Water deal still a work in progress

Summit Daily News by Mely Whiting

A recent Denver Post article about the conflict over proposed Colorado Basin water diversions to the Front Range proclaimed that “Water war ends in deal.” As appealing as the headline may be, it is inaccurate.

No deal has been struck. No agreement reached. Denver Water and Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District did unveil last week a joint proposal to mitigate the impacts of their respective proposed transmountain diversion projects on the Fraser and Colorado headwaters. The proposal is promising, as is Denver and Northern’s good-faith effort to respond to concerns raised by many. But, far from a done deal, the proposal signals only the beginning of serious discussions.

Denver and Northern have an opportunity here to make history — to create transmountain water diversion projects that serve the needs of the Front Range, while protecting and even improving the rivers, their outstanding fisheries, and a quality of life for both county residents and visitors. Whether the Post’s optimistic headline comes true depends on the outcome of discussions slated to take place over the next several weeks. For those talks to succeed, anglers and other key stakeholders must be at the table. We urge Denver Water and Northern to extend an invitation to these stakeholders and make this a truly historic agreement.

Mely Whiting is an attorney for Trout Unlimited’s Colorado Water Project.

http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20090506/LETTER/905059987/1025

Surge of water projects show little coordination

The Denver Post

A $3 billion scrum of water projects is being developed along the Front Range — but their cumulative impacts, and whether there is water enough for all, remains to be sorted out.

Still, from Fort Collins to Colorado Springs, the projects are moving forward, powered, attorneys and water managers say, by Colorado water law's first-come-first-served principle....

"We don't have a water plan; prior appropriation is our plan and it's every man for himself," said Melissa Kassen, a director of Trout Unlimited's Western Water project.

Read More

Durango river steward honored

Durango Telegraph

One of Durango’s leading river stewards received national recognition last week. Ty Churchwell, of the Five Rivers Chapter of Trout Unlimited, was recognized as Colorado Trout Unlimited’s 2009 Volunteer of the Year last weekend at the group’s Spring Rendezvous.

Churchwell commented that he volunteers out of a sense of obligation both to the Durango community and the Animas watershed. “Those trout keep me sane and our rivers are my ‘church,’” he said. “Healthy rivers are the lifeblood of our communities, and I’m thankful Durango recognizes the value of the Animas to our community.”

The award also spotlighted the Animas River Restoration Project, which Churchwell is helping to spearhead. The City of Durango was awarded an $86,000 grant from the Colorado Division of Wildlife for habitat improvements and bank stabilization for the stretch of river between 9th Street and the Highway 160 bridge. The project, which is planned for August, is meant to improve fish habitat while restoring riparian areas along the western river bank. With the high flows and increased use of the area in recent years, a number of native cottonwoods and shrubs along the banks have disappeared, leading to further erosion and habitat damage.

“The restoration project we are doing on the Animas is symbolic of the spirit of Durango,” he said. “The great success we are experiencing at the chapter is a function of the wonderful people in Durango who come out and donate to our causes. We could not do this type of project without the people who support us.”

Colorado Court: Coal Bed Methane Producers Need Water Permits

Environment News Service "This is a victory for both ranchers and our streams," said Mely Whiting, an attorney with the conservation group Trout Unlimited, which participated in the appeal in support of the ranchers. "The decision sends a strong message that just because you are part of the oil and gas industry, you are not above and beyond Colorado water laws," she said. Read More

Clear Creek Project is Golden

West Denver Trout Unlimited will dedicate its Golden Mile stream restoration project on Friday, May 15, at 11:00 a.m. The ceremony will be held along Clear Creek, a short walk upstream of Golden’s Lions Park, on W. 10th street. Keynote speaker will be Dr. Tom Remington, Director of the Colorado Division of Wildlife. He will be accompanied by Brad Coors, Chair of the Colorado Wildlife Commission. Also speaking will be representatives from the Jefferson County Commission, Mayor of the City of Golden, and various other persons involved with the project.

The restoration project, a seven year effort completed in March, involved stream-bed reconstruction and other restoration of about 2200 linear feet of stream, beginning just above the City’s kayak course, and extending to the Jefferson County Open Space Park foot bridge 3300 feet upstream.

