Although portions of this report are used on occasion in Colorado Central Magazine, we do not publish the full report there, as we do on this website. It is prepared by Steve Glazer of Crested Butte and is distributed early each month via an email list. To subscribe to that list, email to <listserv@lists.sierraclub.org> with SUBSCRIBE RMC-CONS-WATER as the message.
Please note that this is an archive, and some links may no longer function.
The Arkansas River in Colorado is the nation's
most-rafted, and after five deaths on commercially run
trips this season, some are saying the white-water business needs more regulation.
Denver Post; Aug. 5
denverpost link
in Idaho: idahostatesman link
La Plata County commissioners said continued drought and
dwindling water supplies are driving their consideration of
new rules for subdivisions in their Colorado county that
would require developers to conduct tests to ensure
groundwater used by new subdivisions won't
exceed recharge rates and require water-quality tests as
well. Durango Herald; Aug. 8
durangoherald link durangoherald link
Durango wants park, but users upstream worry about
impacts. A full day of negotiations produced no
agreement on how much water the city of Durango should have
for a kayak park on the Animas River. "Mediation
lasted all day, but there were was no settlement," Barry Spear told board
members of the Southwestern Water Conservation District.
"Proposals were exchanged, and the city agreed to have
an answer to our last proposal by Aug. 31."
durangoherald link
Under an agreement between the Colorado River Water
Conservation District, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and several utility and
irrigation companies, enough water to protect endangered
fish and keep river trips afloat will be released into the
Colorado River from Green Mountain, Granby, Wolford
Mountain and Williams Fork reservoirs. Grand Junction
Sentinel; Aug. 9
gjsentinel link
A mudslide on Aug. 6 clogged the lower Fryingpan River
in Colorado with red mud, and a recent water release did
little to clear the water in the Colorado river, so state
and federal officials are now contemplating a second, much
higher release of water in September to clear the river.
Aspen Times News; Aug. 23
aspentimes link
Small airplanes carrying trout fingerlings will skim
within 125 feet of more than 280 high alpine lakes in
Colorado over the next two weeks as the state wildlife
division conducts its annual aerial fish- stocking
operations. Aspen Times-News; Aug. 29
aspentimes link
At the annual summer meeting of Colorado Water Congress,
a climate-change expert said Colorado and other western
states would probably see less rainfall and snowpack,
exacerbating the water supply problems in areas where water
supplies are already over-appropriated. Denver Post; Aug.
23
denverpost link
Environmental Protection Agency Director Stephen Johnson
was in Denver to praise Denver Water officials for their
innovative programs put in place to conserve water, and to announce a new
partnership with the Colorado water provider to promote the
use of water- efficienct appliances. Denver Rocky Mountain
News; Aug. 7
rockymountainnews link
Colorado air-quality regulators approved Denver Water's
plan to do controlled burns along the North Fork of the
South Platte River near Cheesman Reservoir, and elsewhere,
to protect the watershed from super-hot wildfires, such as
the Hayman Fire, which caused nearly $30 million in damages to the watershed in 2004. Denver
Rocky Mountain News; Aug. 19
rockymountainnews link
The Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District said
its plan to build a $4-billinon, 227-mile pipeline to ship Yampa River water
from western Colorado to Front Range cities is a win-win proposal,
but others are concerned about the long-term effects of the
project. Denver Rocky Mountain News; Aug. 23
rockymountainnews link
Coalbed methane drilling operations in several Western
states are tapping into more water-laden seams of the
resource, increasing the need to find ways to deal with the
mineral-laden discharge water, and a water treatment plant built for a subdivision in Colorado that treats
the discharge water is a proving ground for future
projects. Denver Post; Aug. 13
denverpost link
Some farmers and ranchers in Wyoming, Montana and
Colorado have found a way to put the water discharged during coalbed methane drilling
operations to a good use, but others have had their soil
ruined by salt-laden water, and just as the quality of the
water fluctuates wildly, so have states' efforts to manage
it. Denver Post; Aug. 13
denverpost link
For the past decade, ranchers in Colorado's Raton Basin
have been using discharge water from coalbed methane
drilling operations to water their livestock and to
