Colorado and the West is running out of water . . . (Denver: purchaser, schools)

[Ticky909]

Theres a difference between resources and reserves with all natural supplies of anything. Several things your leaving out of your evaluation include quality, downstream effects of "feeding the water to the rest of the state + arizona + las vegas. Along with water rights issues. For one thing, Colorado doesn't have the rights to a good amount of its waters, like the Colorado River Compact and its appropriations for the various states of the upper and lower basin. The arkansas also has debatable quality for easy drinking. It's true many rivers start in Colorado, but, there are problems with those sources, just liek with the rest of the earth with water. (Amount of water) - (Amount of saline water) - (amount of unclean fresh water) - (amoutn of water that isn't owned by the state or its citizens) - (amount of water needed to uphold various river ecosystems) - (amount of water evaporating) = water we can use. Alot of people also thought the ogallala aquifer would last forever but thats being depleted rapidly. The water also isn't evenly distributed. The earth also has considerable resources, but less than 1% is available for drinking, and that isn't spread evenly.

[Josseppie]

The fact is Pueblo has enough water for a city close to the size of 500,000 people and we are buying the rights to the Bessemer ditch. That should give Pueblo enough water for a city close to 750,000 people. As far as water quality, I have always liked the water we get from the Arkansas. Now the Fountain is a different story due to our neighbors up north, Colorado Springs....

That is why I only pay 1.91 per 1,000 gallons of water with no limit as to how much I can use.

[Ticky909]

Originally Posted by Josseppie

The fact is Pueblo has enough water for a city close to the size of 500,000 people and we are buying the rights to the Bessemer ditch. That should give Pueblo enough water for a city close to 750,000 people. As far as water quality, I have always liked the water we get from the Arkansas. Now the Fountain is a different story due to our neighbors up north, Colorado Springs....

That is why I only pay 1.91 per 1,000 gallons of water with no limit as to how much I can use.

I've haven't studied southern colorado water resources as much as western, northern, and eastern. The question's I would have would be: where is it stored? in a reservoir that could support a 750,000 population through summer when flows are low, even through a dryer than average year? or is the water just blasted with chlorine out of the river and funneled through an aqueduct? How much is the arkansas regulated? I'd assume growth couldn't be too unregulated because the length of the arkansas and its necessity in other regions as well.

[jazzlover]

Josseppie and his ilk ignore how much prime Colorado irrigated agricultural land was dried up so that he and his Pueblo friends can waste water on their stupid bluegrass lawns. He ignores the fact that one of the best Gold Medal trout streams in the West was dammed up (Frying Pan River--Reudi Reservoir) to keep him and his friends "water-spoiled." They ignore the fact that Colorado Springs wants to dam up the Arkansas some more--flooding one of the most-loved free-flowing sections of the upper Arkansas River--so that they can continue to play their little reindeer games with sprawl and that "precious" growth. People can't be bothered with those kinds of things because they don't give a crap about the natural or historical heritage of the state. All they care about is plundering it for their good time--the heck with conservation, the heck with leaving some of Colorado's natural heritage intact for those generations that follow, the heck with everything except what makes them feel good. That attitude is why this country and this state has a very troubled future.

[CometVoyager]

Originally Posted by Josseppie

The fact is Pueblo has enough water for a city close to the size of 500,000 people and we are buying the rights to the Bessemer ditch. That should give Pueblo enough water for a city close to 750,000 people. As far as water quality, I have always liked the water we get from the Arkansas. Now the Fountain is a different story due to our neighbors up north, Colorado Springs....

That is why I only pay 1.91 per 1,000 gallons of water with no limit as to how much I can use.

Actually you hit it right on the nail Josseppie! In fact that is really par for every municipality throughout Colorado! Water rates have been falsely inflated due to egregious mismanagement and a heinous lack of transparency amongst our law makers and water district boards. I am certain we will live to see the day when reparations will be forth coming!

[Josseppie]

That is true, when there is a drought Pueblo has less water. However, I have lived here all my life and only one time has Pueblo been on any kind of water restrictions during a drought and it only lasted for about a month. That is because not only does Pueblo have a lot of water but very senior rights since Pueblo was a large city early on and its founders were smart and bought a lot of water. That has allowed Pueblo to always stay ahead of the demand by buying water and leasing the extra amount to cities who need it using that money to buy even more water.

