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U.S.
Senator Ken Salazar
Member of the Agriculture, Energy and Veterans Affairs
Committees
2300 15th
Street, Suite 450 Denver, CO
80202 | 702 Hart Senate Building, Washington, D.C.
20510
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Sen.
Salazar Seeks to Break Log-Jam on Southern Colorado Water Solutions
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a
move intended to develop consensus on water concerns in the Arkansas
River Valley, United States Senator Ken Salazar circulated a discussion
draft of proposed legislation regarding the Fountain Creek and Fryingpan-Arkansas
Project water storage expansion, urging regional water users involved
in Arkansas River Basin water discussions to forge progress on these
two high-priority water concerns for Colorado’s future.
In his letter accompanying
the discussion draft of the bill, Senator Salazar noted, “I
believe that simplifying federal legislation to address water needs
in the Arkansas River Valley may be the better way to end the impasse
over competing water bills.” A copy of the letter can be viewed
by clicking here.
Senator Salazar’s discussion
draft water bill, which can be viewed by clicking
here and has not yet been introduced, authorizes two studies:
- The first, to study the
potential expansion of reservoirs (Pueblo and Turquoise) to meet the
water supply and storage requirements of the area served by the Fryingpan-Arkansas
Project; and
- The second, to study
the feasibility of construction a multipurpose project on Fountain
Creek that could address water supply, water quality, flood control
and environmental issues.
Senator Salazar also commented
on the importance of Fountain Creek to Southern Colorado and any regional
water solution, writing in his letter, “Because Fountain Creek
is intricately connected to water supply, control and storage issues
not only for the communities of Colorado Springs, Fountain and Pueblo,
but also for the lower Arkansas Valley, I believe it is worthwhile to
study the issue of a multipurpose project on Fountain Creek.”
In addition, Senator Salazar
wrote that these two overarching water challenges needed to be addressed
together, and without being entangled in other legitimate water concerns,
writing in his letter, “All the other worthwhile issues that
each of you has raised at one time or another can and should be resolved.
But I believe they should be addressed by means other than by directly
linking them to feasibility studies related to the possible enlargement
of existing storage facilities or the possible construction of a multipurpose
project on Fountain Creek.”
Sen. Salazar’s letter was
sent to recipients representing the cities of Pueblo, Aurora, Colorado
Springs and Fountain, the Pueblo West Metropolitan District, Lake County,
the Pueblo Board of Water Works, the Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy
District, the Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District; the
Colorado River Water Conservation District, Colorado Springs Utilities
and the Bureau of Reclamation.
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