County's RICD Application Approved by State Water Board

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County's RICD application approved by state water board t i home : news : news Page 1 of 3 3/23/2006 8:48:00 AM Email this article • Print this article County's RICD County residents sign petition against RICD application Claiming the Chaffee County recreational water right isn't worth the ved appro roved b state price, county resident Chuck Reavis delivered a petition Tuesday y requesting commissioners immediately stop spending money on the water board application. consideration agreements The petition, submitted during the public comment period of the regular b Jason Starr y commissioners' meeting, contains 150 -200 signatures, Reavis said. It "river and the many objectors in requests commissioners seek reimbursement from interests" for Mail Staff Writer money already spent on the water right application. Unanimous approval for pp Commissioners began researching the possibility of applying for a recreational in channel diversion water right in 2004. recommendation of the "We're not dipping into reserves," commissioner Tim Glenn said. "The Chaffee County water right Like other governments that have sought — and in some cases application protecting river received — similar water rights, Chaffee County is trying to protect river through water court with this flow in its whitewater parks. flow in local whitewater parks came Wednesday Parks in Chaffee County are located in downtown areas of Salida and from the Colorado Water Buena Vista. Conservation Board. Commissioners believe the water right will ensure water flows through the county during river season and secure the economy that river Eight of 15 members of the recreation supports. conservation board were Money spend by the county so far in attorney and engineering fees for present at the meeting in the RICD application was disputed at Tuesday's meeting. Rifle to vote on the The amount of $400,000 appears on the petition, which petitioners application. believe is too big a drain on the county budget. The conservation board „We the undersigned taxpayers of Chaffee County can no longer accept the expenditure of county funds associated with the (RICD) recommendation regarding filing," the petition reads. the county recreational in channel diversion "We cannot afford the enormous drain on our county budget last year, this year and for the foreseeable future." application took into consideration agreements Commissioners said the amount spent to date on the application is involving Chaffee County $217,000 and $220,000 is budgeted for legal expenses during 2006. and the many objectors in Commissioners countered a claim by petitioners that money is being the case. spent from reserves for the RICD, saying the budget for 2006 is balanced even with the projected legal expenses. It cleared the way for "We're not dipping into reserves," commissioner Tim Glenn said. "The presentation in water court. county will still be in good financial shape." "We think it will move right through water court with this recommendation," Chaffee County Commissioner Jerry Mallett, who attended the meeting, said. i http: / /www.themountaimnail.com/main. asp? SectionID= 4 &SubSectionID= 4 &ArticleID =7... 3/29/2006