Hi Friends of Colorado's Rivers, A few months ago we decided to ratchet up our…
PRESS RELEASE: No Dams in the Crystal River Watershed in Colorado!
For Immediate Release
November 20, 2019
Contact: Gary Wockner, Save The Colorado, 970-218-8310
Save The Colorado Opposes Proposed New Dams in the Crystal River Watershed in Colorado
Colorado River, USA: Today, Save The Colorado notified the “Colorado Basin Roundtable” that the organization opposes proposed new dams in the Crystal River Watershed in Colorado, and asked the Roundtable members to vote “no” on a proposal that will be considered at their Nov. 25 meeting. The proposal is for a “feasibility study” for new dams in the Crystal River Watershed put forward by the Colorado River District and the West Divide Water District. (The application is posted here.)
“The Crystal River is one of the more beautiful rivers in the state, still with some free-flowing capacity, and still unhindered with too many dam/diversion structures,” said Gary Wockner, Director of Save The Colorado. “The Crystal is also proposed as a ‘Wild and Scenic River’, a proposal that our organization supports.”
Save The Colorado believes that the Colorado River and its tributaries have already been over-dammed, and believes the science — especially the climate science — strongly argues against building any new dams or diversions.
“Our organization has taken an aggressive stance against proposed dams including two in Colorado right now, with others in Colorado in our sights, and others outside of Colorado. Trying to build a new dam in the Crystal River watershed would likely be an extremely controversial endeavor, perhaps taking decades, and with no end in sight for the permits or the construction,” said Wockner
The email sent to the Colorado Roundtable Boardmembers is below.
Photo: Crystal River, by John Fielder
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Email Comment sent to the Colorado Basin Roundtable:
——– Forwarded Message ——–
| Subject: | Oppose New Dams in the Crystal River Watershed: Vote “no” on feasibility study |
|---|---|
| Date: | Wed, 20 Nov 2019 11:12:37 -0700 |
| From: | Gary Wockner <gary@savethecolorado.org> |
| To: |
Dear Chairman Pokrandt, Vice Chair Steigelmeier, and Colorado Basin Roundtable members,
At your Nov. 25 meeting, you will be asked to support funding for a “feasibility study” that includes new dams in the Crystal River watershed. This proposal is being put forward by the Colorado River District and the West Divide Water District (the application is posted here).
We strongly encourage you to deny (vote “no” on) this application and oppose any study or project that includes new dams or diversions in the Crystal River watershed. As you know, the Crystal is one of the more beautiful rivers in the state, still with some free-flowing capacity, and still unhindered with too many dam/diversion structures. The Crystal is also proposed as a “Wild and Scenic River”, a proposal that our organization supports.
Save The Colorado opposes all new dams and diversions in the Colorado River basin. We believe the Colorado River and its tributaries have already been over-dammed, and we believe the science — and especially the climate science — strongly argues against building any new dams or diversions. Further, our organization has taken an aggressive stance against proposed dams including two in Colorado right now (Moffat and Windy Gap), with others in Colorado in our sights, and others outside of Colorado. Trying to build a new dam in the Crystal River watershed would likely be an extremely controversial endeavor, perhaps taking decades, and with no end in sight for the permits or the construction.
We encourage you to consider every alternative to meet your needs that does not include a new dam or an additional diversion of water out of the Crystal River or its tributaries.
Thank you for your consideration. Feel free to reach out to me with any questions,
Gary Wockner
p.s. The CWCB website only lists the emails above. If you can forward this email to the other Roundtable members, we would appreciate it.