replenish stream flows, but now some are questioning the effect of the mineral-laden water and are asking the
state for water-quality rules on the water. Third in a
series. Denver Post; Aug. 14
origin link
Although the old adage is that oil and water don't mix,
water would play an integral part of oil shale development
in Colorado and Utah, and Colorado lawmakers want some
clear answers on just how much water will be used before oil shale development begins. Grand
Junction Sentinel; Aug. 29
gjsentinel link
A water task force formed by Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter
in June to come up with a plan that would allow surface and
well water users along the South Plate River met Monday for
the fifth time, and members said they were
not optimistic they would come up with a recommendation
for lawmakers by the Governor's Sept. 30 deadline. Denver Rocky
Mountain News; Aug. 28
rockymountainnews link
A bill championed by the late Wyoming Sen. Craig Thomas
to designate 42 miles of the Snake River between Jackson
Lake Dam and Palisades Reservoir as a wild and scenic river
is being opposed by [defamed] Idaho Sen. Larry Craig, who
said he believes such a designation couldhave an impact on irrigators in southeast Idaho who use
water from the river. Casper Star-Tribune (AP); Aug. 6
trib link
The head of the Wyoming Pipeline Authority said a
pipeline to carry discharge water produced during coalbed
methane operations to operations where it can be put to
beneficial use may be the state's only way to keep coalbed
methane operations growing, and said he would recommend
lawmakers provide a severance tax break to help underwrite
the cost of the project. Casper Star-Tribune; Aug. 6
trib link
Rio Grande cutthroat trout, New Mexico's state fish, are
teetering on the edge of becoming endangered, and state and Santa Fe officials are working
on the details of a plan that would allow the state to
stock cutthroat trout from the state's hatchery in the city's reservoirs.
Santa Fe New Mexican; Aug. 14
santafenewmexican link
Wildlife managers are using rotenone, a natural compound
made from roots of a tropical plant, to kill off non-native
rainbow trout, brown trout andother fish from more than 150 miles of streams, 25 lakes
and CostillaReservoir in Northern New Mexico to create room for the
Rio Grande cutthroat trout. Santa Fe New Mexican; Aug. 16
santafenewmexican link
The New Mexico State Engineer's Office has said that you
can harvest water off of rooftops but not surface water running off of impervious
surfaces. The surface water belongs to the state.
santafenewmexican link
No rainfall and high temperatures during the past three
weeks pushed residents of Albuquerque and Bernalillo County
to use in excess of a billion gallons of water more than
the same time period last year, effectively emptying a 1.3
billion gallon savings in water use built up since June.
Albuquerque Journal; Aug. 29
abqjournal link
Tens of thousands of the 200,000 people who live on
Navajo land must haul their drinking water, a fact of life
that has made water-efficiency a way of life for many Navajo, who use as little as 10 to
15 gallons of water each day, while Phoenix residents average about
170 gallons per day. Arizona Republic; Aug. 26
azcentral link
The San Juan Agricultural Water Users Association filed
a lawsuit in a New Mexico district court, seeking
additional records from KNME-TV, Albuquerque Public
Schools, the State Engineer's Office and others,
used to create a documentary about water problems on the
Navajo Nation, which the irrigators' lawyer called "an
infomercial posing as news" being used to augment support for a proposed
settlement between New Mexico and the Navajo tribe over San Juan River
rights. Santa Fe New Mexican; Aug. 29
santafenewmexican link
Floodwaters swept through Utah's Washington County on
8/1, stranding homeowners and hikers, and destroying a
bridge near Gunlock. Deseret News; Aug. 2
deseretnews link
Wildlife managers at Antelope Island State Park in Utah
said drought conditions have dried up springs relied upon
for water by bison, pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep, mule
deer and coyotes and that the animals are already browsing
on forage they normally rely upon to get them through the
winter. Deseret News; Aug. 20
deseretnews link
Once quagga mussels were found in Lake Mead, Utah
officials knew it would be just a matter of time before the aquatic invaders, which
reproduce rapidly and can quickly clog pipes and intake valves, made their
way into the state's waters, and their fears were confirmed when
tests found microscopic larvae in Lake Powell. Salt Lake
Tribune; Aug. 10
link
Rocky Mountain Power officials said the small
hydroelectric dam in American Fork Canyon was no longer
