be shut out.
We need you to be there – preferably by 7:00 AM - to sign up, then tell the oil and gas commission to stand up to industry pressure and protect our rivers and streams.
You might want to tell Commission staff that its decision to drop a proposed 300 foot buffer zone along rivers and streams was an unacceptable concession to industry and that it should be reinstated. (Their revised proposal recommends a drilling buffer only for Gold Medal and native cutthroat waters).
Wouldn’t you think that if you can snag an oil rig during your back cast that the rig is close enough to pollute the river with stormwater mud or secret-recipe fracking fluids like diesel fuel? Because that’s what could happen along the Eagle, the Arkansas, the Upper Colorado and a dozen other rivers.
So… show up. And show up early as 7am. This is where the line gets drawn in the sand – between the kind of responsible development we can support, or bull-in-a-china-shop exploitation.
Monday, June 23, 8am at the Paramount Theatre Denver – 1621 Glenarm between 16th and 17th Streets.
Click this link for parking info and directions: http://www.denverparamount.com/parking.aspx
Click this link to visit the Oil and Gas Rulemaking website: http://oil-gas.state.co.us/
Trout Unlimited: SDS report flawed, 'illogical'
By CHRIS WOODKATHE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN
The Bureau of Reclamation used a flawed basis for evaluating the impacts of a proposed pipeline project and underestimated impacts on fish, the head of Trout Unlimited’s Colorado Water Project says....
http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2008/06/20/news/local/doc485b5b7ce5c0a606338043.txt
Trout Unlimited: SDS report flawed, 'illogical'
By CHRIS WOODKATHE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN
The Bureau of Reclamation used a flawed basis for evaluating the impacts of a proposed pipeline project and underestimated impacts on fish, the head of Trout Unlimited’s Colorado Water Project says.
Speaking on behalf of Trout Unlimited’s 150,000 national and 10,000 Colorado members, Drew Peternell said the bureau’s draft environmental impact statement for the proposed Southern Delivery System is flawed because one stated purpose and need is to develop Colorado Springs Water Rights.
“Development of water rights is not a legitimate purpose for the bureau to issue contracts for the project,” Peternell’s letter states. “Justifying SDS on a need to develop existing water rights would be analogous to justifying construction of a coal-fired power plant - not on demand for the energy - but on a purported ‘need’ to burn available coal resources.”
New laws balance river protection, water rights
Op-ed from TU's Colorado Water Project Director, Drew Peternell. http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2008/06/15/editorial/doc48548f8a71053517891884.txt
Gross Reservoir could double in size under plan
Environmentalists say project might deplete West Slope waterways
Drew Peternell, director of the Boulder-based Colorado Water Project, is worried less about picnic tables and more about Western Slope streams that are already heavily taxed getting damaged by projects like this one.
He said his group hasn't taken a formal position on whether to oppose the project.
"Our biggest concern with this whole project is the additional depletions in streamflows that it will cause on the Western Slope," he said. "The rivers and streams in Grand County have really been hit hard by diversions to the Front Range."
http://www.dailycamera.com/news/2008/jun/15/reservoir-expansion-eyed-environmentalists-gross/
Western & Colorado Water Project Staff Notes
June 2008
TU and the other parties to the Colorado water court proceedings to quantify the Black Canyon reserved water right are engaged in mediation. The lawyers have reached agreement on a proposed decree. The parties’ principals are now reviewing. Relatedly, the Black Canyon experienced a peak flow in late May of 7500 cfs:
The San Luis Valley Irrigation District is considering an expansion of Rio Grande Reservoir. The district claims that the expansion would have benefits for stream flow. We are trying to coordinate opportunities to discuss the project with the district and to provide input on appropriate flow regimes:
http://www.rgwcd.org/Pages/Other%20Districts/San%20Luis%20Valley%20Irrigation%20District/Index.htm
The Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) has released its Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on Colorado Springs’ Southern Delivery System (SDS). We have prepared draft comments on the EIS. We have also been discussing mitigation measures with the BOR and Colorado Springs: http://www.sdseis.com/
Northern has announced that the Draft EIS for Windy Gap Firming Project (WGFP) will be released by the end of June. The project would increase upper Colorado River diversions, impacting a Gold Medal trout fishery reach of the stream that has already deteriorated due to years of transmountain diversions:
http://www.ncwcd.org/project_features/wgp_firming.asp
Phase II of the Grand County Streamflow Management Plan study has been released. The study, commissioned by the county affected by upper Colorado River transmountain diversions, recommends flows needed for fish, recreation, channel maintenance and in-basin water use within the county. The study will assist evaluation of impacts of new water development projects as well measuring impacts of existing projects and changes in project operation.
We are involved in upper Colorado River negotiations in an effort to develop a flow management plan that protects “outstanding remarkable values” (including fishing and recreation boating) in the Colorado from Kremmling to Glenwood Springs. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is considering this stretch of the river for suitability under the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act (WSRA). A conceptual plan, outlining the elements of a final plan, will be submitted to BLM at the end of the month. Under the conceptual plan, the final plan would include minimum flows protective of the fisheries, as well as target flows for channel maintenance and recreation (kayaking, rafting, etc.). The plan would also identify “threats” to those flows and how those threats would be handled: www.rivers.gov/
We have been asked to testify before the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission regarding the need for a rule requiring stormwater control measures to protect streams from sediment and other contaminants associated with oil and gas development beyond the initial site construction phase. Stormwater discharges associated with oil and gas construction are already regulated by another state agency: http://oil-gas.state.co.us/
The triennial review hearing to update water quality standards and classifications for the Colorado River Basin (within Colorado) is scheduled for this month. This is the first basin where the interim temperature standards adopted last year will be considered for permanent adoption. After some hard work, looks like all temperature issues have been resolved; the final proposal is extremely favorable to protection of the most sensitive species (i.e., cutthroat and brook trout).
