COLORADO COMMISSION KEEPS STORMWATER REGULATIONS IN PLACE
A federal energy bill questioned Colorado’s ability to regulate stormwater run-off from oil and gas construction activities, but the Colorado Water Quality Control Commission voted to keep such regulations in place. Grand Junction Sentinel; Jan. 11 <http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_3390495> <http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2006/01/11/1_11_1A_stormwater_decision.html>
COLORADO TOWN SAYS BLM LEASE SALE PUTS WATER SUPPLY AT RISK
The Bureau of Land Management’s planned lease sale on Feb. 9 offers leases on 13,000 acres, 11,000 of which lie within the watershed for Palisade’s municipal water supply, and the Colorado town’s officials have filed a protest to the sale and have asked federal lawmakers to intervene. Denver Rocky Mountain News; Jan. 17 <http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_4392963,00.html>
COLORADO CITY SAYS NO TO DRILLING TO PROTECT WATER SUPPLY
The Grand Junction City Council is fighting efforts on behalf of the Bureau of Land Management to lease 13,000 acres in the Grand Mesa watershed for oil and gas drilling, because that is the city’s water source and officials fear drilling will damage it. Grand Junction Sentinel; Jan. 20 <http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2006/01/19/1_20_GJ_watershed.html>
DEFUNCT DAM TO COME OUT OF COLORADO’S GUNNISON RIVER
A now defunct dam on the Gunnison River near Hotchkiss will be removed, opening up the river for migrating fish as well a boaters and swimmers. Grand Junction Sentinel; Jan. 5 <http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2006/01/04/1_4_Chipeta_dam_removal.html>
COLORADO SIGNS PACT TO SEND WATER TO NEBRASKA
Heavy urban and agricultural use in Colorado over the past 60 years has nearly depleted Platte River flows in Nebraska, and a new $24 million pact will lease water to replenish the river’s flow in Nebraska. Denver Rocky Mountain News; Jan. 30 <http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_4426275,00.html>
DURANGO KAYAK PARK PLANS CHANGE TO BENEFIT UPSTREAM USERS
After the Southwestern Water Conservation District continued issuing concerns that a kayak park in Durango would take too much water from upstream agriculture and development, the city changed the plan even for upstream users, without a court-ordered allocation. Durango Herald; Jan. 19 <http://durangoherald.com/asp-bin/article_generation.asp?article_type=news&article_path=/news/06/news060119_3.htm>
COLORADO BILL WOULD MAKE WATER A CASH CROP FOR FARMERS
The Rotational Crop Management Bill will allow Colorado farmers and ranchers to sell some of their water to cities but still keep enough to continue operating by making water a renewable cash crop. Denver Post; Jan. 17 <http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_3409075>
WATER-SHARING BILL ADVANCES IN COLORADO
The House Agriculture, Livestock and Natural Resources Committee approved a bill that would give Colorado farmers the option of idling portions of their land from one year to the next without jeopardizing their legal right to the water, and allow farmers to sell unused water to cities. Denver Rocky Mountain News; Jan. 31 <http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/government/article/0,2777,DRMN_23906_4428456,00.html>
DEVELOPERS HOWL OVER COLORADO CITY’S NEW WATER PLAN
Castle Rock approved a $400 million long-range water plan, but the plan’s dependence on impact fees on new homes in the Colorado city had developers up in arms. Denver Rocky Mountain News; Feb. 1 <http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_4432145,00.html>
COLORADO SPRINGS BRACES FOR WAVE OF DEVELOPMENT
As Colorado Springs approaches half a million residents, the city will see a wave of development on its east side, including the 24,000-acre Banning Lewis Ranch, but many worry that the region doesn’t have enough water to supply the growth. Colorado Springs Independent; Jan. 27 <http://www.csindy.com/csindy/2006-01-26/news3.html>
COLORADO SHOULD ALLOW WATER ROUNDTABLES TO EVAPORATE
Members of six intrastate river-basin roundtables and a statewide group formed a year ago to craft an agreement between Colorado’s river basins say they’re unlikely to have such a pact ready by the time the Legislature adjourns in May, and the state should just allow the process to dry up. Grand Junction Sentinel; Jan. 6 <http://www.gjsentinel.com/opin/content/news/opinion/stories/2006/01/06/1_6_roundtable_edit.html> <http://www.chieftain.com/metro/1136790087/3>
COLORADO CONGRESSMAN OFFICIALLY ENTERS GUBERNATORIAL RACE
U.S. Rep. Bob Beauprez officially launched his campaign to become Colorado’s governor, and laid out the issues on which he’ll focus during the campaign including illegal immigration, school choice, water rights and renewable energy. He vowed to construct a statewide water plan that would focus on conservation and additional water storage so that urban areas don’t continue “drying up our farms and the rural communities.” Denver Post; Jan. 18 <http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_3412302>
