IBCC: Transmountain water tranfers
October 16, 2009
From The Pueblo Chieftain (Chris Woodka):
“I’m starting to feel that on the West Slope, a bit of reality is breaking through,” Jeris Danielson told the Arkansas Basin Roundtable this week. “They’re beginning to accept the fact, and the task will be how to make it as palatable as possible.” Danielson, a former state engineer who is now general manager of the Purgatoire River Conservancy District, represents the Roundtable on the Interbasin Compact Committee, which last month looked at a tool developed by the Colorado Water Conservation Board that simulates various mixes of conservation, new supply and agricultural dry-up under varying growth scenarios…
The basin’s other representative on the IBCC was not convinced. “I don’t see any movement from the West Slope,” said Jay Winner, general manager of the Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District. “I see them drawing a line on the top of the mountains.”
Wayne Vanderschuere, a Colorado Springs Utilities executive and governor’s appointee to the IBCC, agreed with Winner, but said the state model may change minds, by showing the scope of how much agriculture is at risk without a new water project.
“I think the state and (CWCB director) Jennifer Gimbel have reached out to both sides of the mountains to identify what’s realistically possible,” Vanderschuere said…
Everyone agreed there is a renewed interest in at least having the conversation about whether it’s desirable to move more water across the mountains. The roundtable’s letter to the IBCC asking for analysis of a Blue Mesa alternative and consideration of Western Slope agricultural dry-up as part of the overall strategy was given consideration, Danielson said.
More IBCC coverage here.
From The Pueblo Chieftain (Chris Woodka):
The Bureau of Reclamation already is clearing space in mountain reservoirs – Turquoise and Twin lakes – by flowing water to Lake Pueblo, said Roy Vaughan, manager of the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project. Reclamation is expecting to clear out 65,000 acre-feet of space in anticipation of making room for 2010 imports from the Fryingpan River through the Boustead Tunnel. If snowpack and runoff were average this year, and no other adjustments made, about 14,000 acre-feet of water in some accounts would spill next spring, Vaughan said. The first 10,000 acre-feet is in a controversial account in Lake Pueblo under a long-term contract to Aurora. Other accounts holding non-project water within the basin also could be at risk as well.
However, as in the past two years, water planners are figuring out ways to use the water rather than lose it, Vaughan said. “The entities that know this is coming are finding a way out of it,” Vaughan said, noting that he is on the phone weekly to most of them as projections and water levels change. Water can be moved downstream to other reservoirs, which are far from full, either as part of water management plans or under low-rate sales to the Division of Wildlife. “Leasing water gets cheap when things get full,” Vaughan said.
More Arkansas Basin coverage here.
Energy policy — oil shale: Department of Justice is investigating Gale Norton’s role in 11th hour Bush administration rules
October 16, 2009
From the Colorado Independent (David O. Williams):
On its way out the door last fall, the Bush Interior Department tried to lock in rules that would require oil shale royalty rates for production on public lands starting at about 5 percent – far below traditional oil and gas royalty rates because of the speculative nature of the resource.
In its ongoing investigation of former Bush Interior Secretary Gale Norton, who later signed on as an attorney with Dutch Royal Shell – one of the leading researchers of oil shale production in Colorado – the Times turned up e-mails where Norton tips her hand on the strategy she suggested for locking in royalty rates despite changing administrations…
Oil shale production involves either mining shale and super-heating it to force out the kerogen, or organic matter, in order to refine it into petroleum; or heating the shale underground in what’s known as in-situ production. Both methods require huge amounts of water and electricity, and environmentalists argue research and development funds would be better spent on renewables.
Snowpack: El Niño building in Pacific
October 16, 2009
From the Steamboat Pilot & Today (Tom Ross):
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a winter forecast Thursday that rates the chances of average, below average and above average precipitation in the Inter-Mountain West through February as a toss-up. Mike Halpert, deputy director of NOAA’s Climate Pre diction Center, said the warm water phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean known as El Niño will be a driving factor in winter weather December through February in the United States.
Michelle Shaughnessy named to lead Colorado River Fishery Project
October 16, 2009
From the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel:
The new leader of the Colorado River Fishery Project in Grand Junction has worked previously with private interests to preserve habitat. Michelle Shaughnessy most recently was the chief for the Branch of Recovery and Delisting in the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s office in Washington, D.C. While there she was involved in controversial issues related to many species, including the gray wolf and the Preble’s Meadow jumping mouse…“After working on recovery of listed species at the national level for the past several years, I am excited to get back into the field and apply my endangered species knowledge to implementing recovery on-the-ground for the endangered fishes in the Upper Colorado and San Juan rivers,” Shaughnessy said in a statement.
