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<br />Hydro plant idea gets a boost
<br />
<br />/~2... The Fruita Times. Jan. 15. 1986
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<br />The idea of a hydroelectric plant
<br />using Fruita's Pinon Mesa water to
<br />generate electric power was
<br />advanced a step closer to actuality
<br />Monday night, Jan. 13, when the
<br />city council approved an agreement
<br />with the Fruita Hydroelectric
<br />Corporation.
<br />The company was formed to study
<br />the feasibility of the plant as a pro-
<br />ject envisioned by several investors
<br />from Glenwood Springs. The corpo-
<br />ration desires to lease the water
<br />from the city-owned reservoirs on
<br />Pinon Mesa with a long-term Con-
<br />tract for the phased development
<br />and operation of hydroeletric
<br />facilities.
<br />Eric Jacobsen, one of the princi-
<br />pals in the corporation. was present
<br />at the council meeting to answer
<br />some questions about the proposed
<br />agreement.
<br />According to the terms of the
<br />agreement with the city. Fruita
<br />
<br />ActountsPavable Dec.-85
<br />
<br />Vendor ........................ Amount
<br />Jim Adams .......................75.00
<br />Armstrong arid Assllciales............ 165.75
<br />Arrow Trophies ....................18.49
<br />BigOTire.......................246.52
<br />Billings Auto Parts. Inc...............313.95
<br />CentraIOistribulingCo................22.50
<br />Certified Electric Suppl ............... 9.74
<br />Circle Auto Pans.... ..............157,42
<br />Cit.Count. Building Dep..............95,00
<br />Colofadll Commeffcal Swu ............97,92
<br />Compulertand ......................9.95
<br />The DiU!r Semmel................... 4.40
<br />Econocomm.......................84.4D
<br />Fn.rila Consumers Coopera.............54.08
<br />Fruita Hardware & Sport...............4.23
<br />FruilaTimes .....................199.61
<br />Fruita Tire and Auto Ser .............. 5.00
<br />City of Grand Junction............. 1444.68
<br />KeffiAleneGobbo..................60.00
<br />GrandCleanersll..................79,50
<br />Grand Vallev Rural Power. ............33.37
<br />PeteHaller.......................50.00
<br />Bounai Hargrovl................... 58.42
<br />F1oVdHsllield.....................50.00
<br />Keeseckers Hardwalt ................6,58
<br />Jae lopez.......... ............. 44.40
<br />Mac'sTexacall....................52.90
<br />Mavenck Camputer Enter. .............75.00
<br />Mesa Counly Animal Contr ............22.60
<br />Mesa Automotive Plaza...............25.60
<br />Mesa Bearing .....................14.29
<br />Mesa County School Oist. .............56,00
<br />Modem Auto Salvage ...............15.00
<br />Mt. BeU'fefephone Ca. ..............256.90
<br />PallericksOistribuling...............23,40
<br />Mayo.rRoben POUllC~ .............. 125.00
<br />PraUen.Williams. Caebl ............300.00
<br />Public Service Company ............2841.78
<br />R.C.C. Pump Service ................ 50.00
<br />JudySaunders....................50.00
<br />KathySchulte....................107.20
<br />SirSpeedy......;...............26.10
<br />Errol Emmerson Snider ..............400.00
<br />SteinerCorpolalion.................69.72
<br />Tamar Renl Tampkins...............116.80
<br />Don Tonell .. ....................475.00
<br />Neil Trip ..... ..................250.00
<br />TuxaIlUniforms....................36.79
<br />U.S.Weldmg.lnc........;..........23.70
<br />Ute Waler ConservancyOi...........1247.98
<br />Jack Dean VanArsdol .............. 400.00
<br />WeslernSJopeFord ................14.03
<br />WesternSlopeWeldlOgSu.............6.25
<br />HankWiIIlams.....................50.00
<br />William Baird .....................50.00
<br />Slg R. Manufaclunng & OJ ...........128,75
<br />...........................10822.36
<br />
<br />Publish.
<br />FrUlta Times
<br />Frulta.Colo
<br />Jan_15.1986
<br />
<br />MargaretSteeJman
<br />CltvCJert
<br />
<br />Hydroelectric Corporation plans
<br />first to study and evaluate the cost-
<br />effectiveness of using the city's
<br />water for producing electricity. The
<br />study is to be divided into three com-
<br />ponents, each covering a specific
<br />geographic location and using a spe-
<br />cific time frame.
<br />In phase one. the area from the
<br />Colorado River to. the base of the
<br />Colorado National Monument will
<br />be studied to determine the feasibil-
<br />ity of developing a small scale
<br />hydroelectric project in the imme-
<br />diate future using the city's present
<br />collection, storage and distribution
<br />system.
