29d - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

The Pueblo Chieti:ain Online :: F ers leery as state moves on water rules Page 1 of 3 Your print and online news source for Southern Colorado Monday, November 17, 2008 Farmers leery as state moves or~ water rules Print Page Officials trying to account for po ential impact of irrigation changes on return flows to' Arkansas River. By CHRIS WOOOKA THE PUEBLO CIiIEFTAIN November 16, 2008 11:25 pm While the state is moving toward meeting on the Arkansas River C discussion. Meanwhile, officials are scrambling systems fed by ponds or other imps states. "When these rules go into effect, that's saved will have to be retun a committee looking at the new r "They want to take us back to 1948 heard of PAM (Polyacrylamide, use The state wants to be proactive in ~ agricultural efficiency, but needs to "There's an internal clock ticking indefinitely." ing up with a set of surface irrigation rules to show Kansas by this year's act, farmers are nowhere near comfortable with a draft after hours of come up with a way to provide relief for farmers who pUt in sprinkler sments after 1999, the last reckoning of Colorado wateri use by the two will never see another canal lined or any improvements made. Anything to the river, so what's the point?" Dale Mauch, a Lamar farmer, said after met Thursday. Mauch fumed. "In 1948, there was no Pueblo Reservoir. iThey never to line canals). They used mud." rules that both protect its compact interests while encouraging ," said Division 2 Engineer Steve Witte. "We can't put these off Farmers have told the state at past eetings that the accounting systems used to calculate the loss of return flows to the river should be offset by the leakage to canals and erosion to stream banks caused by "clear" water from Pueblo Dam. Rather than trying to gain water by say they are simply trying to avoid Sprinklers, the major on-farm improv efficient way to apply water because ~ pipes in ditches, lining them with concrete or applyir1g PAM, farmers g out the predominantly earthen ditches throughout the valley. it targeted by the rules, have been added in many cases as a more save on farm labor, farmers on the committee say. Under some calculations suggested spy state staff, surface irrigation sprinklers are shown to be as effcient as sprinklers fed by wells. Farmers who use both say that is simply not http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2,008/11 / 17/news/locaUdoc4921081 b4bd 1669644920$.... 11 / 18/2008