Montrose - Daily Press

James Shea

Daily Press Writer

MONTROSE — Upper Colorado River Commissioner Scott Balcomb believes the southwest United States drought could have far-reaching ramifications for the Western Slope.

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He spoke to over 100 water professionals at the Montrose Pavilion Thursday and said the Colorado Basin states — Colorado, Arizona, Nevada and Utah — have been negotiating the management of the river during low water years and reached a tentative agreement this winter, but Arizona and the rest of the southwest had one of the driest winters on record, changing the political climate.

“I’m concerned now that Arizona is backing out,” Balcomb said, adding, “The people in Arizona are very, very nervous.”

With massive population increase, the river is seeing increased pressure, and the state of Colorado must decide how to protect its resource but not create excessive harm to the lower basin states. Balcomb said Arizona is drawing more than its share of allocated water but he said it might not be “practical” for Colorado and the upper basin states to use the water.

“As Colorado grows, we are taking water from people who are using it,” Balcomb said.

He said if Colorado puts too much pressure on the lower basin states, they could sue, creating years of litigation and millions of dollars in attorney’s fees. Balcomb said a candidate for the governor of Nevada is running on a platform of breaking the Colorado Compact, which has governed the river since 1922.

“I don’t think there is much sentiment in Nevada to stop growing,” Balcomb said.

He said there is the potential for the lower basin states to force a “call” on the Colorado. This would mean Colorado could be forced to send more water down the river to fulfill the obligations.

“The first things they would call is the transmountain diversions,” Balcomb said, of a major source of Front Range water.

He said if that happens, Colorado would have to get creative, and he could see Denver water negotiating with Montrose farmers, so Gunnison water could fulfill the compact obligations.

For now, the lower basin states are looking at ways to find new water. They are researching ways to make the system more efficient and desalinization water in the Gulf of Mexico.

“It (desalinization) would take an unprecedented amount of international cooperation,” Balcomb said.

In this climate of uncertainty, Colorado should be prepared, according experts at the meeting. The basin roundtables created by the legislature last year is one of these approaches. It is developing dialogue within the basins and across basins.

Gunnison Roundtable member Bill Trampe said basins need to work together so “no one in Western Colorado will be overly taxed.” He said the Western Slope roundtable members should continue to meet and discuss problems and solutions.

San Juan/Dolores roundtable member Steve Harris said the Western Slope and the Front Range should work together to manage Colorado’s water resources. He said the economy on both sides of the mountain are intricately linked and he said sending more water to the Front Range is inevitable.

“The east slope is going to get transfers,” Harris said, adding, “I don’t want to see the Western Slope put our head in the sand.”

Colorado basin roundtable Member Dave Merritt said he had concerns about talking with Front Range municipalities about transmountain diversions but understand the need to balance competing interests.

“Sometimes, I feel a little like the chicken and egg sitting down to talk about a ham and egg breakfast,” Merritt said.

Contact James Shea via e-mail at Jamess@montrosepress.com

Comments

marqthompson wrote on Feb 1, 2010 3:21 AM:

" This is a wonderful article. The things given are unanimous and needs to be appreciated by everyone.
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marqthompson
Noosa real estate "




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Kaitlyn Heichel wrote on Nov 3, 2009 2:01 PM:

" My dad was Robert Heichel and i just wanted to thank again everyone that helped looked for him. It was over 3 years ago that he died, but i will never forget him. I think about him still every single day and life without him is so hard. Thank you everyone who spent time looking for him. I wish this could have been a happy ending but life isn't fair. My dad died when i was 12 and i am now almost 16. Thank you again for everything you guys have done. Your amazing. "




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Sarah Bond wrote on Jul 13, 2009 5:31 PM:

" It really makes me sick that people lie about certain events to make themselves look better than they really are... Just to set the record straight, one of those stories is extremely false. Email me if you want the real story from the person who was actually there. "




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