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<br />~ <br /> <br /> <br />f <br />!Water supply translates into stability <br /> <br />n, TO:\1I\1c'\\'O\' <br />Ch"'/flli"I),:.na/lun'l/rl <br />DEN\TR - St,lbilily j<, the- \\ort.! cur- <br />n.'nl and former ~lalc officiah Ill()\( orten <br />;bpply lo Ct)IOr:l(jII'~ hyingpan. <br />III ^rk;m';l~ l)rojl'l'1. <br />9 "The projC'C1 ha\!x"Cn a !>uC(:c~\fur hi,. <br />!i: Itlric d<.:\c!(lpmCIlI for Southern ('01\)(... <br />"'!:do." Go\'. Roy Romer said. "It has <br />? \lahihl'cd the- w;ller :l\'OIibhlc for ("rm <br />'Virrig;ltjoll, l:omlllunily gnl\\th, stream <br />cd' .. <br />III management an recreatIon. <br />~ Without PUl'hlo R~cn'oir it'" dOLI I'll- <br />n fllllhat f'u('hl(l ('('uld have guar;UlIccd <br />o the WOller ncrdl'tllo stimulatt.' economic <br />F dcn'!t1pmcnl in recent years, he s;.id. <br />"'" Romer grew up in lIolly, where hi.. <br />~ family used to irrigate out of the Amity <br />~ Canal, during the Dust 1J(lwl era of the <br />] Gf(';ll Dqm.:ssion. <br />~ ''I've Ii \led wilh Ihe f'ryingp.ln4Arbn_ <br />.. "'1\ Projecl fur il lilll}! lime. lilin/; in Ihl:' <br />=- Lower ^r"'ms,l~ Valley and ~ing Ihe <br />;: wholl' \';lII('y m:l\imll'e <I 1I<lllIral r('- <br />...: ~ourn'," he ~,lid <br />n <br />o <br />3 <br />I Pueblo gets 'insurance policy' <br /> <br />~ 14) 1,()Rl:TTA SWORIl J 1,200 acre-fed of stor;lg(' for proj('('t <br />< 1/..' r"..M" ("fjil'li<liu waler al Lale Pu('b]o. <br />: Th~ r,.yingpan-Arkan~as Proj('ct is 10 AuJilion;llly, Ihe tloard buys 110n-pro- <br />~ the PUeOI,I) B,lard (~fWal('r \\:or~~ \\hal jcel SIOlilg(' sp;lce each )'l'ar for wat('c <br />0' .'-'oylis 01 L~lIld(Jn h to the sluPPlng from its man)' olhl'r sources. <br />? lI\{.I~slry ~ InSucanc\.' f{lr Ihe fUlure ilnd Ikfore Ihat spa('c bcc:tm(' ;I\"ililab]e, <br />~ ag.lJnst dlS,l\ll'r, the o(lard !otort'd mosl of ih W:tter in <br />!;i In the water ooard's C;ISC, dis.lstec of Up~trc;lm resen'oirs.. Mtl<:h (lfit was <br />~ Ihe lind only J\1othcr Nature Call tlrin~. ~Iort'd '" space O"'lll'(j t'ly (T&I Slee! <br />.:: 'The waler tluard is elltitkd to 8,050 ('orp, al Turquoi~c Lake in lead\'illc, In <br />tn ;lcre-fl'el (lfPhlj(,l't. W;lIer each }'ea~, One relurn,.C!:&1 g(lt 20 JX'r('(,1l1 of the w:lIyr <br />C1I :It'rl'-foot of waler IS enough to S<II,'.