economically feasible to operate, and began work on
removing the dam. Salt Lake Tribune; Aug. 17
link
State and federal biologists have unleashed Asian
beetles on tamarisk, a water- guzzling invasive species
that has taken over thousands of acres of land in Colorado,
Utah and other states, and with good success reported on
acres in Utah where the beetles were first released in
2004, hopes are high for similar results in Colorado, where
the bugs were released in 2005. Denver Post; Aug. 6
denverpost link
The June sucker fish is indigenous only to Utah Lake and
has been on the federal endangered species list since 1986,
but Utah officials are working hard to keep the species
viable, and on Monday, they reintroduced the first of
43,000 hatchery-bred suckers at Utah Lake State Park. Salt
Lake Tribune; Aug. 28
sltrib link
Utah wildlife officials are planting thousands of
Colorado River cutthroat trout fingerlings in the headwaters of West Willow,
Pioche and She Canyon Creeks on the Tavaputs Plateau, a
remote roadless area of Book Cliffs in eastern Utah, in an effort to keep the species
viable in the state. Salt Lake Tribune; Aug. 30
sltrib link
Las Vegas shouldn't be able to draw one drop of water
from the Spring Valley aquifer, which is linked to the
aquifer underlying Utah's Snake Valley, until further
studies are done, because history has shown that diverting
water from rural areas to urban areas can result in dust
bowls, and Utah's cities don't need any further threat to
their air quality. Salt Lake Tribune; Aug. 2
sltrib link
Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch said a new federal study of the Snake Valley aquifer
might allay concerns of Utah farmers and ranchers about
a plan to pipe 40,000 acre feet a year to Las Vegas, but
Nevada U.S. Sen. Harry Reid said a second study would be a "waste of
money." Las Vegas Review-Journal; Aug. 3
lvrj link
The federal judge who is presiding over the battle
between Nevada and the United States over the federal government's use of
groundwater during drilling operations at the proposed
nuclear waste site in Yucca Mountain told the parties they
should work on a compromise. Reno Gazette-Journal (AP);
Aug. 16
ap link
Nevada's state engineer lined out the issues that can be
addressed during the Feb. 4-15 proceedings on Southern
Nevada Water Authority's proposal to pump groundwater from three rural valleys to
Las Vegas. Reno Gazette-Journal (AP); Aug. 29
ap link
Residents in Carefree who are served by the Carefree
Water Co. could pay a hefty surcharge fee for using more
than 16,000 gallons of water a month if the Arizona town council approves proposed
rate increases. Arizona Republic; Aug. 31
azcentral link
Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne announced Monday that
the United States and Mexico would hold talks in the near future on issues
confronting the Colorado River, including the effect of
drought on water supplies. Denver Post (AP); Aug. 14
denverpost link
The Bay Institute, Center for Biological Diversity, and
Natural Resources Defense Council petitioned for state
and federal endangered species protection for the
longfin smelt (Spirinchus thaleichthys), a fish that has
dropped to record low numbers in the San Francisco
Bay-Delta and is nearing extinction in other northern
California estuaries. The groups simultaneously asked the
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service to list the Bay-Delta
population of longfin smelt under the federal Endangered
Species Act, and the California Fish and Game Commission to
list the species statewide under the California Endangered
Species Act.
enn link recordnet link
A federal judge imposed limits on water flows caused by
huge pumps sending water from the San Joaquin-Sacramento
River delta to users around the state, saying the pumps
were drawing in and destroying a threatened fish.
enn link
Water problems are nothing new for Seeley Lake
residents, some of whom go without water during certain
hours every day, but with a wildfire just a mile away, the
system has been depleted by people running their sprinklers
and hosing down their houses. Missoulian; Aug. 7
missoulian link
Cooler weather and recent rains have helped bring water temperatures down in six Montana rivers, allowing the state Fish, Wildlife & Parks
Department to lift fishing restrictions imposed during a
stretch of hot weather. Great Falls Tribune; Aug. 28
greatfallstribune link
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks officials used a
plant-based poison to kill all the non-native brook trout in three lakes and
one stream in the Gallatin National Forest to clear the way
for the waters to be stocked with Yellowstone cutthroat
trout, a species of special concern in the state because of
its dwindling numbers and habitat. Billings Gazette; Aug.
