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<br />~~9n. 15. 1986:'Tlle"'Fn.iiiiThhes s'j'
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<br />Farmers wary of federal control
<br />Continued from the front page
<br />
<br />This act authorized and directed the GVI, told The Times. .....there would
<br />Secretaryoflnteriortoimplementa be no change in water rights wha-
<br />program of works for enhancement tever," Only ditch ownership would
<br />and protection of the quality of Colo- be involved. he said.
<br />rado River water for use in the U.S. However. the question ra"ised by
<br />and Mexico and toenablethe U.S. to Fry and others is what happens
<br />comply with its treaty obligations when the water distribution is
<br />with Mexico. under direct government control? If
<br />Closer home. the "Grand Valley the water was cut off. rights to the
<br />Unit" was one of the works autho~ water itself could be lost since the
<br />rized under the act. This aimed at historicthemeofwaterlawhasbeen
<br />reducin~ saline runoff from irri- "use it or lose it."
<br />~ated lands in the valley into the This is why they are fighting
<br />Colorado River by means of linin~ against the government takeover of
<br />sections of main canals and enclos- the irrigation system. especially
<br />in~ the lateral ditches in pipes. their own laterals. This and the fact
<br />. The intent and purpose thus far that many do not trust the govern-
<br />may seem above reproach. but. a ment to keep its promises.
<br />major boneofcontention wasdugup Essentially. said Fry. they just
<br />with that word "pipes.... Many of the want Uncle Sam to keep hands off
<br />lateral ditches in the valley have the laterals they now own and have
<br />already been lined with concrete at improved. The feds c&n line the
<br />considerable expense ';.by their existin~ dirt ditches and reimburse
<br />owners. and some of ttieSe owners their owners 100 percent of the cost.
<br />see no need to'redo these laterals. Fry s~id. "but leave the .rest of us
<br />just to comply with what they con- alone. . . '~""'_._. i .
<br />sider bureaucratic meddling. :\.... Most of the laterals are already
<br />. One such owner is Marcus Fry. enclosed in pipe or lined with con.
<br />who farms a Quarter section on J crete. accordinjr to Fry. An infor-
<br />Road east of Fruita. On that farm he mal check by The Times of laterals
<br />- has already enclosed more than a extendinjt from the Grand Valley
<br />.':':~' ~i1e of irriJtation laterals in pipe Mainline Cannl between IS Road
<br />,::,-<' and nearly two miles with concrete and 23 Road showed 19 in pipeline.
<br />. lininJt. He spent about $50.0000f his 17 concrete.lined_ and 12 dirt
<br />__:-:.::;:o~., own money to do this and he objects ditches. The dirt ditches are mostly
<br />.,-;.;:;..to an attempt by the government to short. extending butalittlewayinto
<br />: take over ownership,'.of these: a fjeld or garden. '.If_'.-_.~,- \.~ ....,
<br />~:':..-~.~laterals~.'--..... J.t-.,..::.,,-,,-~\ -:.~--~...,.,:o: ':,The main objection farmers such
<br />.., :i ,- He is not alone. ,0 ...... . ~ as Fry have to the project is not con-
<br />..~:~.... ~\ At the annual meetinp: of the cerned with the proposed work on
<br />Grand Valley IrriJ(ation Co. in the main canal ilc;elf. Part of this
<br />December. an attempt was made to canal has only dirt banks now and
<br />.. pass an amendment to the bylaws the part that is lined with Gunite{a
<br />''- allowing the company "to enter into sort of concrete-asphalt mixture) is
<br />contracts or a~eements with the showing deterioration of its lininit'.
<br />Secretary of the Interior ... for the . The project calls for relining the
<br />acquisition of the ownership. con- canal '.with "membrane." a heavy
<br />struction of salinity control systems' plastic sheet which would be
<br />and long-term operation and main- covered with a foot or more or dirt
<br />tenance of the lateral canals and and rocks. Fry can see some prob.
<br />ditches takinR" their water [rom the lems with this too but his main con-
<br />system of canals now own-~d and cern along with other farmers is the
<br />operated by the Grand Vall@y Irri- laterals. especially those that are
<br />~ation Company for the purpose of .now on their own property.
