Cutthroat competition

Durango Herald op-ed from Paul Sheppard, president of the Five Rivers Chapter of Trout Unlimited in Durango: As part of the recent land swap discussion, we should consider values that do not equate well to dollars, as they are priceless.

The U.S. Forest Service recognizes articles identified in the Wild & Scenic Rivers Acts as "outstandingly remarkable values" or ORVs. These are features in the forest of such high value, the Forest Service is directed to manage them so as to retain their character. In order for the people to make more informed decisions about the proposed land swap, I feel it important to share these values.

http://durangoherald.com/sections/Opinion/2009/09/27/Cutthroat__competition/

Thanks to Coyote Gulch for the link!

Upper Ark water study gets state funds

By CHRIS WOODKATHE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN

“It’s important from the standpoint of knowing what the total supply is and comparing our projected demands. Then we’ll know what we need to meet those demands,” said Terry Scanga, general manager of the Upper Ark district. The study would also look at groundwater recharge rates and possible sites for groundwater storage. Read more

Colo. water cleanups hobbled by ‘Good Samaritan’ legal risks

 Colorado Independent

 By Katie Redding

Trout Unlimited's Elizabeth Russell advocates for federal “Good Samaritan legislation,” laws that would relieve groups like Lake Fork Watershed from liability. She said that in Pennsylvania, the only state with such laws, “clean ups are happening left and right.” http://coloradoindependent.com/38169/colo-water-cleanup-projects-hobbled-by-%E2%80%98good-samaritan%E2%80%99-legal-risks

Enough water?

By CHRIS WOODKATHE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN

And speaking of the environment, a statewide plan is only effective when each piece of river it touches can be accounted for, said Melinda Kassen of Trout Unlimited.

Kassen said the nine basin roundtables that feed into the IBCC have yet to complete the analysis of nonconsumptive water needs throughout the state. Even then, each project will have to be decided on a case-by-case basis, since recreation interests

- rafting vs. fishing, for example - are often at cross-purposes.

Some reaches are fine, some need protection and some need restoration, Kassen said.

“We need to make sure we use the money available for environmental protection to protect those areas we know will have problems,” Kassen said.

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2009/09/20/news/local/doc4ab5bc15852b1824827984.txt

State plans for multiple water futures

By CHRIS WOODKATHE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN

Melinda Kassen of Trout Unlimited said the overall goal of meeting water needs is not as important to the environment as when and where the water is used.

“It’s about ecosystems,” she said. “What do we have to do to protect the important ecosystems of the state?”

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2009/09/15/news/local/doc4aaf1b996005b080031227.txt

Sportsmen's group labels gas drilling a threat to Roan

By DENNIS WEBB/The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel Friday, September 11, 2009

John Trammel, of the Grand Valley Anglers chapter of Trout Unlimited, is quoted in the report as saying, “It would be a serious mistake to jeopardize the irreplaceable values of native fish on the Roan by drilling in their watersheds.”

http://www.gjsentinel.com/hp/content/news/stories/2009/09/11/091209_3A_roan_sportsmen.html

State Faces Future With More People, Less Water

The Watch

by Allen Best

“There are projects that have significant adverse environmental impact that we could not support,” said Melinda Kassen, managing director of the Western Water Project for Trout Unlimited. “And there are projects that have substantially fewer environmental impacts that we can support,” she said, if mitigation measures are included. http://www.telluridewatch.com/pages/full_story/push?article-State+Faces+Future+With+More+People-+Less+Water%20&id=3559823-State+Faces+Future+With+More+People-+Less+Water&instance=secondary_stories_left_column

Part of Animas River west bank to undergo stabilization process

by Garrett AndrewsHerald Staff Writer

"We're losing that riverbank," said former president of the Five Rivers Chapter of Trout Unlimited Ty Churchwell. "Eventually it will eat its way through Roosa Avenue."

He said that part of the problem is the unstoppable force of nature, the other is human. River users who utilize the free parking along Roosa Avenue often don't walk to a trail to get to the river but forge their own through the native vegetation.

The repair measures have been designed to withstand a 50-year flood, and should be around "for decades," said Churchwell.

http://durangoherald.com/sections/News/2009/08/27/Part_of_Animas_River_west_bank_to_undergo_stabilization_process/

Colorado cities eyeing Wyoming water

by DP Opinion on August 20, 2009

Re: “Thirsty cities eye Wyo. water,” Aug. 16 news story.

In your article, Parker water manager Frank Jaeger asserted that “We’re going to have to have more water. It’s going to have to be imported.” Jaeger called the scheme to pipe water 500 miles from Flaming Gorge Reservoir across Wyoming to the Front Range the “least intrusive of anything you could do.”

The truth is, a pipeline of this magnitude would be highly intrusive and damaging to the natural environment, depleting flows in the Green River and destroying habitat for the world-famous trout fishery below the reservoir and for the endangered warm-water fish species farther downstream. Moreover, the monetary and energy costs of building the project and pumping water 500 miles to the Front Range would be staggering.

There are better options. Smart water strategies — like water conservation, reuse, small-scale storage, aquifer recharge and water sharing arrangements — carry a fraction of the cost and environmental impact of transbasin pipelines. Together, these smart strategies would eliminate the need for a Flaming Gorge pipeline or other costly and environmentally damaging transbasin diversion.

Drew Peternell, Boulder

The writer is director of Trout Unlimited’s Colorado Water Project.

http://blogs.denverpost.com/eletters/2009/08/20/colorado-cities-eyeing-wyoming-water-2-letters/

Revival within reach for South Platte River

Carp Slam will help breathe life into restoration plans for South Platte River

By Charlie Meyers The Denver Post

All of this serves chiefly as an angler's pow-wow for an initiative that began several years ago with a $400,000 grant to the Greenway Foundation to study what is called River North, from Confluence Park to the northern city limits.

More recently, Trout Unlimited announced a memorandum of understanding with South Suburban Parks and Recreation and the city of Littleton for a study of an extended reach of the river downstream from C-470.

North of this is a jumble of broken concrete, discarded tires and assorted trash that has plagued the river for as long as anyone can recall.

"We'd like to see the Platte turned into a recreational playground, a place that would attract tourists as well as residents, much like with Salida and Durango," said Michael Hobbs, president of the Denver Chapter.

http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_13154645