More restoration coverage here.
Arkansas Valley Conduit: U.S. Senate approves $5 million in funding
October 16, 2009
From The Pueblo Chieftain (Chris Woodka):
The prospect of an infusion of federal funds is also a call to action for the district. “Our planning processes will be accelerated when we take a strong look at our cash flow,” said Jim Broderick, executive director. Broderick developed an idea that would use revenues from the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project to repay federal costs for the conduit. The bill includes a 65 percent federal match, which makes the project more affordable for Arkansas Valley communities.
On Thursday, the Senate approved a funding bill that includes the $5 million for the conduit. It will be added to a $1 million project already under way, which is funded in part by an Environmental Protection Agency grant. That work was scheduled to take more than two years, but would be completed much sooner in order to begin work on new phases of the project, Broderick said.
Other sources of money also must be lined up, including a loan from the Colorado Water Conservation board and commitments from local sponsors – the Southeastern district, the Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District and up to 42 communities from St. Charles Mesa to Lamar that would benefit from the conduit. “We need to tell communities we’ll need money sooner rather than later,” Long said.
The money from this round of appropriations will go for planning and to begin work on the environmental impact statement the conduit will require. The Bureau of Reclamation already is putting a team together to complete the EIS, Broderick said.
More coverage from the La Junta Tribune Democrat. From the article:
“The people of southeastern Colorado have fought long and hard to make the vision of the Arkansas Valley Conduit a reality. Today, we are closer than ever to honoring a promise made to them nearly half-a-century ago,” [Colorado U.S. Senator Michael] Bennet said. “Forty-seven years ago, President Kennedy proclaimed this project ‘an investment in the future of this country.’ Finally, we can begin making that investment in earnest.” “Thanks to the strong support and leadership of Representatives John Salazar, Betsy Markey and Senator Mark Udall, we can begin work on the Arkansas Valley Conduit,” Bennet continued. “This is a significant step forward but we also remain committed to making sure funding for the conduit continues to flow in the years to come.” Earlier this year, Congress passed legislation authorizing the construction of the conduit that was signed into law by President Barack Obama. Bennet, Markey, Salazar and Udall requested funding for the project earlier this year.
More Arkansas Valley Conduit coverage here.
Republican River Basin compliance pipeline update
October 15, 2009
From the Yuma Pioneer (Tonay Rayl):
The proposed pipeline, and several issues surrounding it, were addressed during the Republican River Water Conservation District Board of Directors’ regular quarterly meeting, last Thursday in Wray.
Attorney Dennis Montgomery gave an update on the arbitration process. He noted the selection of an arbitrator already is several weeks behind schedule but still expected the process to be completed by spring 2010.
The initial time frame was for Colorado, Nebraska and Kansas to have an arbitrator selected by September 16. However, it has not been done yet. Montgomery said five potential arbitrators are being interviewed by a mediator.
He noted Nebraska also is requesting arbitration on an issue it has with credits, arguing that paying for a shortage to Kansas should be wiped clean from the rolling average. He said this issue could be combined with the pipeline to go before the arbitrator.
Montgomery was asked what could happen if arbitration fails. The pipeline approval could be taken back before the Republican River Compact Administration again. If denied again, he was asked what Colorado would do. It could file a lawsuit or push it forward before the U.S. Supreme Court…
Nate Midcap spoke to the board about concerns in regards to what credit Colorado will receive for the water delivered by the proposed pipeline.
Midcap is the manager for four local ground water management districts, including the Sand Hills District, where the pipeline would be located. It is the Sand Hills board of directors that will have to have a hearing on whether to allow the exporting of water for the pipeline.
He said the state engineer said in a recent meeting that the pipeline water might receive only 80 percent credit for beneficial use. He noted the Sand Hills is a small board, and he did not want it burdened with the decision without a clear statement of beneficial use from the RRWCD. He said he wanted the RRWCD to push for 100-percent credit, and that the state engineer said he would push for 100-percent credit.
Midcap noted the more beneficial use credited to Colorado, the easier the board’s decision will be.
Montgomery said the district also would like to have a beneficial use statement, but probably will not have it until the end of arbitration.