[y Mored III ns space _ nOI a great bargam <br />~ thc n\Xds of;1 family (If f{lur for a )'('ar. for the water ooard. <br />~ Allh\lUfh the board has ncver yet Rogcr "Bud" O'lIar;l, th~ board's di. <br />:... Jr;lwn ;1 !,11ll,:11' drop of Fr}'-Ark water, rl'Clor of watcr rl'sources, said rdea'il.'s <br />:g its ;n'ailabililY fIll';lIlS that this city Ill'l'J fWIll TurquoiSA: I<Xlk "hours and hours" <br />C never worry <loo.ut drouFhl- nOI e\ell to rl:'adl PUl.'tllo. "By Ihaltime, il could <br />Ihe Du~t lJvwllllld of JroughL l\C raining like CrMy anJ we didn'l ne('l! <br />And th~' "l''III'.I'' wal('r has lx'('n one or il <Ill)' more:' Then thnc \\as no (:hoke <br />the cily's lopdra\\ing card!' in l'onvinc_ but 10 kt it conlinu(' 011 down the <br />ing nC'"' industrks 10 ~l'lllc 11l'rc, ^rL.an~ls into Kans;ls. <br />Unlill'uchlo nt'Cds it, Ihe wakr is Now Ihat the board's imml'diate Mlp- <br />n,l:~dc aya.ilalllc cadl year rl.' f;lrll1~rS ilnJ pl~' is st0rcd .at lale PUl'blo, O'llara <br />cl1le,> Willing 10 p;l)' a prl'1ll1Utll pn('c. salJ, "Ih('rl' IS much I~ss loss and wc gd <br />Asidt, from an insur(.'d future watl'r the waler righl away \\hcn we ('all for <br />supply, I'uetl]{l also is l'nlitk'd I(l up tu it." <br /> <br />Lower valley cities now realize project's worth <br /> <br /> <br />IJrHOII OARR <br />Ihfl'lll"h"'C/'i,lfiJi" <br />LA JUf'\TA - Ol.'wloping :1 rdi;lhtl' <br />Mlurl'\.' for irrig:lli{ln and mllnkip;11 wa- <br />ter sllppliC's has Ir;HJitiull:tlly becn :t con- <br />ccrn,for IlK' Lower Arbnsas Valtc)'. <br />Thc hcndil" Ill' the Fr}'illgpan-Arbn_ <br />S;IS I'rojl,("1 hI I1lllnil'ipalilic... in "(luth- <br />l',I...I{'fIl C'tllutildv (';111 he nW<lSUrl" tlNh <br />dirl'cll)' and illdim:tly. <br />Dirl't:tly, thl.' rrO~l..'t prll\idl.'~ 2S Pt'c- <br />l'l'nl of thl.' munieip'-l/ Wall'" used in La. <br />mar cach )'c;lr :lIld lle:nl)' ,Ill lh~' waler <br />mctlinCl"lHlk'Y('(lullty_ <br />"WI.' \\l'rC"n't re.llly illtl.'rl'sh,.'J in ilK' <br />project whl'n it bl'f:all," Bob NVllhrur, <br />ft1rma lamar tna,)'or anJ tine of the l'ar- <br />Iy SUppOflt'r... {II' th~' pn1j"l'I, .....dd. "Wl, <br />thought, ....l' had "II th.: w;llcr "l"J en'r <br />n!.'l.'d. <br />"Uul WI.' dis..:o\'l'rl'd Wl' \\t.'rc "'flIng <br />anJ pl'liti(lfIeJ l,tI 1;('t inlo the prujel'l.'" <br />Ill' s;liJ bll1arjs ;IIIVI~'d ;lbouL 2,4()(1 <br />~ ;1(Tl'-f!.'l'l of pwjccl W;ller each YC:tr <lnd <br />u"u;llI) pUI\:hascs alxlut 2,000 aCtl'.fcl..'l <br /> <br />During Romcr's watch as go\"ernor, <br />the Slate :lnd feder;tl Burc.1U of Land <br />t\1anagemenl h;n'e entered into a hi\\(lfic <br />agreemenl creating the Arkansas River <br />lIeadwaters State Park, which e'lcnd~ <br />from Buena Vista to ('ueblo. <br />.'It :-hows an ('\'Ollllion in Ihe U'>C of <br />our "-aler rt'~oUr('cs, not jU'it for irriga- <br />tion and stream ll1anagt.'m(:nt down- <br />stream tlut alw for recreation in lhe <br />Uprcr Arkilnsa.; Valle}'," he said. <br />Sle\'e ~fcNichol'i \\a.. go\"ernor in <br />1962 ",hen Ihe late President John F. <br />Kennedy ..igncd congre<;<;ion:ll authofi- <br />7alion of Ihe prujlT!. <br />"An awful 101 of 1X'0plc worked Oil <br />Ihat projcrt," McNichol'> recrllll'd, '"Wc <br />walked the m<lrbk'u hall.; of('ongrcss a <br />long, long time with people like Tommy <br />Tholl1s0n, '" \lho is I;cncr;l] manager of <br />Ihe South1'3stern ('u]orado Water ('011- <br />sen'aney [)i.