HomeMy WebLinkAbout960332.tiff February 1, 1996
.'_0 cowside Needs a Water Development Strategy
Colorado is j Qpar ij a ronmental and economic future. It is the only Western state
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that does not hafoe-'a state de at@r Wvelopment strategy. The following are clear warnings on how
Colorado is failing to prets long-term interests in the high stakes competition for water in the arid
west:
TO Tra c
• A January 24, 1996 Denver Post article reported that Colorado must soon pay Kansas
"millions, if not billions of dollars" to settle a U.S. Supreme court decision on Colorado's over
use of the Arkansas River.
• Colorado is also facing similar pressures from Nebraska and the federal government for taking
too much water from the South Platte River during droughts.
• Eastern Colorado farming is threatened, because Colorado does not have a long term strategy
to replace the steady dry-up of the Ogallala Aquifer.
• Although Colorado snow-melt provides most of the renewable water for Western states,
misguided infighting has given Colorado the highest average water user costs in the West.
• Both Colorado slopes are highly vulnerable to floods, droughts, and water quality problems.
These problems are largely the result of inadequate headwater storage to bridge the giant gap
between multi-year wet and dry cycles.
• Colorado's Front Range cities are considering several unproven high cost water supply
alternatives, while more than a third of the state's Colorado River Compact entitlements are
flowing unused to California, Arizona and Nevada growth areas. This multi-billion dollar loss of
Colorado's highest quality, lowest cost water is worsening because of the steady West Slope
switch from irrigated farming to tourism-retirement-small business.
• The new federal program to recover endangered fish will soon permanently flush Colorado's
most storable headwaters to out of state users.
Colorado could easily solve these growing water quantity and quality problems with a
cooperative high altitude, off river, storage program. This modern water development strategy would
use advanced pumped storage technology to fill natural glacier carved reservoir sites during the heavy
snowmelt years. These saved Colorado flood waters would then be available near the Continental
Divide for efficient gravity release to the rivers of both slopes during the destructive multi-year drought
cycles. The traditional low altitude damming of rivers is obsolete, because of environmental impacts,
high evaporation losses, and the eventual filling with silt.
Colorado leaders and citizens must recognize that a cooperative headwater storage vision is
urgently required to turn damaging flood losses into liquid gold for the state's environmental and
economic future. The current divisive approach means higher costs and less
water for all.
Dave Miller 47dl//L
P.O. Box 567
Palmer Lakkee,, CO 80133
0,2-\01- I � � (719)481-2003, Fax 3452
L 960332
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THE DENVER POST Wednesday, January 31, 1996
DENVERAND THEWEST
Wildlif e offici als
d el ay river flooding
Plans for Green anger Utahans
By The Associated Press
SALT LAKE CITY — Federal wildlife
officials have decided not to cause a flood Both floods were
this spring on the Green River below
Flaming Gorge Reservoir. proposed to mimic
Because of the short time frame and spnng runoff in an
the people's concerns, we aren't going to Li
do it this year,' Reed Harris. Utah field experimental attempt
supervisor for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife to restore more
Sex-vice, said yesterday.
However, natural runoff could be high natural conditions in
enough that flooding will occur on its own.
The Green River flood would have been the rivers. High water
similar to one scheduled for late March is•
expected to benefit
and early April on the Colorado River in P
the Grand Canyon. four species of
3oth floods were proposed to mimic
spring runoff in an experimental attempt endangered fish.
to restore more natural conditions in the
rivers. High water is expected to benefit
four species of endangered fish. glers and rafters who visit the Green River
Teams of researchers will monitor the each year.
Colorado River flood this spring to learn Aneiers were worried about the flood's
high water affects the river channel, potential impact on the large trout that
fist] and streamside plants. This informa- live in :he Green River.
on will help them determine the optimum
sue and duration of future floods. Hat-:-.s stressed that yesterdays aecision
:and owners along the Green. River be- means :he flood has aeen defaced — not
low Flaming Gorge Reservoir don't want a Dance:ed. The extra time will be used to
human-caused flood. espial¢ :he project and find ways to re-
It doesn't do anything except damage duce any inconvenience for property own-
'
livelihoods, spread disease and endanger ers along the river.
structures along the river," said L'intah Sprinetime water releases from r am-
County Commissioner H. Glen McKee. ing Gorge reservoir normally fluctuate be-
He believes attempts to provide extra tween 300 cubic feet per second and4,700
ater for the endangered fish in the Green cfs.Harris was recommending a release of
River are a piny by politicians in Cantor- 3.700 cis. When combined with water en-
nia and Nevada to get Utah to send more tering from the Yampa River. the flow of
water downstream.lw
the Green River near Vernal would be
"They are using the trash-fish scenario about 25.000 cfs.This would cause flooding
to receive extra flows." said McKee. "The of low-lying farmlands and wash away
communities out here consider them trash some of the vegetation that has en-
fish because we tried for years to get rid of croached on the river channel during the
them." past decade.
Bert Kulesza, supervisor of Ashley Na- Biologists believe such a flood would
tional Forest, said flooding could cause$1 create ideal conditions for the survival of
million damage to boat docks, restrooms young razorback suckers —one of the dis-
and trails that serve the thousands of'an- appearing native fish of the Green River.
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