Completion of the project, when added to the previously-existing kayak course, will provide prime trout habitat, including stream-born brown trout, on over a continuous mile of stream. The Golden Mile project is the first phase of West Denver TU’s program to promote enhancement of fishery habitat on Clear Creek and provide desperately needed new opportunities for quality urban fishing and recreation.

The project, with a value-added worth of just under $300,000, was funded through a combination of grants from City of Golden, the State’s Fishing is Fun program, Albert Frei and Sons, Jefferson County, Miller Coors, Orvis Company, Frontier Environmental Resources, and West Denver TU and other Trout Unlimited and private sources. West Denver Trout Unlimited also donated in excess of 3000 volunteer hours to the project. The public is welcome. Parking is available along Lions Park, W. 10th Street. In the event of bad weather, the Dedication will be moved to the east pavilion in Lions Park, north side of 10th.

West Denver Trout Unlimited: Contact: Miles D. Williams, WDTU Director, Clear Creek Initiatives, mwilliam71@msn.com. 303 980-1322

Southern Delivery System: New customers for CSU’s water?

From Coyote Gulch

Now that Colorado Springs Utilities has essentially gotten the “green light” for their proposed Southern Delivery System the utility has started mapping out their customer base.

Front Range water diverters offer to help West Slope

Sky Hi Daily News - Grand County by Tonya Bina

A goody basket of river “mitigation and enhancements” has been offered to West Slope water proponents in an unprecedented gesture from Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District and Denver Water. Read More

Rapp named Trout Unlimited’s conservationist of the year

Clear Creek Courant Since the discovery of gold in 1859 in Clear Creek County and neighboring Gilpin County, it is doubtful that any Colorado body of water has been under more influence from historic mining activity than Clear Creek.

During the Gold Rush era, an estimated 1,600 or more active mines were developed, with nearly all of those since abandoned.

Over the years, these orphan mines and related mine waste residuals have had negative impacts on the local fishery. Clear Creek’s revival began in the late 1980s, about the time that Ed Rapp arrived on the scene.

Rapp is being honored as Colorado Trout Unlimited’s conservationist of the year.

http://www.lcni5.com/cgi-bin/c2.cgi?040+article+News+20090428174748040900

Thanks to Coyote Gulch for the link.

Animas River Makeover

by Dale StrodeDurango Herald Outdoors Editor

A prime stretch of the Animas River in downtown Durango will get a new identity this summer.

The Animas River itself will get a bit of a new look, starting in mid-August.

The west-side riverbank will get a full-scale makeover - a retro renovation - between Ninth Street and the Highway 160 bridge.

The river and west-bank renovation project was announced recently when Durango received an $86,000 grant from the Colorado Division of Wildlife for bank stabilization and habitat improvement on that stretch of the Animas River.

The DOW grant was one of the final pieces of a 3½-year jigsaw puzzle, put together through the nonprofit efforts of Trout Unlimited and the Animas Riverkeepers.

Ty Churchwell, then the president of the Five Rivers Chapter of Trout Unlimited, sat as a member of the Animas River Task Force. With other Trout Unlimited local board members and board members from Animas Riverkeepers, the task force was asked to review an Animas River corridor assessment.

http://durangoherald.com/sections/Features/Outdoors/2009/05/01/Animas_River_Makeover/

Colorado water war ends in deal

By Mark JaffeThe Denver Post

A peace treaty in a decade-long water war between between Grand County and the Front Range has been struck.

The agreement among Grand County, Denver Water and the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District aims to balance Front Range demands with more flow for the Upper Colorado River basin.

The deal also is expected to smooth the progress of plans for two new water projects to bring 16 billion gallons of water from Grand County to the Front Range.

"We are at a historic place," said Grand County Commissioner James Newberry. "Maybe West Slope and East Slope can work together for the good of Colorado."

"It's all a more comprehensive approach to managing the river," said Mely Whiting, an attorney with Trout Unlimited. "Just getting Denver Water and Northern to coordinate is a big step."

http://www.denverpost.com/ci_12267401