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Colorado has pledged to eliminate thousands of acres of irrigated agriculture in a focused region on the eastern plains. The burden falls mostly on private landowners. But the state also has irrigation wells there. And local farmers say they shouldn’t be the only ones to sacrifice their water rights.
Colorado has pledged to eliminate thousands of acres of irrigated agriculture in a focused region on the eastern plains. The burden falls mostly on private landowners. But the state also has irrigation wells there. And local farmers say they shouldn’t be the only ones to sacrifice their water rights.
Colorado has pledged to eliminate thousands of acres of irrigated agriculture in a focused region on the eastern plains. The burden falls mostly on private landowners. But the state also has irrigation wells there. And local farmers say they shouldn’t be the only ones to sacrifice their water rights.
In April, the Republican River Water Conservation District Board put out notice of possible changes to water use fees for irrigating crops. At the board’s quarterly meeting Tuesday, however, members did not decide on whether a fee-structure change process will occur. Board members also voted on how to handle formerly inactive wells coming back on in the basin.
Last November, the 17-member Republican River Water Conservation District board more than doubled the annual fee farmers in the basin pay per irrigated acre. That increase allowed the board to also increase the amount offered to those who chose to stop irrigating. Interest in the program has since gone up, but some feel the fee is unfair.