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<br />Ij --" State's water organizations dispute POWERs claim C.:1Z.ESli;O g~ (j.\lZc>v'~ 2 -;z,(.-9'j
<br />
<br />,,pOWERrevamp.s its water theory
<br />
<br />. main doCuments governing water ing to. have the Campact amend-
<br />by Laura Martineau distributian from the Calarada ed, We think the Campact is
<br />The local water activist group River, "in its apparent zeal to pre- akay.... But if we go. after mare
<br />'POWER cained the slagan "nat vent iransbasin diversians." and water than the Compact allocates,
<br />ane drop aver the hill" in the fight af engaging in "tartuaus reason- it's like kicking a sleeping dag,
<br />against lr.Jnsmauntain diver.lian, ing [that] does nat merit detailed When that dag rises up, we're
<br />Naw the group believes that with rebuttal." Finally, ,Evans and gaing to. be bitten severely."
<br />Iransmountain diver.lian, nat Lochhead assert, , "POWER's nUs-
<br />enaugh water always makes it representatians af the Campact
<br />dawnstream to. the lawer basin could unnecessarily threaten and
<br />states af Ariwna, California, and jeopardize uses af Calarada River
<br />Nevada as well 35 to Mexico. water throughout Colorado.
<br />Manday night, the Upper including uses within the Upper
<br />Gunnisan' 'River Water Gunnison basin, POWER appear.l
<br />'Canservancy District heard from willing to. sacrifice the interests af
<br />POWER chair Pete Klingsmith, all Caloradans to its self-serving
<br />who has practiced water law in theories. H
<br />Gunnison s!nce 1954. In" that 'ime, Up~rGunnison board mem. ,
<br />Klingsmith said he has seen at ber Raman Reed, also a POWER
<br />least six proposals to divert member, said he found the letter
<br />Gunnison Basin water to the Front from Evans and Lochhead "at'J'O-- .
<br />f" ,Range. "Each attempt is mare seri- gant. demeaning and unprofes-
<br />r~' ous than. the last," Klingsrl1ith siana!. Ifs a 'shame someone in a
<br />, , remarked. "Il seems to me - and to. public positian wauld write it," he
<br />/-'
<br />, .POWER - that we shauld make added. "('m disgusted by this type
<br />:.""everyeffarftoseeifameanscan't af reactian and (questian [their],
<br />, be found to stop it" ' motives."
<br />Klingsmith thinks he has K1ingsrnith commented that
<br />faund the answer; that already he did nat believe-the water arga-
<br />there is nat enaugh water in the nizatians had paid enaugh atten-
<br />Calarada 'River Basin to satisfy tian to. same af POWER's .rgu-
<br />Calarado's legal abligatians to. ments, including:
<br />downsbeam states and Mexico. If . the likelihood that there
<br />, . ',',true, this could stop future lr.Jns- will be a severe drought in the
<br />,: : - mountain d~versions and, per. Colorado Basin in the near future;
<br />. , haps, even cause the dismantli'1g . the fact that some Indian
<br />of some existing ones, according water rights in the Colorado Basin
<br />to. Klingsrnith: have yet to. be determined;
<br />At POWER's urging, the . thot some claims to. water
<br />Upper Gunnison district wrote to. are alder than the Calorada
<br />three water. organizations for Compact;
<br />input an the theory: the Calarada . that the Colarada Campact.
<br />River Water Conservation District. itself, could be amended by
<br />the Calarada Water Canservatian Cangress and if so, Calarada's
<br />Board and the Upper Calarada influence with six representatives
<br />River Cammissian, All disputed wauld be larleos than California's,
<br />POWER's claim. with 56,
<br />A January 25 letter lrom Peter , K1ingsrnith added that per-
<br />Evans, Director af the Calarado haps he incumd the wrath af
<br />Water Conservation Board and Evans and Lochhead because they
<br />Jim Lochhead, Upper Calarada believe POWER wants to. undo. the
<br />River Commissioner, was particu- Colorado Compact. He told the
<br />larly vehement. It accused Upper Gunnisan board that he
<br />POWER af misinterpreting the plans to. deny this, "We're nat ask-
<br />Calarada Campact, one af the
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<br />RECEIVED
<br />MAR 0 5 1999
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<br />Colorado Walor
<br />Conservation 8c.3rd
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