Greeley: James Maxwell Clark and the Union Colony

Here’s a look at James Maxwell Clark and the Union Colony, from Caroline Black writing for The Greeley Tribune. From the article:

From 1872-1875, the economy of Greeley was hurting as farmers battled harsh winter storms, drought and grasshoppers. They attempted to learn new forms of crop cultivation that were in contrast with what they had experienced in the humid areas of the eastern United States. Like his neighbors, Clark found farming a terrible struggle, leading him to name his farm “Poverty Flats.”

During Clark’s study of irrigation he became a major contributor to the theory and practice of irrigation in the Greeley area, and the door of prosperity began to open for area farmers. He and [Abner Baker], who later founded Fort Morgan, helped construct ditches between Fort Morgan and Brush, and Clark became director of the No. 2 canal that travels south of Timnath through to north of Greeley, and the Upper and Lower Platte and Beaver Canals near Fort Morgan. He also assisted James P. Maxwell, first Colorado State engineer, in devising plans to measure water for irrigation use among area farmers.

More South Platte Basin coverage here.

Laporte: Property owners to allow Greeley pipeline surveys on their land but vow to continue to fight the project

Larimer County residents battling the city of Greeley’s plans to replace aging infrastructure have agreed to allow surveys for the project, according to a report from Monte Whaley writing for The Denver Post. From the article:

Planning for the project to replace an aging, smaller line the city installed more than 50 years ago began in 2005. Greeley gets its water from the Poudre River after it’s treated at a plant in Bellvue, northwest of Fort Collins. The city went to Larimer County District Court to seize a portion of the Humstone property — as well as two other properties near Laporte — to allow crews to do exploratory drilling, seismic surveys and other work on the grade. In the settlement agreement, crews will be allowed onto the properties under certain conditions. They will do biological and archaeological studies, as well as some core drilling, Humstone said.

The grade, which dates to 1881, was part of the Greeley, Salt Lake & Pacific Railroad, which was built to haul locally quarried sandstone to construction projects and sugar-beet factories…

Greeley officials say taking the 30-mile pipeline along a public right of way would go through downtown Laporte. They also say they need to get on the properties to map out a plan to protect the historic structures. The agreement “will help determine the best route and to gather biological, historical, geotechnical and economic data for the Bellvue water pipeline project,” said Jon Monson, Greeley’s water and sewer director. “This settlement will be to the benefit and the best interests of everyone involved.”

More Greeley coverage here.

Larimer County: Historic preservation vs. new Greeley pipeline

Here’s a look at the historic preservation side of the argument against Greeley’s new supply pipeline through Larimer County, from Monte Whaley writing for the Denver Post. From the article:

Brinks and Humstone bristle at the thought that a survey crew dared to show up on their land two years ago without permission. That was their first clue of Greeley’s intentions, and since then, they have allowed walking tours and nothing else. That has led Greeley to file for condemnation proceedings against Brinks, Humstone and one other property owner. The city wants a Larimer County judge to seize the properties to allow crews to do exploratory drilling, seismic surveys and other field work on what’s left of the grade, including 100 yards of track. This would lead to laying in a pipe of 5 feet diameter, 10 feet deep along a nearly 200-foot-wide right of way.

The women say the work would destroy the last remnants of northern Colorado’s railroad history. The grade, which dates to 1881, is on the National Register of Historic Places and was on Colorado Preservation Inc.’s 2009 list of endangered places.

Update: Here’s a look at the project through the eyes of Greeley’s Director of Water and Sewer, Jon Monson writing in the Fort Collins Coloradoan:

The Northern Segment is between northern Fort Collins and the Bellvue filter plant. The route that ranked best in minimizing cost, environmental impact and land use disruption bypasses much of LaPorte to the south. The other routes examined would have impacted up to 150 residences and businesses. Unfortunately, the best route we found could impact structures now on the National Historic Register. We are working with property owners and state and federal agencies to assess any potential impacts. If there are any adverse impacts to the structures, Greeley will seek ways to avoid, minimize or mitigate the impacts in accordance with federal law.

Greeley: New pipeline from LaPorte to Bellvue

Here’s a report about Greeley’s efforts to build a new supply pipeline near LaPorte, from Jakob Rodgers writing for the Greeley Tribune. From the article:

The city department may ask for a court order to gain access to three properties whose owners have long contested the 30-mile pipeline, which would run from a water filtration plant in Bellvue to the Gold Hill Reservoir. The court order would not be used to build the pipeline, but rather to survey the land to determine the pipeline’s seismic and environmental impact. Jon Monson, director of the water department, said the department could seek the order sometime this summer. The 60-inch pipeline could bring an additional 50 million gallons of water a day to Greeley, whose residents consume roughly 54 million gallons of water a day during peak use in the summer. Evans and parts of Milliken and Windsor also would use water from the pipeline. About 15 miles of the $80 million pipeline already has been built and is in use, Monson said. As it stands, the water department is nearly at its 58 million-gallon-a-day capacity to transport water when also taking into account the 38 million gallons it transports from Boyd Lake. The current pipeline from Bellvue can transport roughly 20 million gallons of water a day.

More Coyote Gulch coverage here and here.

Greeley: New pipeline from LaPorte to Bellvue

From the Fort Collins Coloradoan:

The Greeley City Council has given its water department authorization to seek a court order to gain access to three properties whose owners have not allowed work crews on to their land to conduct studies needed for the pipeline’s design. Fieldwork on the properties, such as land surveys, seismic testing and biological studies, is needed for engineers to determine the route of the pipeline across the properties and how to avoid damaging environmental and historic resources, said Jon Monson, director of Greeley’s water department. But some property owners say they don’t want the pipeline to cross their land and will continue to seek ways to block it. “We don’t want them to get a toehold,” said Rose Brinks, who has been battling the pipeline project for more than two years. “Once they get on here, there will be no stopping them.”[...]

Construction on more than half of the $80.5 million project is already complete.

More Coyote Gulch coverage here.

Greeley pipeline: Protection of historic railroad grade impacting plans

Here’s an update on Greeley’s plans to build a new supply pipeline along the route of the historic Greeley, Salt Lake and Pacific Railroad line, from Cherry Sokoloski writing for the North Forty News. From the article:

As it stands now, Greeley plans to build the pipeline along the route of the old Greeley, Salt Lake and Pacific Railroad line, a move that would likely destroy the historic resource. Some of the original tracks remain on the corridor, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Mary Humstone of LaPorte, a historic preservationist and University of Wyoming professor, applied to have the railroad line designated as “most endangered.” The corridor was one of four places chosen for the 2009 list from 39 nominated sites. “I’m thrilled to get the designation,” said Humstone. “It shows that this is not just of concern to a small group of people in LaPorte and Bellvue. It broadens our case. This statewide organization is saying it’s really important to save these kinds of resources.” Humstone also noted that about 2,000 people, including county commissioners and state legislators, signed a petition urging Greeley to relocate the pipeline. “We’re going to keep pushing them to look at other routes,” Humstone said. The historic railroad line crosses property owned by her and her husband as well as other LaPorte residents.

More Coyote Gulch coverage here.