28
billingsgazette link
Residents and resort owners around Hebgen Lake, a
reservoir created in 1911, are complaining about a lack of
water this summer, leaving boat docks eight feet out of the
water, but PPL Montana, which owns the dam that created the
reservoir, said it's had to release water from the
reservoir to comply with a 2000 agreement to preserve wild
fish in the Madison River. Bozeman Daily Chronicle; Aug. 16
bozemandailychronicle link
Developer M3 Eagle Companies says its water study
identified a new regional aquifer in Idaho that flows
westward under Boise, Eagle and Star to the Payette River
Basin that will assure its planned subdivision won't harm
existing residents' water rights, but concerned North Ada
residents said they'd prefer an independent study be done,
and the state agreed. Idaho Statesman; Aug. 9
idahostatesman link
The developer of a 606 unit vacation and housing
development near Garden Valley said the whitewater park
planned on the south fork of the Payette
River will be the first of its kind in Idaho, but Boise
officials said they're working on a whitewater park for
their city too. Idaho Statesman; Aug. 10
idahostatesman link
U.S. Forest Service officials shut down a 35-mile
stretch of the Main Salmon River in Idaho because wildfires
on both sides of the river were creating heavy smoke and
hazardous conditions on the river. Idaho Statesman (AP);
Aug. 8
idahostatesman link
Idaho Supreme Court Justice Gerald F. Schroeder retired
from the court one day, and the next he was selected to
preside over two important hearings involving disputes
between surface and groundwater users in the Magic Valley.
Twin Falls Times-News; Aug. 2
magicvalley link
The Pacific Legal Foundation, a property-rights group,
has appealed the June 13th decision of a federal judge that
said hatchery-raised fish should not be counted when
considering a species for federal protection which runs
directly counter to a 2001 decision by another federal
judge that said hatchery populations should be counted.
Twin Falls Times-News (AP); Aug. 3
magicvalley link
A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by a coalition
of property rights advocates, farm groups and development
interests against NOAA Fisheries that challenged the 16
listings of West Coast Salmon in Oregon, Washington and
California because the federal government considered only
wild fish in deciding to protect the species; the groups
have vowed to appeal the dismissal. Casper Star-Tribune
(AP); Aug. 16
trib link
A second federal court decision that said hatchery fish
and wild salmon are not the same hasn't deterred the agenda-touting
Pacific Legal Foundation, which has vowed to appeal the
decision. Idaho Statesman; Aug. 21
idahostatesman link
A tiny freshwater snail found in a 35-mile stretch of
the Snake River in Idaho has been taken off the federal
endangered species list 15 years after it was placed on the list because U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Services said the springsnail is not a distinct
species and it inhabits a much broader range that includes
rivers and lakes in Washington and Oregon. Idaho Statesman
(AP); Aug. 7
idahostatesman link
Despite its popularity, the process of removing salt
from seawater to make drinking water is so energy intensive
however that the resulting greenhouse-gas emissions could
contribute to regional water scarcity, according to a
global survey of desalination plants by environmental group
WWF.
pubs link
Drought and dry conditions withering the western United
States are likely to persist and intensify, jeapordizing
the region's water supply and water quality, compromising
the health of rivers and lakes, and increasing the risk of
flooding for Western communities. As stewards of these
scarce resources, water managers can lead the response to
the effects of global warming on water in the West.
nrdc link
The growing thirst for ethanol takes a lot of water to
quench, but less than many people believe and not enough to
cause serious problems, some experts told farmers.
