Committee Approves Funding for Well Flows
By Bill Jackson, Greeley Tribune, Colo.
Jun. 21–U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo., has acquired $300,000 for the Greeley-based Central Colorado Water Conservancy District that will help district members gauge their well flows.
Allard is a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, which approved the funding Tuesday. He said the funding “helps us create a model for water management and ultimately allows for more efficient use of groundwater and the South Platte River.”
Tom Cech, director of the district, couldn’t agree more, noting the funding will be used to purchase irrigation well meters, noting he also appreciated the work done on the issue by Allard, his staff as well as by Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo., and his staff.
“It looks really good that we will get this funding and it will help our well owners tremendously to comply with the rigorous requirements of pumping their wells in the future,” Cech said.
Salazar worked to get funding last year, which was not approved, then sent letters to cities and irrigation companies earlier this year urging them to find a way to help relieve the looming need of water by irrigators.
“I am proud to announce this funding that is critical to the future of many of our farmers and ranchers in northeastern Colorado,” Salazar said in a press release.
The Allard request will fund a federal cost-share to the water district for water management system improvements in the South Platte River basin. The system is to install irrigation flow meters and automated data loggers with communications devices on existing irrigation wells to enable sophisticated usage data and analysis.
Central has installed meters on 800 wells and is working to buy and install flow meters on the remaining 700 wells along with data loggers with communications devices on all 1,500 wells in the district, which follows the South Platte from Brighton to Fort Morgan.
Allard said that following the subcommittee’s approval Tuesday, he expects the full appropriations committee to approve the funding bill on Thursday.
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