Water News: Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District Volume 1 Issue 13

• Description: Water News: Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District Volume 1 Issue 13
• State: CO
• Date: 3/31/2001
• Title: Water News: Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District Volume 1 Issue 13
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

.IWATER NEWS
News and Notes from the Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District
VOLUME 1, ISSUE 13
MARCH 31, 2001
"Water Banking" Proposal Gets
Attention. From State Legislature
The Governor's Commission
on Saving Open Space, Farms
and Ranches recommended that
the state adopt a pilot water -
banking program for operation
in the Arkansas Valley. Now the
state legislature is responding.
Earlier this month
Representative Diane Hoppe,
Chairwoman of the House
Agriculture Committee,
introduced House Bill (HB)
1354, which
w o u l d
Representative
TABLE OF
establish a
pilot water -
banking
program in
the Ar-
kansas
River basin.
The leg-
islation is
cosponsored
by State
Brad Young.
The legislation had its first
hearing March 15, 2001 before
the House Agriculture
Committee where it received
favorable recommendation and
passage on to the House
Appropriations Committee on a
10 to 1 vote.
Steve Arveschoug, General
Manager of the Southeastern
Colorado Water Conservancy
District, testified in support of
the legislation. Steve served on
the Governor's Commission on
Saving Open Space, Farms and
Ranches. He said, "The state
needs to find creative new ways
to manage water resources so
that farmers are given
alternatives to the sale and
transfer of their water rights and
the permanent dry -up of
agricultural lands. Water
banking can provide such an
alternative." Steve went on to
say that developing additional
CONTENTS
storage capacity in the basin will
be a key to the long -term success
of a water bank in the Arkansas
Valley.
Agriculture Department
Commissioner, Don Ament, who
also served on the Governor's
Commission, testified in support
of the bill urging lawmakers to
support
innovative
ideas to
preserve
agriculture
and keep
the water on
the land.
The State
Engineer's
Office and
the Col-
orado Water
Conservation Board also
supported the legislation and had
representatives testify in favor of
See BANKING - continued on page 24
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