Colorado and the West is running out of water . . . (Denver: buy, construction)

[kerrymac]

Dear Jazzlover..
Let me 1st say just a few things before you assume anything about me.

Yes I live in S.I New York (oh but not for long) but I do understand the west quite well. In the late 70's early 80's I lived in San Diego and in the mid-80's I lived in Las Vegas. So I do know exactly what I am saying.
Also you assume again because I live in S.I. I dont have a clue but if you think back a dozen or more yrs ago N.Y had its own water problems and I think you could just ask the people of Georgia and S.C about water shortages. So this water thing is NOT just a western problem.

All I am saying is IF it is true that water is running out (which I DO NOT believe) everything and anything must be done to get water to those areas.
Will it be expensive, your damn str8 it will be but what is the answer then...Conservation..yes but do you really think that will solve the problem when there will probably be 100 of 1000's of new people moving to your location in the yrs ahead. I mean what do you tell people who turn on there faucets and NOTHING comes out... umm hmm sorry ! I think not.
This is the greatest country in the history of this planet (if people dont like it they can leave ) we can do anything we put minds to.

Times are ruff right now but they will get better so the people with the brain power to sovle these problems should start to get cracking !

[Josseppie]

Pueblo buys more water to make sure we have enough for the century ahead!


This was in today's Chieftain:

"Ditch president, water board confirm sale

Pueblo looked for willing sellers, rather than approaching all shareholders, in this go-round.


The silence ended abruptly Friday, as the Pueblo Board of Water Works and the Bessemer Ditch board decided to share details of a proposed sale of ditch shares to the city."


The link:

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Ditch president, water board confirm sale

[jazzlover]

Originally Posted by Josseppie

Pueblo buys more water to make sure we have enough for the century ahead!


This was in today's Chieftain:

"Ditch president, water board confirm sale

Pueblo looked for willing sellers, rather than approaching all shareholders, in this go-round.


The silence ended abruptly Friday, as the Pueblo Board of Water Works and the Bessemer Ditch board decided to share details of a proposed sale of ditch shares to the city."


The link:

The Pueblo Chieftain :: Ditch president, water board confirm sale

Short translation: More agricultural land dried up for sprawl. I sure hope the people who promote this are the first ones to starve when this state and country can't feed itself anymore.

[Josseppie]

Originally Posted by jazzlover

Short translation: More agricultural land dried up for sprawl. I sure hope the people who promote this are the first ones to starve when this state and country can't feed itself anymore.

LOL I have never heard sprawl and Pueblo used in the same sentence. Pueblo has to be one of the most progressive cities in relation to a nice urban core in Colorado.

[jazzlover]

Well, I don't know what else you would call of that area around the college, and all of the new construction along US 50 headed west--looks like typical suburban sprawl to me. You also constantly opine about all that "wonderful" proposed new development up north of Pueblo around Eden--and, yes, I know EXACTLY where that is--I don't know what the hell else you could call that other then sprawl.

Instead of pursuing all of that kind of development crap, it's too bad that Pueblo doesn't get serious about refurbishing some of its older residential neighborhoods. Some of the most outstanding historical architecture to be found in Colorado is located there, but much of it is in some pretty run-down neighborhoods. But, hey, the developers can't be bothered with that kind of stuff--much easier to tear up virgin ground and build some more shake-'n'-bake McMansions for the sheeple.

[Josseppie]

Originally Posted by jazzlover

Well, I don't know what else you would call of that area around the college, and all of the new construction along US 50 headed west--looks like typical suburban sprawl to me. You also constantly opine about all that "wonderful" proposed new development up north of Pueblo around Eden--and, yes, I know EXACTLY where that is--I don't know what the hell else you could call that other then sprawl.

Instead of pursuing all of that kind of development crap, it's too bad that Pueblo doesn't get serious about refurbishing some of its older residential neighborhoods. Some of the most outstanding historical architecture to be found in Colorado is located there, but much of it is in some pretty run-down neighborhoods. But, hey, the developers can't be bothered with that kind of stuff--much easier to tear up virgin ground and build some more shake-'n'-bake McMansions for the sheeple.

Pueblo has developments yes but like I have said all along even with all the new developments Pueblo will still only be half of the land area of Colorado Springs but be able to have the same population, or more, as Colorado Springs. I would call that very little sprawl.

BTW we do refurbish old building as well look at this article in the Chieftain:

New commercial building proposed for Lot 4 of HARP

Next to Angelo's Pizza, the lot is one of the prime undeveloped sites on the Riverwalk.