“Our goal was to receive 100 percent credit minus the depletion factor, (which makes for a net of around 97 percent),” Board President Dennis Coryell said, adding the district’s goal still is 100 percent. “How it’s computed in the model is going to be the struggle for the states.”
From The Pueblo Chieftain (Matt Hildner):
“What my proposal has this time is the advantage of simplicity,” Udall said during a Wednesday press call. The bill would deal only with water pollution, unlike past measures that included waivers to other environmental laws, he said…
The measure would amend the Clean Water Act and create a permitting program for groups that can produce a cleanup plan.
Any mine owners responsible for polluting sites would not be eligible to apply for a permit. Nor would sites currently involved in Superfund cleanup be eligible.
More coverage from the Colorado Independent (Katie Redding). From the article:
This will be the 11th piece of Good Samaritan legislation introduced in Congress in the last 15 years. Despite the support of many of those living near the mines, cleanup groups, as well as the Western Governors’ Association, all previous bills have been defeated. The most vocal opponents of the legislation have often been major environmental groups, who worry that such bills weaken environmental legislation…
The Good Samaritan Cleanup of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act of 2009 would introduce a “Good Samaritan permit” for those cleaning up abandoned mines they had no part in creating. The Good Samaritan permit would protect such groups from Clean Water Act liability.
“This is an elegant and common sense solution to one of the biggest obstacles Good Samaritans face when they want to get these abandoned mines cleaned up,” Udall said. “There are several groups in Colorado who care about their communities and want to protect them and who are ready to go as soon as we have legislation to help them get started. I’m dying to turn them loose so they can get to work.”
To apply for the permit, applicants would submit a clean-up plan to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. If their application is approved, Good Samaritans could then clean up waterways without incurring liability under the Clean Water Act.
More coverage from the Cortez Journal (Joe Hanel):
Colorado has 23,000 abandoned mines – far more than the state government can afford to clean up. But private organizations like the Animas River Stakeholders Group can do little to help, because under the current law, they would take all legal liability for the abandoned mine. “Any time you get your hands wet, you’ve triggered the Clean Water Act and Clean Water Act liability issues,” said Udall, D-Colo. His solution is Senate Bill 1777, which he introduced Tuesday. It would shield “Good Samaritans” from lawsuits under the Clean Water Act…
Elizabeth Russell of Trout Unlimited agreed. Her group reluctantly supported earlier Good Samaritan bills, but it is firmly behind Udall’s latest bill. “It would make a big, big difference in our state,” said Russell, manager for Trout Unlimited’s abandoned mine project in Colorado…
Groups in Durango, Leadville and Keystone have been blocked from cleaning up mines because of their fear of legal liability, Udall said. “I have a great deal of trust in these citizens who have seen the damage done to water quality and fisheries,” Udall said. “I’m dying to turn these groups lose.”
S. 1777 has been assigned to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.
More good samaritan coverage here.
Arkansas Basin Roundtable recap
October 15, 2009
From The Pueblo Chieftain (Chris Woodka):
The CWCB plans to complete a feasibility study – actually an outline of new studies Arkansas Valley water users think they need – by the end of next year. Working with the engineering firm of Brown and Caldwell, the CWCB will inventory existing studies and interview various water users to find gaps in the data. The process was explained at Wednesday’s meeting of the Arkansas Basin Roundtable. Decision support systems provide a complete picture of water resources and stresses put on them by projects and activities. Such studies were completed for the Colorado River and Rio Grande basins in the mid-1990s and have played a role in developing fish recovery programs, reservoir level maintenance strategies and groundwater use rules. The Colorado River Basin study is playing a part in current evaluations of how much water remains to be developed in Colorado…
The South Platte River basin study began in 2001, and is about two-thirds complete, Moore said. It has not solved problems of meeting future water demands and could not avert a crisis in farm wells that were shut off last year because of over appropriation. “The purpose is to provide better tools for the state and water users to make better decisions,” Moore said…
The H-I model is an assumption of the consumptive use of water by agriculture on the main stem of the Arkansas River east of Pueblo Dam based on theory rather than actual measurements. It affects groundwater rights administration in the Arkansas Valley and is woven into the new surface rules as well.
While the state is spending millions to refine the model, any changes would have to be negotiated with Kansas and would be subject to a dispute resolution process under the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the case.
More IBCC and basin roundtable coverage here.