OIL-SHALE PLANS HAVE COLORADO, UTAH DUSTING OFF WATER PROPOSALS
As companies begin to explore oil-shale development opportunities in Utah and Colorado, officials from those states are taking another look at water-storage projects that were on the drawing boards during the last oil-shale boom. Denver Post; Jan. 12 <http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_3393550>
SOME NAVAJO ALLOTTEES OPPOSE SAN JUAN WATER DEAL
Some Navajo water rights holders on checkerboard reservation lands in New Mexico said they’d file an injunction to block the proposed settlement of tribal water claims in the San Juan River basin. Farmington Daily Times; Jan. 6 <http://www.blackmesais.org/Navajos_clash_water0605.htm>
NEW MEXICO MOVES ENDANGERED FISH TO WATER
About 20 state, federal, municipal and tribal agencies are working together on the Middle Rio Grande Riverine Habitat Restoration Project, which will provide habitat for the endangered silvery minnow and the southwestern willow flycatcher. Albuquerque Journal; Jan. 16 <http://www.abqjournal.com/west/424763west_news01-14-06.htm>
SANTA FE CARRIES WATER REQUESTS TO N.M. LEGISLATURE
Santa Fe officials said most of their funding requests to state lawmakers will be for projects to improve the city’s water system. Santa Fe New Mexican; Jan. 17 <http://www.freenewmexican.com/news/37976.html>
DROUGHT DRIVES N.M. COMMUNITY TO LIMIT WATER USE
Officials in Las Vegas said reservoirs are down to 64 percent of capacity, and they imposed water conservation measures for the New Mexico town. Santa Fe New Mexican (AP); Jan. 30 <http://www.freenewmexican.com/news/38713.html>
PARCHED SECTIONS OF UTAH GET BURIED IN SNOW
Enough snow is piling up in some Utah drainages to make officials worry about flooding next spring, instead of the ongoing drought. Deseret News; Jan. 6 <http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,600102805,00.html>
SOME UTAH CITIES IGNORE RULES FOR WATER PLANS
Six years after a legislative mandate, eight Utah cities and companies have failed to file a water conservation plan and 15 more missed the Dec. 31 deadline for updates. Salt Lake Tribune; Jan. 5 <http://www.sltrib.com/utah/ci_2509537>
WATER MOVES UP THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA IN UTAH
Last year, Utah lawmakers grappled with funding both roads and education, and this year the massive Lake Powell pipeline and Bear River water projects, with an estimated cost of $700 million, will also vie for a cut of state spending. Salt Lake Tribune; Jan. 12 <http://www.sltrib.com/utah/ci_3394123>
UTAH CITY PUMPS UP REQUEST FOR WATER
Cedar City officials said they believe their Utah city will double in size over the next 25 years and in order to accommodate that growth, the city will need 40,000 acre feet of water from the proposed pipeline from Lake Powell, and they want a fee increase to pay for future needs to start now. Salt Lake Tribune; Jan. 18 <http://www.sltrib.com/utah/ci_3412576>
JUDGE SAYS COLORADO RIVER FISH PLAN INADEQUATE
A Federal judge rejected the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plan for the humpback chub, ruling it didn’t lay out a timeline for the fish population’s recovery and didn’t allocate any money to get the job done. Salt Lake Tribune – 1/29/06 <http://www.sltrib.com/utah/ci_3449321>
ARIZONA STREAMS COME TO LIFE WITH RECENT RAINS
A series of winter storms has dumped enough rain on Arizona to make the rivers actually run; in some areas, it was the first significant rain in 10 years. Casper Star-Tribune (AP); Jan. 6 <http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2005/01/06/news/regional/5bf8e7e1e6e9f30b87256f800080f79c.txt>
DROUGHT PUTS ARIZONA WATER SUPPLIES, FORESTS AT RISK
Snowpack conditions in Arizona this winter are similar to those in 2002, when the state set records as one of the driest in five centuries, and the state drought coordinator is working with rural communities to come up with water-conservation plans. Arizona Republic; Jan. 12 <http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0112drought12.html>
FLAGSTAFF SECURES POTENTIAL WATER SUPPLY
The city has completed the purchase of 8,500 acres of ranchland that will give Flagstaff access to thousands of acre-feet of water. AP, 1/6 <http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0106water0106.html>
JUDGE OKS USE OF WASTEWATER TO MAKE SNOW IN ARIZONA
Two groups that have been fighting a proposal by Arizona Snowbowl to use wastewater to make snow for its resort on San Francisco peaks vowed to appeal the decision that cleared the way for snowmaking; a number of tribes were parties to the lawsuit that protested the plan because it violated sacred space. AZ Sun; 1/12 <http://www.azdailysun.com/non_sec/nav_includes/story.cfm?storyID=122839>
ARIZONA SNOWMAKING BATTLE NOW MOVES TO THE SOURCE
