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..'I 'd , Martin and Great Plains R~ser- voirs. The state is also work- ing with federal agencies and local entities to stabilize the water level at Trinidad Lake to improve recreational opportu- nities. Most recently, the State En. gineer has promulgated rules and regulations requiring well owners to measure and report . . ing in response to Special Mas- ter Arthur Littleworth's ruling that ground water use in Colo- rado is depleting water in the mains tern of the Arkansas River. The committee will also recommend options for re- sponding to future decisions of the U. S. Supreme Court in the Kansas vs. Colorado lawsuit. (Continued on Page 8) ground water use each year be- ginning in .1994. The data on ground water use will help de- fine the amount of augmenta- tion water needed to allow well owners to continue to pump post-compact wells. The Kansas litigation has al- ready cost millions of doijars and has raised the specter of a bidding war for Arkansas River Basin water," Romer said. "The challenge I have placed before the Arkansas River Coordinat. ing Committee is to develop ef- fective, equitable and economi- cal responses to the long-tenn water issues facing Southeast- ern Colorado.. The committee will advise the State Engineer on rules to regulate ground water pump- ---... -- Romer Creates- (Continued from Page I) Additionally, the committee will recommend ways to ac- complish the other water, wild. life and recreation goals set forth by past state and local planning efforts. The creation of the Arkan- sas River Coordinating Commit- tee is the outgrowth of discus- sions Romer in1tiated ~hen he and Lochhead visited Trinidad and Lamar in early May. Romer said. "Everyone we spoke to was very concerned about the potential impacts of the Kansas lawsuit. Though there was some resistance to fonning yet another committee. there was also a universal rec- ognition that some mechanism was needed to bring all affected parties to the table to receive infonnation and to assure that local perspectives have a promi- nent place in the decision.mak- ing process:' .