Two of the most important issues to this region are control of selenium and radionuclides in rural drinking water without driving municipal and private water companies out of business or sending water prices sky high and how to import water to serve a booming population growth and agriculture needs in Colorado.

"You don't understand anyone until you have walked a mile in his shoes. Then you are a mile away from him and you have his shoes." This was a joke by John Stulp, Special Policy Advisor to the Governor on Water, Chair of the Interbasin Compact Committee, who was the moderator of Thursday evening's public meeting at the Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District Office, Rocky Ford. Seriously, Stulp suggested that if the stakeholders could get together, with some give and take, and present a comprehensive account of their needs, they will stand a much better chance of being heard in the developing Colorado State Water Plan. The Colorado State Water Plan is being developed to not only provide an evolving blueprint for water management in the state, but also to be heard in the regional context of headwater states and the national context of western states.



Two of the most important issues to this region are control of selenium and radionuclides in rural drinking water without driving municipal and private water companies out of business or sending water prices sky high and how to import water to serve a booming population growth and agriculture needs in Colorado. The apparent solution to the first problem is the Arkansas Valley Conduit, which Stulp assured the group is coming along nicely. John Knapp commented that the cost of meeting state regulations is prohibitive, and may we hope the conduit will be in time. Nicole Rowan, the water quality expert on the panel, gave hope the cost of regulation problem is being heard at the state level.



Otero County Commissioner Kevin Karney was in charge of telling about water storage, an essential component to fulfill all of Colorado's consumptive and nonconsumptive water needs. Pueblo Reservoir and Turquoise Lake have been valuable contributors to helping with the water shortage in the Arkansas Basin. In order to prevent the effect of a call on the water in the upper storage areas, it will be necessary to increase the height of the Pueblo Dam and store more water in Turquoise Lake. He is also looking to Blue Mesa for storage of an additional 100,000 acre feet to counteract a call on the water (imminent from drought-stricken California). Also, attention should be paid to the dam infrastructure in the state, which in some cases, such as Two Buttes, is dangerous at the present time. "We need to be able to store excess water to be used when we need it."



Better use of agricultural water was commented upon by Dan Henrich, lower Arkansas Valley farmer. He sees conversion to sprinklers a no-brainer, in that it provides better coverage for the farmer and a more efficient use of water resources.



John Tonko of the Colorado State Parks and Wildlife Department had interesting comments on how the storage of water for the benefit of tourism and wildlife has the effect of also helping agriculture. He pointed out several helpful projects for wildlife and fishing which have been created with the cooperation of gravel pit owners in Lamar and other locations in the lower Arkansas Valley. He pointed out that no project can succeed without a united effort from local stakeholders, but it is possible: fishermen and rafters have come to a compromise agreement concerning water flow in the Arkansas River.



Winner summed up the water quality issue: "The Colorado Water Plan is not a Blackhawk helicopter landing and taking control. ... We want a cooperative effort to try to address the selenium problem. ... Here and in Grand Junction, we have made no significant headway and it is beyond our economic ability to do much about it. ... We are tired of studies and want action."



Comments and suggestions for action are welcomed. For further information, Stulp suggests going to www.coloradowaterplan.com, which has the draft of the plan so far on display.