<br />In phase two, the city's pipeline
<br />from the base of the Colorado Monu-
<br />ment through Glade Park to the
<br />city's Pinon Mesa reservoirs will be
<br />inspected and studied to determine
<br />the feasibility of increasing the
<br />capacity of the line, and eventualy
<br />expanding the small scale hydroe-
<br />lectric proj,ect studied in phase one.
<br />In phase three, the area at the
<br />base of Pinon Mesa known as Oak Control Act which provided for the
<br />Hill will be evaluated to determine Secretary of Interior to "enter into
<br />feasibility of a second hydroelectric agreements with the Secretary of
<br />facility there. Agriculture to develop a unified
<br />The corporation plans to use exist- control plan for the Grand Valley
<br />ing data on the annual watershed Unit."
<br />yield and pipeline capacity of the An amendment to the Act pro-
<br />city's present water system. It also vided for "a non-Federal entity to
<br />plans to conduct a thorough on.site organize private canals and lateral
<br />inspection or the city's present owners into rormal organizations
<br />water system and do an economic wilh which thQ S<,cTt'tar}" ma}"entcr
<br />feasibility analysis using current into a Krant or contract toconstrucl.
<br />market data. operate and maintain a unit's
<br />As far as possible thc corporation facilities."
<br />will not duplicate nor interfere with B In order' Rio I achi~ve bthis. t~e
<br />ureau 0 ec amatlOn eg-an In
<br />June of 1982 toorganize water users
<br />~]ong laterals into groups. Under a
<br />grant from the BuRec, the Colorado
<br />Water Conservation Board assumed
<br />responsibility for organizing the
<br />individual lateral owners into legal
<br />contracting bodies.
<br />(Some of the lateral owners had
<br />already formed corporations. Mar.
<br />cus Fry points out.)
<br />This organizing is what led to the
<br />involvement of the Grand Valley
<br />Irrigation Co. which operates the
<br />Grand Valley Hi~hline Canal. the
<br />Mesa County Canal. the Mainline
<br />Canal. the Ranchmen's Canal and
<br />the Kiefer Extension Canal, all
<br />serving a multitude of laterals.
<br />According to the Waldeck report,
<br />the GVI operates canals serving
<br />more irrigated lands than anyofthe
<br />other canals in the valley.
<br />GVI ran into trouble with its
<br />members when it tried to pass the
<br />bylaws amendment that would give
<br />it authority to acquire ownership of
<br />the laterals. Fry likens the situation
<br />to the canal company deciding it
<br />should own his car, and then just
<br />taking it.
<br />How could they do that?
<br />The authority comes from the
<br />long.standing principle of eminent
<br />domain. According to the Waldeck
<br />report. GVI is vested by law "with
<br />the power of eminent domain to
<br />acquire property and interests the-
<br />rein necessary for any lawful pur-
<br />pose connected with operations of
<br />
<br />December 1985
<br />AccovnlsPald
<br />
<br />Vendar ...... ........... ...... ...Amount
<br />SlaleoICalorado..................112608
<br />lorenP.Hobor....................1250.00
<br />Cola.WalerConservalian............30709.26
<br />Maverick CampulltEnler. .............650,00
<br />Mrs. Federal..................... 5281.34
<br />Fitll-PolicePn'ianAssO'...........2027.76
<br />U.S.PastOflic......................154.56
<br />M.P.H.lnduSlnes ..................... 4693
<br />Public ServfC. COmp...'.............. 1630,06
<br />Mt. 8e11TllepbaneCo. ...............248.89
<br />BrOWlN~hrnslnduslli..............3656,00
<br />St.I.ofCololldo...................96404
<br />Mil. Fedelll ......................500.00
<br />MI, C.rmll Credil Unian ..............225.00
<br />CI.rkofTheDisllictClI...............l00.00
<br />FruilISl.lll!ank...................169252
<br />U.S.PosfDHice.....................l00.00
<br />Mn.fick Compuler Enter. .............. 56.1J1J
<br />StllTeotColor.da..................1113,99
<br />ROCkyMounlalnHMO.lnc...............31.63
<br />Cit.aIFruil.........................51.00
<br />Manin OFallon....................... 49,01J
<br />MlSaFed.r.I...................139718.17
<br />Jim Dolf ........................... 72.00
<br />Micbael Smedler...,................. 71J,13
<br />PenrCash-AmliIIDfl...............16786
<br />Pen.Cnh-Admllllsllatian............2.7.33
<br />UlryAUlnskl......................600.1J0
<br />PenrCash-PohceOepI/D_ ............73,30.
