Rapidly dropping reservoir levels create a “green light” scenario for river management where conditions shift from a situation to be monitored to a problem that needs to be solved.
Author Archives: Heather Sackett
Heather Sackett is the managing editor at Aspen Journalism and the editor and reporter on the Water Desk. She has also reported for The Denver Post and the Telluride Daily Planet. Heather has a master’s degree from CU’s Center for Environmental Journalism and her reporting has been recognized by the Colorado Press Association.
Posted inWater
Scarcity the theme of Colorado River conference
“The last 22 years has no 20th-century analogue,” said Brad Udall, senior water and climate research scientist at Colorado State University.
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Working within Colorado River’s 1922 water compact for 21st century focus of annual meeting
He also pointed out that requiring the upper basin, where most of the river’s flows originate as snowpack, to contribute the same fixed amount each year despite declining flows means that the upper basin is unfairly bearing the brunt of climate change.
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Glenwood Canyon monitoring project gets funding for second phase
The cascade of dirty water also had impacts to agricultural and municipal water users downstream in Silt, whose only source of water is the Colorado.
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Aspen officials release plan laying out 50 years of water projects
Storing water specifically until an emergency occurs is not a decreed beneficial use under Colorado water law. But municipal water providers often have a lot of leeway to plan for future needs, which could include storage projects.
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Ouray County asks state water board to delay filing aimed at instream flow protection
The CWCB, at the recommendation of Colorado Parks & Wildlife, is seeking instream flow protections for a 7.4-mile reach of Cow Creek — from its confluence with Lou Creek to its confluence with the Uncompahgre River, downstream of Ridgway Reservoir.
Posted inThe Roundup
The Roundup | Water speculation in the hot seat at the Capitol
A note from Water Desk Editor Heather Sackett, this week’s original stories from Aspen Journalism, and other news items of interest.
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Investment water speculation bill clears committee
The draft bill gives the state engineer at the Department of Water Resources the ability to investigate complaints of investment water speculation and fine a purchaser up to $10,000 if they determine speculation is occurring.
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Wolf Creek reservoir project secures River District grant
Rio Blanco estimates the permitting will take three to five years at a cost of $6 to $10 million.
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Streamflows in southern half of upper Colorado River basin declining faster
Another question is: If there is a compact call, how would state engineers administer it so that already water-short basins aren’t forced to cut back even more?