Monday, January 01, 2007

WATER: Unable to persuade the city of Durango to reduce the amount of water it wants for a kayak course on the Animas River, the Southwestern Water Conservation District moved last week to acquire water rights itself.

By a 5-1 vote, the district board members authorized its attorney and engineer to ask for 30,000 acre feet of water annually to satisfy the needs of users upstream who don't have court decreed water rights , as well as to meet future demands.

About 20,000 acre feet presently are used annually by those upstream who already have court ordered water rights.

Water rights in southwest Colorado are a contentious issue. A number of entities, including public and private groups, filed statements of opposition after Durango filed its application in February. It was hoped that negotiations between the district and the city would make a scheduled court trial in May unnecessary. The water district's action apparently is in self defense.

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