GJ Sentinel Article on River District and Northern

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project's East Slope water rights are "very, ery junior and only available in ery wet years." "The timing of the (water) yield is such that if you wait to determine if the East Slope yield Is available, its too late to capture sufficient West Slope - yield in order to meet the demands," Person said. Roessmann said such operations are contrary to Senate Document 80, the project's congressional authorizing legislation. It said the project was to provide supplemental irrigation water to farmers on the Eastern Plains. Most of the project's water Is now owned by Front Range cities. The river district, chartered in '1937 to protect the water resources of the Colorado River Basin, claims the bureau violated its own policies by diverting West Slope water in excess of what was needed and then gave that water away through a " noncharge" or "free water" program to Northern District members. That program diverts water above actual demands during wet years, when the project's Westem Slope reservoirs would otherwise spill water back into the Colorado River. Instead, the river district claimed, the program passed it into the South Platte River Basin for use at no charge. Person said the term " noncharge" is a misnomer. "It's not free of a monetary charge," Person said. Most customers within the project's service area own shares of the project's yield, he said. When noncharge water is supplied, it is not charged against each allotment. Person also noted approximately 95 percent of those who get noncharge water are water contract holders. Thursday, April 18, 2002 America Online; Make( page; 2