~trict. <br />Ill' praised Color;ldo's wngn......ion;11 <br />ddcgation, especially the latc Rl'P' <br />Wayne ^<,pin:11I and Ihe late Scn. John <br /> <br />", suppk'mclIt thl' CilY'lo well field. An <br />;'Icn:-fool will supply enollgh W,Her fur a <br />family of four for one year. Thc si_'I <br />countics in South('.bICfIl Clllor;ldo arc <br />,11l{lC,llcd ;'111 a\'era~(' of 9,600 acrl'.fl"Ct <br />(';1('h year and :Ire t)fll.'n ;lbll.' It\ purdlase <br />surplus or unall(l(::lll" \I:tlcr from the <br />projl'd. <br />"If \\1.' didn'l have projl'cl w;lln \\c'd <br />I..... in rl'allwuolc righIIW\\," he );liu. <br />Thc Wiltl'r di\"'f~ii(1I1 and storage pro- <br />jl'l..'t al~ :tUowl.'d Cro" ley County to <br />tlui/d a ncw COUIlI} \Iater Systl'lIl ill thl' <br />l'arly 19~O's. <br />'"WI:' woulJu'l h;l\'e a ('('unly wakr <br />SYstem al all if Ih~ Fl)illl,:p,ln-Arbnsa... <br />Projl'l..'l W:l:-II', tluill," JllC Kinard, <br />Cw\\ky Counl). adminislt;.lIor, said. <br />"Thc hm pipelincs th'll ~'n-e residellt:> <br />out in the county, Ihe 96 Pipeline anJ <br />Cro\\ky COUIlt} Wi,lll'r ^sso{,:iaIitln, <br />werl' bQlh at their limil,lInJ ('ould tlard)' <br />suppl)' Iheir mt'llllx.'rs, kt alolle any nen <br />rcsiik'nts. <br />Cwwky was rd)'inS llll .1 town wdl <br /> <br />C'arr0l1, f{'r \\'orkint hard in Wa..hinglOll <br />for ,luthoril'ation. <br /> <br />The projcct \\i]1 be decklTl'd officially <br />completed in dedication ccrcmonic.. f'ri- <br />da)'. <br /> <br />"This final complelion i.. reall}' won. <br />dl'rful." ~fc~khols !.;Iid. "It ShO\b wllilt <br />you can do \{, hen you're informed .LIld <br />go along with nalural resources, <br /> <br />"Peop]e lIeedl.'d water for tht'ir li\'eh. <br />hoous and recrC;llioll. To ml.', it'lo Il(l\ a <br />political problem; it\just a mall('r oflhe <br />sovernment s.pending moncy to hdp <br />people," <br /> <br />Robert k\\e, formcr Puehlo dnision <br />engineer for Ihe ColMado Department <br />of N:tluf<ll Rc..ources, ~aid it was it <br />mammoth and innO\athe undcrtakin!!:;.1I <br />the timc. <br /> <br />"I relllembcl' !leing in the division's <br />old office in downtown Puetl]o, waldling <br />Prc~ident Kcnnedy ride by in 11J62 on hi,> <br />way tolhl' st;ldium to cclehr.lle the au- <br />thorizalion oflhe pmjc(:t," ks~c said. <br /> <br />'Tor thc Si,C ofi!, Ihc pro/'c('t went <br />pretty' s.moolhl)', '" he rOC;Jlk<. , <br /> <br />"In tot:!I capacil), Ilhinl.:, Ihe h)ing:_ <br />P,IO-^rkan..as has bl't.'n a stabli71ng <br />factor ill meeling our walcr ne(.'d~. ('..pc- <br />d;lll} ftlr f<lrmer<; in certain time~ oflhe <br />}'e,lr. . . 