<br />ladoonaJo Smilh ................... 292.37
<br />Clerkolth.O'SlficlCo... ...........100.00
<br />Ml. Carmel Credit UllIon ..............22500
<br />firl-PolicIPensionAsSll............2027.16
<br />Muafeder.I....................11J857.18
<br />Muahderal.... ........11101139
<br />.......217216,15
<br />
<br />Publish
<br />F'u.I.T.mes
<br />flU'la.Cola
<br />Jan 15.1986
<br />
<br />Margarel Sleehllln
<br />C,I,Cllrk
<br />
<br />.
<br />
<br />studies being done for the city's
<br />master plan by Armstrong Engi-
<br />neers, according to the proposed
<br />agreement.
<br />The study is to be done without
<br />cost to the city of Fruita. If the cor-
<br />poration decides it is not cost-
<br />effective to proceed with the project
<br />or if it abandons the study, the eva-
<br />luation and data gathered will
<br />become the property of the city.
<br />According to the agreement the
<br />city agrees not to use the evaluation
<br />data produced by the corporation
<br />for any purpose competititve to the
<br />corporation so long as it has an
<br />interest in development or opera-
<br />tion of the project.
<br />Mayor Bob Pollock had a question
<br />for Jacobsen about this part of the
<br />agreement, noting "the city might
<br />have other uses for the water" and
<br />did not want it to be tied up.
<br />Jacobsen pointed out that this only
<br />applied to the use of the water for
<br />
<br />hydroelectric power. As far as oth.
<br />ers were concerned. "There's no
<br />problem so long as they're not doing
<br />the same thing we're doing,"
<br />Jacobsen said.
<br />Pollock also asked if the water
<br />line down from the mesa would be
<br />pressure-tested since that might
<br />damage the old line.
<br />Jacobsen agreed that the line
<br />beteen the treatment plant and
<br />Pinon Mesa "won't hold any pres-
<br />sure at all. Essentially it's just a
<br />cast-iron ditch." He assured the
<br />mayor "we're not going to do any-
<br />thing where there's any possibility
<br />of destructive testing."
<br />He added that the corporation
<br />would look into the cost of replacing
<br />the line up to the mesa for eventu-
<br />ally pressurizing that line.
<br />A motion to approve the agree-
<br />ment was made by Council Member
<br />Jim Adams. The vote was unanim-
<br />ous in favor of the motion.
<br />
<br />Water grab, continued from page 3.
<br />
<br />the company."
<br />The company may not want to
<br />exercise that authority. The Wal-
<br />deck report noted that GVI's board
<br />of directors "has consistently
<br />adhered to the position that the com.
<br />pany did not wish to become
<br />involved in the operation and main.
<br />tenance of laterals..'
<br />At this "'rililllllhc mmflan.\' nrri-
<br />ciab rcporl tht')' na\'t,,' hll a Rnn...:
<br />with .'hi~her echelons" o{ lhc {ed-
<br />eral bureaucracy, specifically those
<br />operatin~ out of Salt Lake City. and
<br />have "put the matter on hold" for the
<br />time bein~.
<br />Major differences cropped up at a
<br />meetinR on Jan. 8 between the local
<br />officials and those from Salt Lake.
<br />Bertrand told The Ti meso Conse-
<br />quently, it was decided no further
<br />action should be taken until these
<br />matters could be ironed out.
<br />He hinted that it could even result
<br />in the irri~ation company backing
<br />away from the deal altogether as the
<br />organizin~ body for the lateral
<br />owners.
<br />Would this mean a victory for the
<br />farmers who oppose this effort at
<br />federal control?
<br />Partly, and then probably only as
<br />a temporary ~ain. There are other
<br />entities in the valley with the same
<br />power of eminent domain, and some
<br />of these are discussed in the Wal-
<br />deck report. One such organization
<br />is the Ute Water Conservancy
<br />District.
<br />One farmer admitted the likeli.
<br />hood of defeat as far as maintainin~
<br />control is concerned but added.
<br />"We'll make 'em pay throug-h the
<br />nose." And in fact, considering the
<br />economic plight of most farmers in
<br />the area Renerally. this resu]tmight
<br />even provide an escape valve.
<br />"Some will just pick up their mar-
<br />bles and run," said this longtime
<br />farmer who asked not to be identi-
<br />fied. "As it is, if they could just !tet
<br />enouRh out of the ~overnment to Ret
<br />the bank off their back, they'd leave
<br />this valley in a minute."
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