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==-10~iNED U>ND <br />HERALD/ANK TOU.\ <br />FROM THE property of Lana Jo Chapin at 11165 County Road 250, the Animas Aggregates plant is <br />seen on the west bank; of the Animas River. The river is about 1,000 feet wide at this point, about I50 <br />Feet wider than [wo years ago, Jack Williams of Animas Aggregates estimated. <br />Groups a~ree~ to seek ~ern~it <br />to reclaim eroded riverbank <br />By Ann Toda <br />Henld Suff Writer <br />Animas Valley residents and <br />representatives from Animas <br />Aggregates and the Animas Wa- <br />ter Co. agreed Wednesday to <br />seek a permit to protest and par- <br />tially reclaim a 1,400-foot stretch <br />of the Animas River. <br />Three landowners on the riv- <br />er's east bank said they lost acres <br />of land during last year's runoff. <br />"We lost an acre apiece or more. <br />Probably an acre and a half," esti- <br />ma[ed David Coates. <br />A well un the east bank may <br />wash away should the river flood <br />this year. Animas N'ater Co. <br />serves about 570 families, said <br />LeRoy Black of Ute Egineering <br />and Surveying Co. <br />Facing an April deadline to <br />prevent more loss during this <br />year's ttigli flows, the residents <br />4~! \•: <br />~, <br />' t I <br />~ ~ .'.~ •a <br />Lana Jo Chapin Rick Sherman <br />and Black met For four hours <br />with state and federal repre- <br />sentativesand with officials from <br />Animas Aggregates, which has a <br />gravel operation across the river. <br />The company had built dikes <br />[n reinforce the west bank. The <br />main flow oC the river appeared <br />to be routed toward the east <br />bank, where it tore at private <br />property. <br />Some suspected that the gravel <br />operation forced the "unnatu- <br />ral," accelerated erosion on th <br />east bank. <br />But the spirit between the ? <br />people at the meeting was one ~ <br />cooperation, not controscrsy. <br />According to property owns <br />Lana Jo Chapin, who hosted th, <br />meeting at her 1 1165 Cuunr <br />Road 250 home, Animas Aggrc <br />gates agreed to help proper[.. <br />holders protect their land. <br />No legal action will be taken a~ <br />long as the cooperation con <br />tinues, she said. <br />She also said, "1 do feel totalls <br />satisfied in that we had lour guv <br />ernment agencies sitting in this <br />living room cooperating with <br />each other." <br />They included the 11.5. Fish <br />and Wildlife Senicc, the slaw <br />Department of W'ildlifc, K'aynt <br />Whiteman from U.S. Congress~ <br />man ~likc Stranf;l ulfi~ e.uul for <br />(PI•~x w F.R (lI1F, I'+v I~t <br />