Upper Eagle Regional Water Authority looking for rate hike
October 14, 2009
From the Vail Daily (Sarah Mausolf):
The hike would amount to an extra $3.91 per month in the water bill for a home 3,000 square feet or smaller, and more for bigger homes, said Becky Bultemeier, customer and financial services manager for the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District. Avon isn’t the only place facing the proposed water bill increases. It would apply to all areas the water authority serves, including the Arrowhead, Eagle-Vail, Edwards, Berry Creek and Beaver Creek metropolitan districts, Bultemeier said. The water authority had been hoping to get consent from those areas before formally voting on the change Oct. 22, she said.
More infrastructure coverage here.
PBOW halfway through Bessemer Ditch water rights acquisition
October 14, 2009
From The Pueblo Chieftain (Chris Woodka):
The water board has closed 33 of 66 contracts for 5,330 shares, about one-quarter of the Bessemer Ditch. It will spend about $60 million in the purchases. The closings do not represent half of the water, since some of the larger blocks will be closed later Hamel said. All of the closings are expected to be completed by the end of the month.
Sue Harrison appointed to Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District board of directors
October 14, 2009
From The Fort Morgan Times:
[Harrison] will serve out the remaining year of Wright’s term as one of three Boulder County representatives on the board…
Harrison has 30 years of experience as an environmental attorney, including 25 years as a Boulder assistant city attorney. She recently retired from that position and is in private practice. Her extensive background includes serving as chair of the Colorado Water Quality Commission and as an attorney with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Colorado Attorney General’s Office. “I’m excited to be involved with the water issues facing Northern Water,” Harrison said. “There are many challenges facing the Front Range, including the provision of water for cities and agriculture in a responsible, environmentally sensitive manner.”
In addition to Harrison, three current board members were reappointed to four-year terms. Les Williams, who is retiring as the executive director of the St. Vrain and Left Hand Water Conservancy District, will begin his sixth term representing Boulder County on the board. Bill Emslie, an engineer with the Platte River Power Authority, will begin his second term representing Larimer County. John Rusch represents Morgan and Washington counties and will begin his second term.
Estes Park: Alpine Anglers meeting October 15 to feature impacts of transmountain diversions
October 14, 2009
From the Estes Park Trail Gazette:
Ken Neubecker, president of Colorado Trout Unlimited, will speak Thursday on the impact of water diversions from the upper Colorado River. “More than half of the water of the upper Colorado is already diverted to the Front Range for agricultural and municipal use,” said Neubecker. “Now two new projects could take almost half of what remains.” But as conservation, government and business interests in Grand County geared up for a protracted fight, water developers Denver Water and Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District agreed to work with local agencies to find ways to meet the water needs of the Front Range while minimizing the impact on wildlife and recreation on the Colorado and Fraser Rivers. Neubecker will speak about the situation at the Alpine Anglers` monthly meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15 in the Hondius Room of the Estes Park Public Library. The public is invited.
More transmountain/transbasin diversions coverage here.
Peak Oil conference recap
October 13, 2009
From the Cortez Journal (Joe Hanel):
The Potential Gas Committee at the Colorado School of Mines made national news this summer when it announced that, largely because of shale gas, the United States has a 100-year supply of domestic natural gas. Shale gas deposits lie under parts of Southwest Colorado that have never been drilled, including Montezuma, Dolores and Western La Plata counties.
Colorado Springs Utilities to hike water rates
October 13, 2009
From The Colorado Springs Gazette (R. Scott Rappold):
for the first time Utilities officials are aware of, the utility will ask for approval of a multi-year schedule of water rate hikes, 12 percent a year from 2011 through 2017, to pay for the $1.4 billion Southern Delivery System water pipeline, which would double water rates in Colorado Springs. Construction is expected to begin in 2010. Officials said the future water rate hikes would kick in automatically unless city council takes action to stop them.
South Platte River cleanup recap
October 13, 2009
From CBS4Denver.com (Ericka Lewis):
“Is there trash that continues to happen in the river? Yes, there is just like there is everywhere and anywhere but that amount has reduced to where we can bring in more volunteers and do more things than just pick up trash,” said Jeff Shoemaker, Greenway Foundation. Volunteers also painted the barrier walls of the Platte River and fences along the bike path and over bridges. The River Sweep is held the last Saturday in September every year.
More South Platte River basin coverage here.
