Water dervison Meeting/gorge

[Propnut69]

Last night I attended the first of many meetings on the taking of the water from the gorge. This was very well attended meeting that was standing room only. Several different agency's were present,such as the Wyo G&F,the Forest service,the EPA,the Army core of engineers,local mayors,and county commissioners,and about 300 other very upset people. I must say that I was very surprised that Mr Million himself showed,as I didn't think he would. I will give him cudos for that ,and that's about the only thing i would give him cudo's for. The rep from the EPA said that if Mr Million was granted the water rights , the earliest this project would be allowed to start would be 2014. After about 30-45 minutes of presentations from the Army core of engineers,and Mr Million himself. The floor was opened for comments and concerns from those in attendance. This was like opening the flood gates on the dam itself. Many many people spoke their minds about this project. The concerns of how this would affect the fishery were brought up more then a few times. How lowering the level of the Green River would affect the clarity of the water,while inducing more costs to the local taxpayers. How lower levels would affect people that are making a living from the gorge. After about a hour of public concerns we were told enough. That if you had more concerns to write to the Army Core of Engineers and voice them there.

Here are a few thoughts that I came away from the meeting with:
1. I think that Mr Million was shocked by about the amount of opposition,from the people in attendance. Guess he thought us Wyoming hicks were just going to roll over and play dead.
2. The people in attendance said in one loud clear voice,QUIT trying to take our water.
3. That if this project is allowed to happen. Mr Million will sell the water back to the state of Colorado at one hell of a profit.As it stands right now he doesn't say what his end result will be with the water.
4.That if this project is allowed to happen,it will set a precedent,as to how little control states have over their own water.
Mr Million wants 225,000cubic acres of water every year from the gorge.. This is over 82 billion gallons of water. That is over 15000 gallons every minute /24 hrs a day/365 days a year. That my friends is one hell of a lot of water.

 

[Kokaholic]

Wow, That is Crazy. Thanks for the Update Tim and Also thanks for being the Voice for those of us that could not make it. Please keep us updated on this matter as they come in

 

[Big Al]

What about the PowerPlant. Will this effect the water that they get. I would think that they would be. Maybe some one like that would have some influence on this.

 

[Propnut69]

What power plant??????

 

[Big Al]

The power plant by Piont of Rocks. I know they suck the water out of the Green in the town of Green River.

 

[Propnut69]

Good question Al,I figured you was talking about the Bridger plant but wasn't sure.My take on this would be that the Bridger plant would be in jeopardy if this project comes true. IMO with million and his group taking a extra 25000 cubic acres of water out of the river. Remember that one cubic acre of water is equal to 326000 gallons. Times that by 25000,and that is one hell of a lot of water taken out of the river.This will cause extreme low levels. Then you have three of the four trona plants drawing water from the green. As well as the ranchers on the river and the towns of green river and rock springs that get their water from the river. We would lose the green river as a travel way for spawning kokanee. Just one more reason we need to stop this from happening. The Fontenelle resivor would be drawn down to not much more then the river channel. Again losing another kokanee fishery. All this just to accommodate Mr Million and his water fantasies .

 

[Propnut69]

Just wanted to bump this back up ,and let everyone know there is another meeting scheduled over the water project.
Corps sets 2nd meeting on water


Published: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 6:02 PM MDT
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is beginning the review process for a request from a Colorado group to move water from the Green River Basin to the Colorado Front Range.

A meeting is scheduled June 9 from 6:30 - 9 p.m. at the Rock Springs East Junior High School Auditorium.

The meeting announcement follows a May 8 letter from the Wyoming congressional delegation asking for additional public meetings in communities most directly affected by the proposal.

The scoping period for submission of comments has also been extended to July 27.
Other June scoping meetings are scheduled in Craig and Grand Junction, Colo.

The proposal calls for the Corps to approve a project submitted by Aaron Million’s Regional Watershed Supply Project.

Million first proposed the transbasin water project two years ago.

The plan is to provide approximately 250,000 acre-feet of water per year to meet supply needs of southeastern Wyoming and the Front Range in Colorado.

The water would be moved through a large pipeline between 72 to 120 inches in diameter, extending from two division points in Wyoming to a storage facility at the end of the pipeline near Pueblo, Colo.

It would involve water withdrawal from the Green River and the Flaming Gorge Reservoir, using intake facilities at the two division points.

About 25,000 acre-feet would be moved annually to water users in southeastern Wyoming and the remaining 225,000 acre-feet would be to the South Platte and Arkansas River basins in Colorado.

The project must undergo an Environmental Impact Statement, and the public scoping meetings are the first part of the process.

It must also get authorization from the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Forest Service.

Meetings were conducted in April in Green River, Laramie, Vernal, Fort Collins, Denver and Pueblo, Colo.

The meeting in Green River brought many residents out in opposition to the project, including the Sweetwater County Board of Commissioners and the Green River and Rock Springs City Councils.

Questions regarding the proposed action and the EIS may be addressed to:

Rena Brand, Regulatory Specialist

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District

Denver Regulatory Office

9307 S. Wadsworth Blvd.

Littleton, Colo. 80128-6901

The e-mail address to submit comments is [email protected]