<br />implementing the Colorado River Why would the government want
<br />Basin Salinity Control Act...... \. ~ to take over ownership of these lat-
<br />The key words found objectiona- . erals and how would it have the
<br />ble in this proposed amendment power to do it?
<br />were "acquisition of the owner- . First. according to Bertrand. the
<br />ship...of the lateral canals and purposeofacquiringownershipand
<br />ditches..... -soobjection.able if"! fact control is to develop a unified sys-
<br />, that themembel'"S'htprefnsed toplIS$"' tern. especially importa'lIt for future'
<br />the amendment and managed to ge~ maintenance and repair. _
<br />it tabled, -~, .~: ~_ <. . 0 Bertrand's assessment goes along
<br />"We're not opposed to the project," with the views expressed. in a paper
<br />. said Fry. "Widust don't \Va"rinflem_-- krlown'as"theWaldeck-report."pre-'
<br />taking over our ditches," First there pared for the Colorado Water Con-
<br />is this objection to federal owner- servation Board in_ 1985 by the
<br />ship and control of the laterals Grand Junction law firm of Duf-
<br />(ditches) which proud landowners ford. Waldeck. Ruland and MiI-
<br />see as an infrin~ement on their burn. This law firm contracted with
<br />- rights. But Fry fears a much more the state to supply a report concern~
<br />serious takeover may lurk in the in~ formal organizations into which
<br />offing. "I'm afraid they're really irrigation laterals in the Grand Val~
<br />after our water rights." he said. ley area could be organized.
<br />As it is now. these rights are not The need for such organizations
<br />involved in the efforts proposed by had been expressed in the Salinity
<br />the irriJtation company. Phil Ber-
<br />trand. assistant superintendent for
<br />
<br />Continued on page 12..
<br />
<br />Burenheide completes AF training
<br />
<br />
<br />Airman Elaine I. Burenheide.
<br />daughter of Orner J. and Phyllis E.
<br />Burenheide of 1130 Road 18M!.
<br />Fruita. has completed Air Force
<br />basic training at Lackland AFB. _
<br />Texas. . "
<br />The airman._who is remaining at - .
<br />Lackland for specialized training in
<br />the security police field. studied the
<br />Air Force mission, organization and . -'_ ~
<br />customs and received special- _.' 0 . f,
<br />instruction in human relations. -.!:':T.--.,,' ;,
<br />Completion of. this training :_:-..~
<br />earned the individual credits ",.
<br />toward an associate degree in app~ .
<br />lied science through the Community
<br />College of the Air Force. '.' .:("-
<br />She is a 1982 graduate of Fruita: .
<br />Monument High School. : ,".~ ,-'
<br />:'0:;" ..
<br />
<br />Monument visitations near record
<br />
<br />Visitation at. the Colorado
<br />National Monument"in 1985 was the
<br />second hi~hest ever recorded.
<br />according to a report from Rick
<br />Doran. park ranger.
<br />Total visitations- in 1985 were
<br />810.6:13. topped only by the 849.l8:l
<br />visits recorded in 19M2. Doran said.
<br />The 19Sfj fiJnlrc was 2.5 percent
<br />hhrher than the total for HlM4. and
<br />campJrround occupancy (or 1985
<br />wa.'Io up 1-1.9 percent over the 1984
<br />total. accordinR' to the report.
<br />Visits to the Monument in
<br />December totaled 50.451. with
<br />
<br />..~, -
<br />13.170 of these beinJt recreational.
<br />Visitor hours in December totaled
<br />48.311 of which 29.670 were
<br />recreational. _
<br />Re~dstered climbers totaled two
<br />in December and 32 in 1985. ReJtis-
<br />tered hikers numbered 155 in
<br />December. 6.697 Cor the year. There
<br />were 42 cross-country skiers in
<br />December. 249 during 1985.
<br />Camp~rounds had 48 overnight
<br />stays durinJt December. and a total
<br />of l-b.471 for the year. One bus entry _,'..
<br />was recorded in December for a
<br />total of 191 durinfl" 1985. .'-
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<br />CORNER
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<br />Fruita Pro Hardware
<br />127 E. Aspen & SportinQ Goods
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