Over 60 percent of the Colorado River’s native flows are permanently removed at its headwaters by urban water systems, according to Colorado Trout Unlimited, and now two proposed water projects for Denver and the Front Range could take another 20 percent if enacted. The threatened Fraser River is a main tributary of the Colorado. It starts at Berthoud Pass, flowing for 32.5 miles — 19.5 miles in protected U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management lands — past Winter Park to Granby, Colorado. In 1992 Colorado voters overwhelmingly approved Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) to receive up to 50 percent of Colorado Lottery proceeds and use the funds on projects that protect and enhance Colorado’s parks, wildlife, trails, rivers and open space, and more than 5 million people by last year. We can watch how that money is used to speak for the value of water in streams. . . . more>>
The water managers have already paid themselves $25 million studying the Lake Powell Pipeline. The project cost is going over estimates. There are other ways to get and save water. One must ask, who benefits the most here? . . . more>>
The Flaming Gorge Pipeline Project (FGP) is a proposed diversion of the Green River at Flaming Gorge for the purposes of sending water to Denver and the front range of Colorado. The pipeline would follow the I-80 corridor and could head as far south as Pueblo, CO. The FGP is intended to withdraw 250,000 acre-feet of water per year from both the Flaming Gorge Reservoir (165,000 acre-feet) and the Green River above the reservoir (85,000 acre-feet). Since most of the water in the West is used for growing hay, might not hay be better place to find water? . . . more>>
It’s been twenty years from decommissioning to actual dismantling of the Elwha dams, but it’s finally happening. Sweet for Washington, sweet for salmon. . . . more >>