11 "a~ rc]ali\'l']y ine'pcmi\'e Ii- <br />costs go now." <br /> <br />Je~<;e snid the pcojcl"t'.. initial thrusl <br />Wa'i to strlbili"e the l1(m' orth~ AILlI1s;l~ <br />to ib\tlrC it ...tead} \Iater supply for irri- <br />sation and indu<;lrblusc. <br /> <br />"I (hlll't n:rnernbcr us rcall} consid- <br />ering rccrc,llion,;b ..uch. Wc talked in <br />the beginning aboul \\'-lter stor;lge and <br />managCJl1l.'llt, the pa} b;lcL. to Ihe f...d~f;ll <br />gO\'crnJl1l'nt and so forth," he said. <br /> <br />'"Pueblo Re..crvoir lurned out to be <br />Ihe busjcst I;lke in Cohlradll. U>' contro- <br />lling (h~ I]{m of lhe rhl'r, bO:ltlllg and <br />kayaking lVere made year-round," Jessc <br />";lid, "It's a fair]) qU1ct, non.polluting <br />and f.lmily-oricnt('d ri\el" something <br />wc C:lll all be proud of," <br /> <br />Fry-Ark project has benefitted <br />Upper Arkansas water users <br /> <br />n, CHII\" ("OClIR,\'_I,[\\'I~ <br />11",,.....,,,,,Cll',/,,III, <br />CA~.O!'\ ('IT Y - Watl.'r-:-h:trc_ <br />holder and formt'r Canon Cil} J\1aYllr <br />George Turncr calls the Fr>ingran- <br />Arkan~as I'rojl'("t :1 "greatlnsut;\n~l' <br />policy" for a Male pr(lne 10 droughtt <br />Turner, v.ho ha~ ~",(,Jl ill\'olwd in <br />illll1o~t e\l.'r) a\jX'('t of !:IU) ing, selling <br />and planning of watl'r u...c, s;tid Ihe <br />proje-<:t has gi\'('n Colorado f;mller, rl <br />deg/'l'(' of proteclion againslthc force) <br />of Muthcr f'\ature, <br />"If we didn't ha\l' Ihe prOjl'Ct, we <br />thl'n \1041d be sutlj('cl to Ihe nO\\ of <br />thl' ArLlOsas Ri\w:' hc said, "'fit <br />got dr;lstic. <l lot of countr) would dr) <br />up. It's a rC;11 nicc insurancl' policy:' <br />The project has had a tremendous <br />impact 011 communitk's .dong the <br />Upper Arkansas Ri\er, said Turner. <br />The henefit of h;l\ ing II water SOUr('L' <br />;lfl'ordl'd b) the rroj('ct !l;h ,-"tendcd <br /> <br />to industril''', lrrig;llloll c(llllr'lnie~ ;lIld <br />rural farn1l'rs. <br /> <br />"The opportunity 10 slOp \\akr <br />temporarily .lnd use it 11) cllrnmuniti...', <br />and industrics giH'5 the pot('ntial for <I <br />Iremelldous imp,let," "':lid Turner, <br />"Irrigation cOlllp;mic~ ..Iso C;In bu) <br />W;tter. The offer is Ihere and \IC '''Ill <br />do Ih.tt if we nel'd it:' <br /> <br />Other bcndit" he said, indude rCl': <br />reation. As a rl'suh of the I 'r} in~pan- <br />Arkans;u. Projl'1:t, LaL.c Pueblo was <br />ffltmcd and is nO\1 the most \'hit('J <br />rl'crC:ttion sitt' in the SI:lIe. <br /> <br />As a C(IUIlCilm;m, Turner !