Laserfiche WebLink
<br />~-... <br /> <br />WAYNE ALLARD <br />COLORADO <br /> <br />D~ICSfN SENATE Oma; BUl1.DlNG, SUITE 621 <br />PNoNr: t:lIl2I 224-S941 <br />FAX: (202\ 224-6471 <br /> <br />t}lnit <br /> <br />~tatfS ~rnatc <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />WAS NGTON. DC 2051<H.l606 <br /> <br />J uary 18, 2007 <br /> <br />The Honorable Dirk Kempthorne <br />Secretary <br />U.S. Department of the Interior <br />1849 C Street, NW <br />Washington, D.C. 20240 <br /> <br />Dear Secretary Kempthome: <br /> <br />r~ l <br />.,J..i I.; <br /> <br />APPROPRIATIONS <br />BANKING. HOUSING, "NO <br />URBAN AFFAIRS <br />BUDGET <br />HEAlTH, EDUCATION. lABOR AND <br />PENSIONS <br />RENEWABLE ENERGV CAUCUS <br />SPACE POWER CAUCUS <br /> <br /> <br />I am writing to express real concerns ith instream flow appropriations proposed by the <br />Bureau of Land Management (BLM) tl r consideration by the Colorado Water <br />Conservation Board (CWCB) in Jack~ n County, Colorado. The continued ability to <br />utilize waters of the North Platte and i' tributaries is the life-blood of this agricultural <br />. I <br />commumty . <br /> <br />While I commend BLM for its historYi fworking within state water laws, these proposed <br />filings have generated significant con I versy. The Jackson County Commissioners, state <br />legislators, Water Conservancy Distri~ and Stockgrowers, as well as many individual <br />landowners, oppose these filings prop~ ed on the North Fork of the North Platte, the <br />South Fork of Big Creek and Indian Cr ek. <br />I <br />i <br />Water use in Jackson County is gove":! d by the equitable apportionment provisions of <br />Nebraska v. Wyoming, 325 U.S. 589 (1 45) as modified in 345 U.S. 981 (1953) (the <br />"U.S. Supreme Court Decree"). By sm e law, instream flow appropriations shall not be <br />construed to "deprive the people ofth~ tate of Colorado of the beneficial use of those <br />waters available by law and interstate t mpact." These proposed filings are likely to <br />interfere with existing and future wate~ ses consistent with the Supreme Court Decree. <br />Morevcr, they are located on streams: th no recorded stream gage data. Extrapolating <br />from ditch diversions and streams loc~t d in other areas (some of which are outside the <br />county and even outside of Colorado) 1 inappropriate. Two of the proposed filings cross <br />significant private land holdings and 01 terminates at the Colorado and Wyoming state <br />line. <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />Colorado is a headwaters state. Instre flow appropriations, or other mechanisms <br />designed to shepherd water to Colorad: s state line, are in direct conflict with Colorado's <br />continued ability to develop water con~ stent with interstate compacts and the U.S. <br />Supreme Court Decree. To my great cl cern, BLM has alluded that it will take further <br />I <br />action "to appropriate flows to optimall protect fish values and to protect other water- <br />dependent values specified in BLM re~ urce management plans." <br />j <br />I <br /> <br />(~340 EAsT CA\1V <br />\.....; SUlTE 21S <br />ENGlEWOOO. co 80111 <br />~: 303-220-7414 <br />FAA: 303-22l>-a126 <br /> <br /> <br />4 " THAtCHER BuIlDING <br />6TH AND MAIN STRUT <br />PU18I.D. co 81003 <br />I'HON.E: 71&-64S-87111 <br />FAX: 7l~5-3832 <br /> <br />~1 :no"i ~lIt~ ClIm <br />SUITE 203 <br />LlML,tHD. CO 80538 <br />PHlINf; 97D-461-3530 <br />F....: 910-461-36511 <br /> <br />216 FlIXlW. Buu.IlIHG <br />400 ROOD AVENUE <br />GIWID JUI<<:1lOH. CO 81601 <br />PHottE: 870-245-11553 <br />FAX: 970-24&-9523 <br /> <br />8S4 EAllT SECOND AIltNUIi <br />SuITE 107 <br />Ou_;CO 81301 <br />Pl<oNE:.9~1MI3" <br />FAX: 970-37~132t <br />