Letter: Shoshone water rights deal is a win-win
Kudos to the Colorado River District for spearheading the purchase of the Shoshone water rights from Xcel Energy. Irrigators, whitewater recreationists, anglers and endangered fish downstream will all feel the positive effects of this deal for many years to come.
Because of its 1902 seniority, the Shoshone water right guarantees the historic reliability of flows in the Colorado River at the location where Xcel’s plant sits in Glenwood Canyon. In times of smaller snowpacks and reduced streamflows, its importance will only become more magnified in the future.
Although its water right is old, the future operation of the plant itself is not assured. For the last several years, its century-old infrastructure and tenuous location in Glenwood Canyon have left it frequently unable to produce electricity, its primary reason for existence. Adding instream flow to the water right ensures that the water will flow, whether the plant is operating or not.
I’ve been a river outfitter for almost 20 years, and have seen just how important a healthy, flowing river is to our local economy, whether that means ranchers diverting water or people spending time upon the river itself. And then there are the creatures, whether they be furred, finned, or feathered, who also need this precious resource just to exist. This is a win even for those who can’t read a newspaper, open a headgate, or tie on a fly.
The next steps won’t be easy, but the framework is in place, and with the historic funding opportunities currently available, along with support from around the state, we have a lot of reasons to be hopeful.
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$98 million is a lot of money, but when that amount is divided by the number of living things that will benefit from it, and amortized over the next hundred years, it will certainly be money well spent.
Jack Bombardier
Eagle County