>t.f'\ l.'d 011 <br />the dt) \\:ltcr conltllitkl', As nla)0r, <br />hc \\;h succe~..fu] in pUrdl:lsing l"ll.:r <br />from C'hafTl'c Count) for ('anon Cil) \ <br />Use, <br /> <br />"Wakr j) a good irl\~~tnwnt,'" hc <br />said. "fhl're is Ile\\:f ennul,:h of it." <br /> <br />Ihat onl) pUlllpt'd 60 E:lllnn~ a minute <br />and the (lther to\\ ll~ \\cre limited ilS <br />wcll.'" <br />Kinard said Ihc ';50 anc-fl'l'l >llltlt. <br />menl the COUllt) has ;lnd Ihe opporlunit) <br />II' purdl<lsc surplus waler from the <br />Southl'astcrn \\'at('r Cmbcr\.lnl') Dis- <br />trict, \\hidl manag6 the projel"t, has ai- <br />IlI\\cd th(' ('ourll) 10 pro\id~' pk'lltiful <br />wakr, <br />"Till' Pr<.~l'ct rcally S,l\cJ the \\ hole <br />COUlll) loince r1l\lr/)' ;.L11 th~ Irrigation \\a. <br />tcr in lill' count} \1 as loo]d t{l IIlClwpl']- <br />itan :lrcas," Kinard said. <br />Thl' pwjl't..'l \\'ilS olle of IhC' bigge~1 <br />inlluences ill c'lPlliring Cr<'I\\II.") Coun- <br />I} 's biggl,...t empltl}W a~ \\dL <br />'"We newr would hiln' gOllen the pri.... <br />011 in Crov.It'} ifil W;l:-n't fllr the Fr)ing- <br />pan,Ark:ms<ls." hl' SOliJ. "One' of the <br />strongl.'st sdling poinb for (ltlr wunt) <br />\\;.1.10 Ihe ilbihty to gct W;lter from lht' pro- <br />jel..'t for the pri...on's u~..:..' . <br />Thl' indirl'l..'t tx'lll'fib Dr thl..' llfl)j~'Ct to <br />Itll..'a] l'omlllunilics 1ll:1)' ~c e\cn more <br /> <br />importalll, <br />"\\\"re abk to .ldJ two more \\akr <br />:-UPpltl'S for irrigating fanncr:- that thl') <br />\muldn't have had tx.ft.rl.... T('rnm) <br />Thomp...on, SEWeD genn:!] manager, <br />said, '-During a dwught ycar it ('an <br />l1lakl' thl' dlH'crcncc bch\Cl'n losing your <br />crop or not and l'\Cn in ;1 gO\lfJ }Ctlf <br />spdl.. thl' ddfcrelll'e bchh'('n l'\n:lknt <br />and lllcdilx'rc Cfllp~:' <br />\\'hik support fllr the projcl'1 is lolh)ng <br />ill the- \;llk), soml' J{x'al ollkials ;nc <br />Upsel Ihat the rl'gioll didn't t,lkc ;\ <br />stfOn!:t.'r stallce in the p:lsl <br />"Will'lI the projl'Ct \\as llriginall} dl'- <br />signed it ineludcd ,I piplclinl.' from Pueb- <br />lo R\.'~enoir to Lamar, s('ning all the <br />loca] COlllllHmitk's :J]ong the rh'l'I," Bob <br />Tempd, I'rO\h'rlo ('(lulltl Comllli~~i()ner <br />~:tid. "Out bJck Ihen \." thoughl $10 <br />millioll was to,) mudl mom'} ;mJ \\'l' <br />Jidn't rea II) need Ihe \\:ltcr :11I)"a)", <br />"Looking bal.:'L, I thinL. \\1..' rnaJe ,I oi~ <br />misl:lke not gl.'lling t.'\l.'r)Vlh: to 1ll'<.lk up <br />to 111(' pipdine," <br />