Fermers Must Pay Arkansas River Debt: Denver Post

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'ry "'done both to Kansas and to up- new ru stream Coloradans who have more "senior" rights — that is, higher pri- ority — in the Arkansas watershed. 1. That bistate compact pledged Colo - rado to no increased use of Arkansas River water if it meant less would flow to Kansas. But subsequent Colo- rado well drilling, with state approv- al, gradually shrank Kansas' share. The high court ruled that the irri- gation wells, with direct ties to the river's fickle hydrology, are the cause of lower flows to Kansas. "A well permit is just like a driv- er's license. It doesn't mean you can speed," Robbins added.; "You can ;Brill a well but that doesn't give you an iron -clad right to pump. that wa- ter" if it deprives someone else. 11199 I rm rs must Pf a nsas Rorer debt Fa e users to comply by April 1. He told �� By Patrick O'Driscoll than 1,500 irrigatrori:.wells in. southeastern The ranks of local water associations have that Colorado -owes Kansas about 107 -the for- whams it Denver Post Staff Writer Colorado won'.t be, allowed to pump, after swelled since the high court's May 1995 order attorney general in the state's -10 :won gallons of water year legal fight with Kansas. iookill aliyliiwe�n`1950 and 1985, "Colo- We have They now, are negotiating for the'; sub- PUEBLO � If well users in one of Colora- April' 1' unless'thefr users }:compensate for.wa- as agricultural and municipal users ponder rado does not have.a choice. to a solution:" do's oldest, farming valleys don't make up for teri that now `inust'go downstream to Kansas ' how they'll pay to water crops and supply 40 years of taking water meant for Kansas, under, a recent U.S.TSupreme;;Court ruling. towns with more expensive, supplemental Simpson said it's too early to tell the economic impact on the lower Ar- an unsympathetic, federal government will That means buying costlier extra water force restitution on them, state water offi- supplies from outside the valley — from Colo- sources. "Whether you like it or don't like it, it is the dents•'- is-.': scheduled: this month ' cials warned yesterday. rado Springs or Pueblo, for example,;— to law of the land," said Robbins, who has repre 4 State Engineer Hal Simpson and Denver augment' their yearly' irrigation needs. And sented Colorado in court as a special deputy water lawyer David Robbins also told the Ar- that `worries some river basin farmers, who kansas River Basin Water Forum that more may not:be able to afford rt: ' Please see WATER on 5B Div ,,, ,it _ � .._ ._._ _w_____.. ,_...�.�..._......•.�..... . nor.. �, �p, ,�,�.,,,,,,,�,,,,,�,�m�,��%. 'ry "'done both to Kansas and to up- new ru stream Coloradans who have more "senior" rights — that is, higher pri- ority — in the Arkansas watershed. 1. That bistate compact pledged Colo - rado to no increased use of Arkansas River water if it meant less would flow to Kansas. But subsequent Colo- rado well drilling, with state approv- al, gradually shrank Kansas' share. The high court ruled that the irri- gation wells, with direct ties to the river's fickle hydrology, are the cause of lower flows to Kansas. "A well permit is just like a driv- er's license. It doesn't mean you can speed," Robbins added.; "You can ;Brill a well but that doesn't give you an iron -clad right to pump. that wa- ter" if it deprives someone else. m rs must pay debt Water or money, ar e I In Octobe r , the two states a ° -; users to comply by April 1. He told WATER from Page 16 that Colorado -owes Kansas about 107 -the for- whams it forum he will need nine more staffers to police the rules, which es- attorney general in the state's -10 :won gallons of water year legal fight with Kansas. iookill aliyliiwe�n`1950 and 1985, "Colo- We have They now, are negotiating for the'; sub- sentially tell most well irrigators they must cease pumping unless they rado does not have.a choice. to a solution:" sequent 10 years;'.4 td a'.series of;legal' can,get outside water to compensate. propose He said the wells .= most•'drilled in ' briefs and hearingston'more'compen ' cation — including ; financral'i'pay ' Simpson said it's too early to tell the economic impact on the lower Ar- 'the two decades`;after Colorado and Kansas a pact to share. dents•'- is-.': scheduled: this month ' • kansas River basin, which runs east Pueblo to the Kansas border. He „signed _1948 the river's' precious 'flow — "can't op- crate unless (users) replace the inju- through midsummer., Last September, Sirripson filed stiff . le's that will force basrnwater- of predicted some "marginal” farmers won't be able to afford it. 'ry "'done both to Kansas and to up- new ru stream Coloradans who have more "senior" rights — that is, higher pri- ority — in the Arkansas watershed. 1. That bistate compact pledged Colo - rado to no increased use of Arkansas River water if it meant less would flow to Kansas. But subsequent Colo- rado well drilling, with state approv- al, gradually shrank Kansas' share. The high court ruled that the irri- gation wells, with direct ties to the river's fickle hydrology, are the cause of lower flows to Kansas. "A well permit is just like a driv- er's license. It doesn't mean you can speed," Robbins added.; "You can ;Brill a well but that doesn't give you an iron -clad right to pump. that wa- ter" if it deprives someone else.