As far as storage I admit I am not a expert but the Pueblo Reservoir is one of the largest reservoirs in the state and could easily be made larger. In fact there is a plan to do so this century. Pueblo got lucky as the reservoir was paid for mostly by the federal government under the Frying pan-Arkansas project in the 1960's, President Kennedy came to Pueblo when the announcement was made. Pueblo, also, has places to store the water in the mountains besides the local reservoir. SO storage has never been a issue for Pueblo, mainly due to our location.

[Josseppie]

Also there is another major fact I leave out but lets be honest Pueblo has not grown since the 1960's. That has allowed Pueblo to buy more water but the demand has stayed relatively flat. If Colorado Springs and Denver would still be the same population now as they were in the 1960's they would not be having water issues either.

Now that Pueblo has had time to get ready to grow even if we grow at the most optimistic projections this century we are ready and have enough resources for it.

[CometVoyager]

Originally Posted by MtnFlyer

While this isn't necessarliy a new thought process on the problem I've come to find over the years that in this world whenever it comes to politics, wars, or other major issues the key is to follow the money. Anyone who has ever read The Creature from Jekyll Island; a Second Look at the Federal Reserve will have an appreciation for that comment.

In relation to the water issue as it's been said before, the price of water isn't high enough to get anyone's attention. While electric bills may cause people to look to renewable energy, running the sprinkler system every night to have a nice lawn can be done normally for around $200/month. That just isn't enough to gain my attention when my electric bills often run 5 times that during the summer.

When the problem becomes severe enough that the supply and demand curves cause the price to rise high enough, you'll see the demand slow. Until then the dishwasher will run every night regardless if its full, the washing machine will run whenever the daughter wants her favorite jeans, the cars will get washed and the hose will run into the ditch between rinses, the pool will continue to be filled, long showers will be a morning ritual, and yes the lawn will look like a golf course.

Great post Mr MtnFlyer!!! I couldn't have said it better! And do not forget to even add a nice Olympic Sized Swimming Pool in the back yard!!!!!

It is not surprising on why there are more and more of these media driven fear fests! Raises ratings and the cost of air time for advertising! And with regards to water issues fear is like having money in the bank!

Colorado is saturated with so many quality water tables, underground sealed springs, river basins and pristine artesian aquifers and deep wells. The only reason you hear of water shortages is only to create a fake veil of uncertainty so those in power can keep power make more money off you!!!

So yes, Mr MtnFlyer, all you have to do is follow the money to get to the bottom of this hype!!!!!

[CometVoyager]

It does not take a rocket scientist to do the math with regards to the supply & demand of Colorado's Potable Water Resources! This is only a state of 6 million and we have enough water to quench the thirst of no less than 100 million! Last I knew, Northern California's population was well over 10 million and they certainly, even in media driven drought years have had more than enough water resources for Agriculture and Potable needs.

The politics of water is all about power, control and money!:mad : Do not get sucked into believing Colorado has a Water Supply or Delivery Problem. The only problem Colorado has are the lying Water District Boards and Politicians!

[MtnFlyer]

Thanks Comet. I'm certainly no hydrologist. On the other hand I have had a good deal of experience with internal investigations and cutting through smoke and mirrors in deals from Wall St. to Main St. My initial thoughts when I read this thread for the first time was the lack of transparency, which I see you referenced as well a few posts back. That's the exact same thing that allowed DeBeers to control and manipulate the diamond industry for years and I think we all know it’s a favorite toy of politicians.

One of the things I find bizarre is that news stories and articles are abundant everywhere you search regarding how well Pueblo has structured themselves regarding water. No one seems to dispute that they have plenty of it. Yet the federal government by law can come in and by declaration of eminent domain take water rights and compensate you pursuant to the 5th Amendment. (I’m not aware of a statue that would keep them from doing this in Colorado, but I suppose one could exist, as Texas apparently has some protection for cattle land.) I would guess that since the reservoirs for Pueblo were constructed with federal monies in the beginning there would be even more rights available to them.

If this is the case, and if water for the rest of the West is really an issue then wouldn't there be some real concerns in Pueblo about Washington knocking on the door and tapping their well stocked reserves for the “Greater Good” as they say?