enn link
Warmer, drier weather coupled with alterations to the
waterways of North America's Great Lakes will likely drive
Lake Superior down to record low water levels sometime this
year, experts say.
enn link
A "drain hole" in the St. Clair River caused
by dredging and other commercial projects is costing Lakes
Huron and Michigan a combined 2.5 billion gallons of water
each day, according to a Canadian study.
enn link
A research team has come up with a system based on the
ancient practice of collecting rainwater that could be
incorporated into homes to provide water for flushing
toilets and washing dishes.
theglobeandmail link
Iraq called for a water treaty with neighbors that share
the rivers Tigris and Euphrates, saying a deal was needed
to avoid a crisis. The two great rivers converge in Iraq
and are its main water resource. Both flow south from
Turkey, the Euphrates first winding through Syria while the
Tigris passes straight through Turkey into northern Iraq.
enn link
The Center for Biological Diversity, along with more
than 50 indigenous and environmental groups representing
more than a million people from around the world, has sent
a letter to Virginia-based AES Corporation demanding it
withdraw from three controversial
hydroelectric projects threatening La Amistad International Park in Panama,
dependent wildlife, and local communities slated to be
displaced by flooding.
enn link
Recommendations in Policy Brief Just One of Many New
Initiatives and Announcements from the August World Water
Week. Stockholm International Water Institute calls for
governments around the world to better manage how they use
their existing water resources, taking necessary and
sometimes painful measures to decrease losses in water
delivery infrastructure and irrigation, to cut subsidies to
agriculture, and to put in place realistic water- pricing
measures - all before attempting to boost water supplies.
enn link
Scientists, U.N. agency representatives and
professionals from more than 130 countries are meeting in
Sweden to discuss the world's water needs and sources.
enn link
Spain plans to host Expo Zaragoza 2008, an international
exposition in the Spanish city that will showcase
technology concerning water and sustainability from more
than 90 countries.
news.com link
Over 600 professionals are urging Congress to stop water
fluoridation until Congressional hearings are conducted.
They cite new scientific evidence that fluoridation, long
promoted to fight tooth decay, is ineffective and has
serious health risks.
prnewswire link
Utah Lake's high phosphorus levels have created a
breeding ground for blue-green algae, which can create
massive, slimy blooms where the conditions are right. If
too much of the algae grows, then dies, the results could
be catastrophic for the lake's ecosystem, according to a new report by Utah's
Division of Water Quality. Deseret News
deseretnews link
Thirteen of 25 water wells in an area 60 miles east of Reno have tested positive for the isotope polonium-210, and two dairies in the area have submitted milk for testing and haved umped milk on hand and
won't sell any milk until tests are completed. Las Vegas
Review- Journal (AP); Aug. 6
lvrj link
Residents of Pavilion and Clark drove to Casper on
Tuesday to air their concerns before the Wyoming Oil and
Gas Conservation Commission about energy industry-caused water pollution in their
neighborhoods, but the chairwoman of the board said the
meeting was not the proper venue for such complaints.
Casper Star-Tribune; Aug. 15
trib link
U.S. Department of Agriculture Undersecretary Mark Rey
has until Oct. 15 to explain why the U.S. Forest Service
has not provided an environmental analysis of the effect of
fire-retardant on fish populations, or Rey could be found
in contempt and go to jail until the environmental review
is complete. Helena Independent Record (AP);Aug. 21
helenair link
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the conviction
of eastern Idaho developer who bulldozed a stream bed in a
subdivision, and now the Driggs man could be sent to prison
and be required to repair the damage he did to Teton Creek
over a 20-year period and to restore wetlands. Idaho
Statesman (AP); Aug. 7
idahostatesman link
The federal government for years has left cities and
towns gasping for funding for water projects in an effort
to drive those systems into the private sector, but
Stockton's experience with privatization which recently ended with the California city
terminating its showcase $500 million deal with a
multinational consortium in favor or returning its water
system to public control can serve as a warning to other
local governments. A guest column. USA Today; Aug. 21
usatoday link
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