WSP12524

• File Number: 8210.320
• Description: Colorado River Basin Organizations-Entities - Southwestern Water Conservation District
• State: CO
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Water Division: 5
• Date: 7/1/1998
• Author: Southwestern Water Conservation District
• Title: Southwestern Water Conservation District-SWCD - Water Information Program-WIP - Water Letter 1998-2004 - Volume III-Issue III through Volume IX-Issue VII - 07-01-98 through 10-01-04
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

A PERSONAL INTERViEW
WiTh Chucl( LilE

CHuck LilE, RETiRiNCj DiRECTOR of THE COlORAdo WATER CONSERVATioN BOARd

Editors Note: Chuck Lile, recently retired from the
Colorado Water Conservation Board, after 31 years of
service to the water users and citizens of Colorado. In July
1998, Chuck returned to Durango, with his wife Leesa, to
spend time irrigating their ranch and to catch up on projects
that need to be done. After graduating from Southern
Colorado State College (now the University of Southern
Colorado) in Pueblo in 1967 with a B.S. degree in geological
engineering, Chuck began his career in water resources with
the State Engineers' Office in Colorado. He worked as a
water hydrographer in water Division 2 (Pueblo/Arkansas
River Basin), and an assistant water engineer in Division 6
(Steamboat Springs/Yampa River Basin), and as the Division
7 water engineer (Durango/San Juan River Basin) during
his professional water engineering career. In 1992, Chuck
was appointed as the executive director of the Colorado
Water Conservation Board (CWCB), a position that he held
for 6 years. Chuck earned a reputation in the water
community in Colorado over his 31 years of service that
included an easygoing approach, a working knowledge of
each river basin in Colorado, excellent negotiation skills
and a broad range of experience with water policy in
Colorado.

WlP: How long have you been in the water business in
Colorado?

Chuck Lite: Mter graduating from Southern Colorado, I
was offered my first job in Pueblo with the State Engineer's
Office (SEO) as a water hydrographer. In my career I have
measured streams and rivers all over Colorado. From there
I went to Steamboat, then Durango, and finally Denver
with the Colorado Water Conservation Board.

WlP: Tell us about water issues in Colorado?

Chuck Lile: Colorado has a variety of water issues,
problems and challenges that we need to address. Each
river basin and water division is different. For example,
Division 2 (Arkansas River) has a very tight water
situation, particularly with the Kansas vs Colorado
litigation over the Arkansas River. In Division 1, the Platte
River system, we have trans basin diversions and water
storage which has leveled off the hydrograph, supplying
water to users throughout the year. In Division 5
(Colorado River) we are trying to balance Endangered
Species Act (ESA) fish recovery efforts with existing water
uses, such as irrigation and municipal. We need to keep
the door open for being able to fully utilize Colorado's
portion of the upper Colorado River water. In Division
3 (Rio Grande) we have the compacts with New Mexico
and other states. Since 1967, Colorado has been doing a
good job, but water demands in New Mexico are
increasing, which puts pressure on these interstate
compacts.

As COlORAdo WATER CONSERVATioN BOARd SAYS
II FAREWEll TO CHuckll; SOUTHWESTERN COlORAdo
SAYS, IIHdlo, ANd WElcOME BAck HOMLII

WlP: How do we resolvejUture water issues and shortages?

Chuck Lite: We need to carefully consider the issues
and look for solutions that balance the competing interests
for additional water. It is not easy to build a new reservoir,
with the Animas-La Plata being a case in point. So we
may want to look at enlarging present reservoirs, when
that is practical and feasible. It is generally more acceptable
to add storage to a present facility, as compared to building
a new one. .

TOWN MEETiNG FOR NORwood

The Water Information Program cosponsored. a
town meeting for the town of Norwood Colorado m
September. The Bureau of Reclamation helped to sponsor
the meeting which was attended by the mayor, Gene
Cross, the county commissioner, Art Goodtimes, water
board members, water commissioners from Division Four
and other local residents.

Raymond Snyder, the Southwestern Water Conservation
board member from San Miguel County talked about
meeting our water solutions. and proble~s in No~ood
by sorting out all the alternatlves and commg up WIth the
best solution. Bill Bray, another Southwestern Water
Conservation District board member felt the best way of
finding a solution is to hire an expert as. a mediator
bringing all the parties together to find a solutlOn for more
water storage. MORE ON PAGE ~ . . .
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