In addition to the potential for mining valuable rare earth metals, scientists are eager to learn more about their impacts to human health and aquatic environments.
Category: Water
Our water desk, staffed by Heather Sackett, produces the most authoritative reporting available on Roaring Fork and upper Colorado river basin water policy and politics.
Posted inWater
Forest Service presents results of beaver inventory
The information gleaned from the inventory will now help the Forest Service decide where to do prescribed burns and stream restoration projects in an effort to create more and better beaver habitat.
Posted inWater
Congressional delays cause uncertainty for water conservation program
But there has been a recognition in recent months by some Upper Basin officials that their states will have to participate in some kind of future conservation program — SCPP or otherwise — on a river whose flows have declined over the past two decades due to drought and climate change.
Posted inWater
Colorado has big dreams to use more water from the Colorado River. But will planned reservoirs ever be built?
In the era of historic drought, climate change and crashing reservoir levels, where users already see shortages in dry years, some say this amount of water for new development simply does not exist.
Posted inWater
River District talks water for the Roaring Fork at BOCC work session
Where the River District stands on the health of the Roaring Fork is relevant to another important water discussion: the River District’s plan to purchase the Shoshone water rights.
Posted inWater
Water managers deadlocked on Colorado River
The two basins have not moved any closer to a consensus during their nine-month-long standoff.
Posted inWater
River District asks for $40 million in federal funding for Shoshone water rights
A better estimate of historic use, the River District says, should be based on flows at the Dotsero gauge upstream of the plant’s diversion from the river, a calculation they call the “administrative flow.”
Posted inWater
Officials say water conservation program harmed Grand Valley irrigators
Norris said that GVIC’s system of nearly 100 miles of canals that serve about 40,000 acres between Palisade and Mack needs all of its water to function properly and that reducing the call harms all of the company’s water users.
Posted inWater
Extended Shoshone hydro plant outages add urgency to water rights campaign
When the Shoshone plant is offline, the instream flow right would be activated to continue pulling water downstream, making ShOP obsolete and solidifying a critical water right for the Western Slope.
Posted inWater
Groups continue working on Crystal River protections
Subcommittee members said better understanding how that would play out in the Crystal River basin will require more work.