Cleaning up old mines is causing a split amongst conservationists. Some want to do the cleanup without assuming the risk of owning the pollution. Others are wary of granting exemptions to the Clean Water Act. Here’s a report from Katie Redding writing for the Colorado Independent. From the article:
“The environmental groups in Washington, D.C, surprisingly enough, are the biggest impediment to passing this legislation,” explained Jeff Crane, executive director of the Colorado Watershed Assembly. “It completely baffles my mind. I just don’t get it.”
For their part, environmental groups like the Washington, D.C.-based Clean Water Network and Oakland, Calif.-based Earthjustice, argue that waiving compliance with the Clean Water Act, for any reason, is a dangerous precedent. “Waiving environmental laws that are meant to protect people’s health defeats the purpose of having environmental laws to begin with,” said Jessica Ennis, spokeswoman for Earthjustice, a prior opponent.
More water pollution coverage here.
Aurora: Sewer rate hike in offing?
October 13, 2009
From the Aurora Sentinel (Adam Goldstein):
Residents may face a 6-percent increase in the city’s sewer and storm drainage rates in 2010, a spike that would result in an increase of about $1 a month for the average residential water customer. The Aurora City Council is set to vote on the proposed increase, as well as suggested changes to the city’s water service connection fees, during its meeting on Oct. 12. According to staff from Aurora Water, the suggested changes to the sewer and storm drainage rates stem from rate increases from the Metro Wastewater Reclamation District, which conveys the city’s wastewater to treatment plants outside Aurora. “If we elect not to choose the 6-percent (increase) in 2010, we’ll erode our financial strength,” said Greg Baird, deputy director of business services for Aurora Water, during a council meeting in September. “Whatever we don’t do in 2010, we’ll have to make up for in ’11, ’12, ’13 and ’14. We could eat into our reserves and whatever financial strength we have, but that potentially increases our revenue requirement in future years.” If approved by the council, the recommended water-rate increases would go into effect at the beginning of 2010.
More infrastructure coverage here.
Here’s a release from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration via EnvironmentalExpert.com:
As the West warms, a drier Colorado River system could see as much as a 1-in-2 chance of fully depleting all of its reservoir storage by mid-century, assuming current management practices continue. That’s grim news for the roughly 30 million people who depend on the Colorado for drinking and irrigation water.
A research team—including PSD’s Marty Hoerling, Andrea Ray, Joseph Barsugli (CIRES), and Bradley Udall (CIRES), and led by CIRES’ Balaji Rajagopalan— examined how vulnerable the Colorado River system is to water supply variability and to projected changes in water demand. The scientists found that through 2026, the risk of fully depleting reservoir storage in any given year remains less than 10 percent under any scenario of climate fluctuation or management alternative. During this period, reservoir storage could even recover from its current low level (about 65 percent of capacity.)
But if climate change results in a 10-percent reduction in the Colorado River’s average streamflow, the chances of fully depleting reservoir storage will exceed 25 percent by 2057. If climate change results in a 20-percent reduction, the chances of fully depleting reservoir storage will exceed 50 percent by 2057, Rajagopalan said.“On average, drying caused by climate change would increase the risk of fully depleting reservoir storage nearly ten times more than the risk we expect from population pressures alone,” said Rajagopalan. “A 50-percent chance in any given year is an enormous risk and huge water management challenge,” he said.
The results were published in the American Geophysical Union journal Water Resources Research.
Even under the most extensive drying scenario, threats to water supplies won’t be felt immediately, the researchers found. Total storage capacity of reservoirs on the Colorado (including lakes Mead and Powell) exceeds 60 million acre feet, almost four times the longterm average annual flow of about 16 million acre feet. As a result, the risk of reservoir depletion will remain low through 2026, even if climate change induces a 20-percent reduction in streamflow. However, after 2026, the risk of drying increases to 26-51 percent, depending on the effects of climate change and management, with lower risk associated with aggressive management to reduce demand.
The Colorado’s flow has been very low in the last 10 years, Hoerling said, averaging only about 10 million acre feet. Reservoirs have dropped to a little more than half capacity, but managers still delivered water where it needed to go. “So the system is working, from a gross point of view,” Hoerling said. But climate models and modelers are still struggling to understand the future of the system in a warmer world; some models don’t include the high-elevation snowpack critical to the Colorado River System, for example.
“Our models are not yet good enough to inform, with the accuracy desired by most decision makers,” Hoerling said.
More Colorado River Basin coverage here.