Opponents to Arizona Snowbowl’s plan to use wastewater from Flagstaff to make snow on the San Francisco Peaks said they’ll now ask Flagstaff to cancel the contract for the wastewater and if that fails, they’ll oppose the construction of the pipeline needed to ship the water to the ski resort. Arizona Daily Sun (AP); Jan. 13 <http://www.azdailysun.com/non_sec/nav_includes/story.cfm?storyID=122920>
NEVADA WATER JUDGE OPENS THE TAP FOR VEGAS PIPELINE
Nevada’s state engineer OK’d a plan for Southern Nevada Water Authority to tap 8,905 acre-feet of rural Nevada’s groundwater, half of what the authority had requested. Las Vegas Review-Journal; Jan. 5 <http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2005/Jan-05-Wed-2005/news/25599125.html>
NEVADANS USE MORE WATER IN ’05 BUT OVERALL USE IS STEADY
Because of the system of credits and water returned, the Southern Nevada Water Authority said it sent more water to residents in the Las Vegas Valley in 2005 than it did in 2004, but overall water use was almost the same. Las Vegas Review-Journal; Jan. 20 <http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Jan-20-Fri-2006/news/5446312.html>
AGENCY WANTS LAS VEGAS PIPELINE PROJECT TO MOVE ALONG
Officials of the Southern Nevada Water Authority said additional studies won’t add new information to the agency’s plan to build a pipeline to carry groundwater from Lincoln and White Pine counties and are asking the agency to hold hearings on the project in July, but opponents want to wait a year. Las Vegas Review-Journal; Jan. 6 <http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Jan-06-Fri-2006/news/5232934.html>
NEVADA WATER OFFICIAL FINDS RECEPTIVE AUDIENCE IN WHITE PINE
The county commissioners of financially strapped White Pine County said they saw no harm in listening to what Southern Nevada Water Authority chief Pat Mulroy had to say about the $2 billion, 15-year plan to ship groundwater from the Nevada county to Las Vegas. Las Vegas Sun (AP); Jan. 17 <http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/nevada/2006/jan/16/011610864.html>
NEVADA OFFICIALS OPTIMISTIC AFTER COLORADO RIVER TALKS END
Water officials from the seven states that share Colorado River water wound up talks in Las Vegas last week, and Southern Nevada Water Authority officials said they won some key concessions to ensure future water supplies for Clark County and Las Vegas. Las Vegas Review Journal; Jan. 8 <http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Jan-07-Sat-2006/news/5249028.html> <http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2006/01/10/news/wyoming/8544e70aceceb455872570f100831a0d.txt>
WESTERN WATER MANAGERS MULL RESERVOIR ON U.S.-MEXICAN BORDER
Nevada officials said the state would provide the $80 million needed to build a reservoir on the U.S.-Mexican border to capture Colorado River water before it flows into Mexico in exchange for some of the water savings the reservoir would generate. Las Vegas Review-Journal; Jan. 15 <http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Jan-14-Sat-2006/news/5355220.html>
ARIZONA AND CALIFORNIA DOMINATE COLORADO RIVER DROUGHT PLAN
The seven states involved in the Colorado River drought management plan are stuck on who would suffer the most should drought conditions return and the river is unable to fulfill allocations, and if an agreement isn’t reached, the states could either see a long lawsuit or a plan implemented by the Department of the Interior. Arizona Republic; Jan. 30 <http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/0130rivertalks30.html>
STATES REACH DEAL ON ALLOCATION OF COLORADO RIVER WATER
The seven states who share Colorado River water have agreed on a management plan for drought years and as growth increases demand for water. Arizona Republic; 2/1 <http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0201rivertalks0201.html>
NEW PLAYERS CHANGE THE FACE OF THE WAR OVER WATER IN THE WEST
As water supplies across the nation dwindle, farmers and ranchers are finding new opponents in their fight for water: city dwellers, fisherman and environmental groups. Washington Post; Jan. 15 <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/14/AR2006011400820.html>
CALIFORNIA GOV. PROPOSES FUNDS FOR WATER ISSUES
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed the largest investment in flood and water management in state history. The Strategic Growth Plan proposes a $35 billion investment over the next ten years, including $9 billion in bond funds. DWR News Release, 1/9 <http://www.publicaffairs.water.ca.gov/newsreleases/2006/01-06-06floodbond.pdf>
PANEL: DELTA WATER STUDY FLAWED
A federal document that cleared the way for water users in the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California to take more water out of the Delta has serious scientific shortcomings, a panel of independent scientists concluded. Monterey Herald, 1/8 <http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/montereyherald/news/state/13578820.htm>
MONTANA’S WATER-ADJUDICATION FEE A BARGAIN
