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Interview with Steve Fearn Editors note: Steve Fearn has served on the Southwestern Water Conservation District representing SanJuan County. qf particular interest fa Fearn as a member of the SWCD Board, has been the wafer qualify issues of the upper Animas River basin in the Silver/on, CO region. As a member of the Animas Stakeholders Group, Fearn has been a key member of this ad hoc group of agencies, individua~s, professionals and natural resource companies working to resolve is- sues surrounding water quality in the Animas River headwaters. WIP: What are the critical water issues facing Silverton, CO and San Juan County? Fearn: There are really two kinds of water issues in Silverton. One is water quality and the other one is the availability of water for future development. WIP: What type of water quality issues are found in the upper Animas River basin and the sur- rOlmding mountain watersheds? 1I...we can correct conditions without putting an unreasonable hardship on the people who live. in the upper Animas River basin." Fearn: There are two aspects ofwa- ter quality in the upper Animas River area. One is how much is natural baekground pollution that was there because it's a highly min- eralized area. The other is how much is manmade, that is, from mining. Then how much is really correct- able. The Southwestern Water Conservation District has sup- ported our county and Silverton, which is that we need to de- fine what is correctable in terms of water quality, so that we can correct eonditions without putting an unreasonable hard- ship on the people who live in the upper Animas River basin. WIP: How would other issues, such as Indian water rights impact Silverton? Fearn: Our water rights are in the Animas River basin and if the Ute tribes end up with our water rights, that effects all the water rights in the Animas River basin. If the Indian water rights aren't settled in a manner that's along the lines of what is currently settled by the Animas-La Plata project, then we are in the position of losing some of our existing water rights, in- cluding thc threat to water for future uses. WIP: As newer residents move into southwestern Colorado, what water issues do you see emerging as we move towards the jil/ure? Fearn: In southwest Colorado, we have grown more rapidly in recent years. In the past, both new residents and young people sort of absorbed why the water issues were important and they understood the need to manage water resources wisely. Now, the newer residents seem to be detached from water issues. Not that they aren't concerned about growth, but they don't understand the direct relationship. Those who live here have a basis for their understanding of water, but perhaps are too complacent. Those who just moved here don't have a good foundation on water issues, and we need to help them understand water in the Four Comers re- gIOn. (Dolores Project Tour continued from page 1) In the summer of 1996, Dolores Project water was used by the MVI irrigators beginning in June, another direct benefit of the water storage capacity of McPhee Reservoir. Due to the dry winter and spring, the peak demand for Dolores Project water by irrigators was in mid-May, as farmers were working hard to get their irrigated fields up to proper mois- ture content. Due to the dry conditions in the Cortez and Dove Creek area, only thosefarmers on MV! or Dolores Project irriga- tion water were able to sustain crop yields in 1996. Dry land farmers that lacked irrigation water were not able to grow crops due to the drought conditions. After touring the operations center and pumping facilities, the bus tour proceeded to the irrigated lands located between Cortez, CO and Dove Creek, CO. The McPhee Reservoir provides project water for over 25,000 acres of lands, in which farmers grow alfalfa, grass hay, pinto beans and other crops. Bryce Lee, a cattleman from western La Plata County near Durango, has recently purchased land within the Dolores Project for his eattle operation. Lee showed the tour group his fields, including the cen- ter pivot irrigation system used on his property. He went on to explain his plans for rotating grazing among 4 fields within his irrigated land for cattle. Dry conditions and .lack of water in La Plata County prompted Bryce Lee to expand his opera- tions to include irrigated " fields. The contrast be- Great Cut DIke Pumpmg Plant tween irrigated lands and the dry land farming area was evi- dent, as the bus tour passed both irrigated and dry land op- erations. For more information on the Dolores Project, please contact John Porter (DWCD) at (970) 565-7562. 2