Monday, July 30, 2012

Protecting our water

As I go door to door campaigning I have been giving out flyers with some of the things I intend to work on while in office.  The 2nd thing listed is protecting western slope water from the front range.  Nearly everyone who sees this says it is a very important issue to them and will vote for someone who offers their protection.  What then, can be done to protect our water?

Our state constitution sets the precedent for the ways our water will be protected.  Domestic use is first, followed by agriculture then industrial needs.  The courts have upheld water law protects rights on a first come first serve basis.  Unfortunately many shares of western slope water are owned by Denver or other front range communities.  They will keep getting their protection unless something is done.

Colorado is fortunate to have an easily amended constitution.  The first step is to change it so that domestic uses such as watering laws can be restricted in favor of agriculture.  Unfortunately this wouldn't go to the public until the 2014 election, but I will make sure that amendment is on the ballot.

Some things that can be focused on in the meantime are interstate compacts and agreements between water right owners.  I will work on agreements to move less water across the divide for the purpose of keeping a desert lawn green.  Golf courses are a point of contention with me but they do have a right to conduct business.  I will work to ensure they use less water than they currently do. 

I will also work to ensure that water isn't wasted by mismanaging our irrigation.  Where I am from people get fined for watering roads.  I see that going on every day during our summers.  Runoff from overwatered lawns and golf courses should also be regulated.

Years ago Colorado lost resources to maintaining stream flow to down river states such as Kansas, Arizona, and California.  We need to re-open those talks and renegotiate the compacts to allow more use by agriculture. 

Water is integral to our sporting community and those uses need to be considered as well.  Trout depend on seasonal stream flows and our endangered cutthroat will not survive if we keep impounding streams.  While our reservoirs are important to supporting a large population, we need to occasionally open them up and was the sediments towards the ocean.  I will work with reservoir owners and the Army Core of Engineers to ensure we allow a few seasonal floods to do their job in maintaining stream life.

This can't all be done at once, but I will work hard to set up a healthy long term plan for the health of this vital resource.

Robert

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