The Urban Renewal Authority of Pueblo will begin negotiations on a new project for Lot 4 on the Historic Arkansas Riverwalk of Pueblo.

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2009/01/16/news/local/doc49705e14a86e8187569197.txt


Urban renewal eye new projects


The authority is expanding its focus to include two East Side neighborhoods.

The Urban Renewal Authority of Pueblo has started the process of establishing two more renewal project areas in the city.

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2009/01/16/news/local/doc4970607bafdca149985337.txt

And the developments around CSU are urban style even the one by eden will be dense.

[Idunn]

Architectural merits aside, whether old or new, growth in population requires more resources such as water. As long, that is, as the same paradigms exist.

Agriculture uses the lion's share of water in most cases. It could be much more efficient in its use. But so could business and residential users. We all could. The thing is this resource (water) has to come from somewhere, if more used in spot, less in another. Growth for growth's sake is just stupid. A more suitable definition of progress could be 'better,' not just 'bigger.'

100 years ago a lot that we still do made sense. Even though decisions and actions taken then were in some cases unwise, with negative impacts now, it was still largely the day of vast and unlimited resources. Or at least the perception of. This no longer the case, as we are increasingly being reminded by Mother Nature. We have taken too much. At a certain population we could without much repercussion. No longer, we have outgrown that.

This world demands a certain balance. Just within Colorado itself its citizens might seriously consider just how many of them there should be. In what proportion and balance, and how they wish to live. So, yes, it is technically possible to turn Denver, CO or Pueblo, CO into another Los Angeles, CA. But at what cost, and is this really desired? And if not that . . . what?

[Josseppie]

Originally Posted by Idunn

Architectural merits aside, whether old or new, growth in population requires more resources such as water. As long, that is, as the same paradigms exist.

Agriculture uses the lion's share of water in most cases. It could be much more efficient in its use. But so could business and residential users. We all could. The thing is this resource (water) has to come from somewhere, if more used in spot, less in another. Growth for growth's sake is just stupid. A more suitable definition of progress could be 'better,' not just 'bigger.'

100 years ago a lot that we still do made sense. Even though decisions and actions taken then were in some cases unwise, with negative impacts now, it was still largely the day of vast and unlimited resources. Or at least the perception of. This no longer the case, as we are increasingly being reminded by Mother Nature. We have taken too much. At a certain population we could without much repercussion. No longer, we have outgrown that.

This world demands a certain balance. Just within Colorado itself its citizens might seriously consider just how many of them there should be. In what proportion and balance, and how they wish to live. So, yes, it is technically possible to turn Denver, CO or Pueblo, CO into another Los Angeles, CA. But at what cost, and is this really desired? And if not that . . . what?

When people ask how much growth is to much, my question is who gets to decide how much growth is to much? I would not want Pueblo to be another LA but I would not mind if Pueblo was another Chicago, or NYC or a Louisville Kentucky or Pittsburg PA (that is more likely then Pueblo ever being like Chicago or NYC).

[CMartel2]

Originally Posted by Josseppie

If you want to pay for it! The cost of the southern delivery system from Pueblo to Colorado Springs is 1.2 billion (at least) and thats only 30 miles.

We have people running around here claiming we need to end our dependence on the automobile, the cost of which would make 1.2 billion seem like ice cream money. I question the amount of practical thinking that actually went into that idea, and I think/hope the electrical generating engine will end that nonsense before it develops into a migraine-inducing whine.

[zenkonami]

Originally Posted by Josseppie

When people ask how much growth is to much, my question is who gets to decide how much growth is to much? I would not want Pueblo to be another LA but I would not mind if Pueblo was another Chicago, or NYC or a Louisville Kentucky or Pittsburg PA (that is more likely then Pueblo ever being like Chicago or NYC).

Let's just not forget that New York and Chicago have sprawl of epic proportions. They and the two other cities you mention have large waterways and water access that Colorado cities simply don't have due to the state's geographic and topographic location. As a general rule, rivers don't run into Colorado but out of the state, which will always limit the amount of water the state will have. I don't know the history for certain, but I presume that's part of why Colorado has some of the draconian water rights laws that it does...limited supply, and increasing demand.

I hope Pueblo manages it's growth and becomes a wonderful city full of culture and innovation, but at some point all Colorado cities have to find ways to manage their growth, else they become responsible for a proper decline and collapse of Colorado's economy and prospects for sustainability. After all, what if all the state could viably support was the population of western Kansas? There goes the neighborhood.