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City, Army sign river legacy contract Page 2 of 2 <br /> t � , <br /> 1 <br /> +ph <br /> Major Gregory Gunter, with the U.S. <br /> Army Corps of Engineers, gives Pueblo <br /> CIty Council President Mike Occhlato a <br /> nod of approval after they signed the <br /> Arkansas Legacy agreement at the Pueblo <br /> Nature Center on Thursday. <br /> John Hereford, executive director of Great Outdoors, jokingly said that when Pueblo officials first suggested the legacy project, the state <br /> organization was happy to encourage them to pursue federal funding for the river project. <br /> "We told them, 'Sure, we'll give you $2 million if you can get $4 million from the Army'," he Laughed. "We never thought we'd hear (from <br /> Pueblo) again about the idea. But we were wrong." <br /> While the dignitaries gathered for the signing ceremony, some of the conversation focused on the low flow in the river. Tim Sandsmark, <br /> director of the Nature Center, said the river was flowing at roughly 90 cubic feet per second Thursday. <br /> That is less than Pueblo city officials are seeking in a claim for year -round recreational water rights in the river channel Downtown. The <br /> city's demand for at least 100 cfs of flow in winter and at least 500 cfs during summer is at the heart of its current dispute with the <br /> Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District, which is supporting federal legislation to expand Pueblo Reservoir. <br /> City officials have told the district, and Congress, that unless the city is guaranteed a minimum flow through Downtown, they fear that <br /> future water exchanges out of Lake Pueblo could leave the city with a meager river flow through the city. <br /> City and district officials have been trying to negotiate a settlement on the guaranteed flow. District officials have said the Arkansas River <br /> typically carries more than 500 cfs during the summer - but they are leery of guaranteeing the city a particular flow or subordinating any <br /> established water rights in order to provide that flow. They have offered to require all district water users to participate in a voluntary <br /> commitment to guarantee Pueblo at least 100 cfs in the river, but council has said it wants a stronger guarantee to 100 cfs in winter and 500 <br /> cfs in summer. <br /> Scott Hobson, the senior city planner who has worked on the legacy project, said that with the contract agreement in place, the Army could <br /> begin work on rehabilitating the river channel as early as October or November. <br /> 01996 -2002 The pueblo Chieftain Online <br /> http: / /www. chieftain. com /print /archive /2002 /apr /19 /ni5.htm 04/19/2002 <br />