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<br />~WedneSday, January 5, 2000,
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<br />Allard links
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<br />By Mark H. Hunter
<br />Speclal to The Denver Post
<br />ALAMOSA Protecting uis
<br />Valley's vast underground aquifer fro
<br />commercial exploitation and expansion of
<br />the Great Sand Dunes National Monument
<br />,. to a national park dominated discussion
<br />"at 1 town meetings hosted by Sen.
<br />Wayne Al a , . 10., this week.
<br />The two issues are intrIc -be:;
<br />cause the expansion hinges, in part, on the
<br />successful purchase of the neighboring
<br />lOO,OOO.acre Baca Ranch by The Nature
<br />Conservancy. Last summer, the group pur.
<br />chased the monument's other neighbor, the
<br />lOO,OOO.acre Medano-Zapata Ranch.
<br />
<br />'WI. . _
<br />
<br />THE DENVER POST
<br />
<br />ark idea to
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<br />rotection of a niCer
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<br />Negotiations for the Baca purchase are
<br />under way; it could cost up to $35 million,
<br />officials estimate. .Final expansion of the
<br />39,000.acre monument, the largest inland
<br />nd dunes in the world,. could cost as
<br />much as $50 million. If successful, The Na.
<br />ture Conservancy would someday turn the
<br />. property over to the federal government,
<br />Allard said.
<br />
<br />"I have not heard any opposition to the
<br />, expansion proposal," Allard told about 50
<br />residents Tuesday morning at the Alamosa
<br />100. On M:onday, he held meetings in Fort
<br />Garland and La Jara, and on Tuesday he
<br />also visited Center; Monte Vista and
<br />Creede.
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<br />A
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<br />Saguache County commissioners are not
<br />thrilled with the plan for the monument,
<br />however. They don't want to lose nearly
<br />$68,000 in property taxes if Gary. Boyce,
<br />president of Stockman's Water Co., sells
<br />the Baca ranch and it becomes public
<br />property. .
<br />But the commissioners "have softened
<br />their position," Allard said. "We're search. Stockman's did not file its controversial
<br />ing for ways to give them some relief. . plan in water court at the end of 1999 as
<br />"I support the designation of the dunes Boyce last year said it w~uld. If - ~r
<br />(to a park) because it will enhance the a;r- w~en - the co~pany does fIle, St~~man s
<br />ea, -economically," Allard said. "It would WIll face unammous valley OpPOsItion.
<br />save the water here, under the Baca and Allard warned that Stockman's may not
<br />the dunes, and keep it from being devel. be the only threat to the valley's water.
<br />oped and transported out of the valley." New Mexico and Texas also are eyeing the
<br />
<br />Stockman's has proposed pumping
<br />150,000 acre.feet of water from the val-
<br />ley's estimated 2 billion.acre-foot aquifer,
<br />pipe it over Poncha Pass and sell it to
<br />thirsty Front Range communities. An
<br />acre.foot of water, worth about $3,500,
<br />equals 326,000 gallons, and is enough to
<br />supply a family of four for about ,a year.
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<br />. 7B
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<br />valuable resource, which could easily be
<br />transported south via the Rio Grande.
<br />"There is a considerable threat from
<br />downstream interests," he said. "If we put
<br />it all into a park, including the Baca, the
<br />water rights would, be protected."
<br />When asked if the federal government
<br />could "take the Baca under eminent do-
<br />main," Allard stiffened.
<br />"Not from this guy," he said. "I respect
<br />private property rights. There needs to be
<br />a willing seller and willing buyer."
<br />Allard also briefly discussed the federal
<br />budget and hammered President Clinton!
<br />for his objections to elimination of some:
<br />taxes.
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