Snowpack
October 13, 2009
From the Steamboat Pilot & Today (Tom Ross):
Remote snow-sensing devices show that the depth at the Zirkel Snotel site on the east side of the Continental Divide increased from 1 inch on Oct. 8 to 20 inches as of mid-morning Monday. Closer to Steamboat, at the Tower Snotel site on Buffalo Pass, snow depth increased from 7 inches on Oct. 8 to 16 inches early Monday…Snow accumulation on Rabbit Ears Pass is less dramatic, with 3 inches at the West Summit and 1 inch at the Columbine site on the east side of the pass.
Upper Ark gets first look at budget
October 12, 2009
From The Mountain Mail (Ron Sering):
Cost-cutting in several areas totaling about $79,000 is part of the preliminary 2010 budget presented to Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District directors Thursday. District general manager Terry Scanga presented the initial budget draft, proposing cost reduction in key areas, including legal and engineering. “I have told our engineering people and our attorneys to prioritize our projects a little better, to focus their activities and get our expenditures down,” Scanga said. “If this all works with our income numbers we have here, we should have about $30,000 in actual surplus revenue.” Included in district plans is money to hire a staff engineer. “I think we need to look in earnest to get somebody hired.” Scanga said. A public hearing regarding the final budget is tentatively set for the November board meeting.
More Upper Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District coverage here.
Littleton: Operation Medicine Cabinet
October 12, 2009
From the Littleton Independent (Holly Cook):
Operation Medicine Cabinet, in partnership with the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office Community Resource Unit, Home Instead Senior Care, Brookdale Senior Living and the Arapahoe Library District, will be joining efforts Oct. 17 to help keep families safe while caring for the environment, by properly disposing of out dated and unused medication and keeping it out of landfills and water supplies. “The first event was a great success, not only did we collect loads of supplies for Project Cure, but we also collected over 125 pounds of loose, expired medications that were later destroyed by the Littleton Police Department,” said Kim Dahlquist, who leads the project in the area. Starting at 9 a.m. and lasting until 1 p.m., Operation Medicine Cabinet will host a drive-up, drop-off site for old medicines, thermometers, or used syringes at Koelbel Library, 5955 Sout Holly Street and Smoky Hill Library, 5430 South Biscay Drive.
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park turns ten
October 12, 2009
From the Montrose Daily Press (Kati O’Hare):
“The national park status is very special,” current park Superintendent Connie Rudd said. “What’s important is that the canyon is still the same and that means we’ve done our job.”[...]
Former legislators, along with Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service leaders, discussed their decades-long endeavor involving perseverance and public involvement that gave the canyon its new name.
More Gunnison River Basin coverage here.
Colorado Tourism Office: Three ‘snow virgins’ to win expenses-paid trip to Colorado
October 12, 2009
If you have never seen snow you’re eligible to enter the contest at http://www.snowatfirstsight.com/. The website lauches a video so turn your speakers down at work.
Here’s a report from The Durango Herald (Catherine Tsai).
CWCB: Lower Blanco restoration update
October 12, 2009
From the Pagosa Sun (Randi Pierce):
The Lower Blanco Property Owners Association, working with Riverbend Engineering, was awarded $150,000 from the Colorado Water Conservation Board to move forward with the 2010 phase of the restoration…
The current phase, the fifth, according to Chris Pitcher of Riverbend Engineering, is slated to be complete by the end of October. The project focuses on habitat enhancement through the use of habitat rocks and rock structures in a 1.6-mile section of the river. LBPOA President Bob Hemenger said the group hopes to accomplish more in the current phase than originally planned, extending it past the current proposed completion date since the funding is available. Also planned during the current phase is the planting of native woody, riparian vegetation in flood plain areas. “This phase will improve river morphology by creating flood plain benches and adjusting the channel width,” Pitcher said. The rock formations and flood plain area work will also serve to slow down the river through narrowing and deepening of channels to alleviate possible flood issues on adjacent properties, while protecting the integrity of the river’s banks. “The purpose of the project is to restore aquatic life function that was lost,” Pitcher said…
Diminished fish and wildlife habitat, as well as changing overall dynamics of the river, affected portions of the Lower Blanco starting in 1971, when the Chama River diversion was opened, removing about 70 percent of the Blanco’s water to be sent to New Mexico. The restoration project began in 1997 and, after a hiatus, picked up again two years ago with the hiring of Riverbend. It aims to ultimately restore a nine-mile section of the Lower Blanco. The previous four phases combined have completed about five miles.
More restoration coverage here.