The $20 fee Montana is asking water-rights holders to pay every other year to help fund studies of who owns what water is a small price to pay given the importance of water in the West. Missoulian; Jan. 8 <http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2006/01/08/opinion/opinion1.txt>
WORK BEGINS ON WHITEWATER PLAY AREA IN MONTANA CITY
Equipment has been moved into the Clark Fork River in Missoula’s downtown area to remove a broken concrete diversion dam and replace it with a rock structure that will create a mid-river play area where whitewater enthusiasts can practice maneuvers. Missoulian; Jan. 13 <http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2006/01/13/news/top/news01.txt>
TU HOPES MONTANA PROJECT WILL CLEAR THE WAY FOR MORE
Volunteers from the local Westslope Chapter of Trout Unlimited are working to restore 1.3 mile stretch of Eustache Creek in northwestern Montana, and the group hopes the collaborative approach will be used to clean up other hardrock mining sites in the future. Missoulian; Jan. 27 <http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2006/01/27/outdoors/od01.txt>
AUTHOR OF SALMON STUDY CUTS FISH’S BENEFIT TO IDAHO
Economist Don Reading’s study last year said Idaho would gain $544 million if wild salmon runs were fully restored, but an independent review of his study reduced that benefit to $7 million, and Reading said the problem was semantics, and he should have used “impact” rather than “benefit.” Missoulian; Jan. 16 <http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2006/01/16/news/local/news04.txt>
FEDERAL SALMON PLAN WILL CLOSE HATCHERIES, LIMIT FISHING
A fishing industry officials said the Bush administration’s efforts to boost wild salmon numbers by limiting the number that can be caught takes aim at the wrong problem, and the administration should be taking down hydroelectric dams instead. Seattle Times; Jan. 26 <http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002762590_salmon26m.html>
COMPANY SAYS RELEASE OF WATER IN WYO DRILLING IS SAFE
Dudley and Associates LLC of Denver said that drilling 1,240 wells over the next 30 to 40 years in the western Hanna Basin of Wyoming and then releasing the byproduct salty water into Seminoe Reservoir on the North Platte River won’t diminish water quality, which the Wyoming Water Development Commission said it may use to meet interstate water obligations. Billings Gazette (AP); Jan. 5 <http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2006/01/05/build/wyoming/40-drilling.inc>
COLORADO GROUPS PUSH MEASURE TO CLEAN UP ABANDONED MINES
A study by the Center of the American West at the University of Colorado-Boulder said abandoned mines are threatening water supplies across the West and said the federal 1971 Clean Water Act is inadvertently slowing private groups’ efforts to clean up the mines. Boulder Daily Camera; 01/13 <http://www.dailycamera.com/bdc/environment/article/0,1713,BDC_2434_4382326,00.html> <http://www.centerwest.org/cawabandonedmines.pdf>
MONTANA REPORT TRACKS EFFECTS OF PROPOSED COALBED-METHANE REGS
The Montana Board of Environmental Review is considering more stringent regulations on water discharged during coalbed methane extraction operations, and two new reports said the new rules could be costly for energy companies but would create less risk of water pollution. Missoulian (AP); Jan. 10 <http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2006/01/10/breaker/doc43c2fddbe3b5c133817912.txt>
WYOMING DELEGATION ASKS MONTANA TO GO EASY ON CBM WATER RULES
Wyoming’s congressional delegation has sent a letter to the Montana Board of Environmental Review urging it to reject a petition asking the state to toughen water-quality rules for discharges of coal-bed methane wastewater along waters that flow from Wyoming to Montana. Casper Star-Tribune; Jan. 31 <http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2006/01/31/news/a7ff98e58b88cd68872571070008a754.txt>
EPA ADDS $18 MILLION FOR WATER QUALITY
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced plans to distribute another $18 million this fiscal year for national water quality monitoring. Water Tech Online, 1/3 <http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/b1ab9f485b098972852562e7004dc686/ad4e6d4dbec7bf3d852570e70061e514!OpenDocument>
300 MILLION CHINESE DRINK UNSAFE WATER
About 300 million people living in China’s vast countryside drink unsafe water tainted by chemicals and other contaminants, the government said in its latest acknowledgment of mounting risks from widespread pollution. AP, 12/30 <http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=56111>
CHINA SPENDING BILLIONS TO CLEAN UP SONGHUA RIVER
China will invest more than $3 billion over the next five years to clean up the Songhua River, a key source of drinking water for tens of millions of people that was polluted in November by a toxic spill that flowed into Russia. Mercury News, 1/9 <http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/world/13582962.htm>
