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<br />Mond~v - News - The Mountain Mail <br />it <br />... <br /> <br /> <br />000672 <br /> <br />Page 1 of4 <br /> <br />THE MOUNTAIN MAIL <br /> <br />-;--- 1 <br />r . I - <br />I : -. .;. -L,. -I HEAGWATEQ1 <br />I ~~~ "AOVlNTUi[ <br />, v I <br />~~ <br /> <br />Voice of Salida and the Upper Arkansas Valley <br /> <br />Today is <br />December 29, 2004 <br /> <br />Search. .1 <br /> <br />Classifieds <br />Archives <br />Contact Us <br />Visitor's Guide <br />Subscribe <br />Weather <br />Events <br />Regional Papers <br />Leadville <br />Buena Vista <br />FairplayjBailey <br /> <br /> <br />'f1 '1., "''''-~':J ' <br />'I () r~., I. '.A_ {.(.i~, '",~ <br />HEA-DWATER <br />f ADVENTURE <br /> <br />Visitor's Guide <br /> <br /> <br />I Today's News & Sports I Editorials I Letters I Obituaries I New Arrivals I <br /> <br />I Monday I Tuesday I Wednesday I Thursday I Friday I <br />Monday, Dec. 20, 2004 - News <br /> <br />Water right filing may protect river <br />by Kristen M. White <br />Mail Staff Writer <br />Filing for a legal right to recreational water in the <br />Arkansas River will be considered in a public hearing <br />during the regular meeting of the Chaffee County <br />Commissioners at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday. <br />The meeting will be in the Chaffee County Annex in Buena <br />Vista. <br />Today, Salida City Council members will consider adopting <br />a resolution supporting the county's filing when they meet <br />at 6 p.m. <br />After Senate Bill 216, an entity can file for a recreational <br />in-channel diversion water right if it can be proved a <br />"structure" - such as the water park in Salida - captures <br />and uses water for recreation. <br />If the county files for the right and it is approved, Chaffee <br />County would hold a 2004 water right, junior to previous <br />water rights, but with seniority over future water right <br />filings. <br />" (Commissioners) will take public comment, and I'm <br />working on a proposed resolution to consider that would <br />approve filing for an RICD," county attorney Jennifer Davis <br />said. <br />To obtain a 2004 water right, county officials must file the <br />application by Dec. 31. <br />" The water attorneys we're working with have done some <br />of these (filings), so hopefully they can put it together <br />quickly. <br />" It will be their advice at the meeting if the <br />commissioners are going to file, to do it in 2004," Davis <br />said. <br />The recreational diversion idea was pitched to <br />commissioners by the Arkansas River Trust, where <br />members learned other cities and counties, such as <br />Golden, had filed to protect their recreational water use. <br />" (If the RICD is approved), somewhere down the road <br />when a threat arises to our river that we haven't even <br />thought of now, we'll have some legal standing," Mike <br />Harvey of the river trust said. <br />" I don't know if there was anybody smart enough 40 <br />years ago to predict what the Arkansas River would look <br />like now, so I don't know if there is anybody with a future <br />view of 40 more years." <br />There is concern among some river users that if the <br />recreational diversion is approved, the voluntary flow <br />management program on the Arkansas River - which <br />provides additional water particularly during the summer - <br />would cease. <br />" Our concern," Terry Scanga, general manager of the <br /> <br />http://themountainmai1.com/2004archivesI121304/mondaynews.html <br /> <br /> <br />12/29/2004 <br />