Facing hard deadlines in water and in climate, too

The International Panel on Climate Change this week issued its latest report, warning of a dangerous temperature threshold that we’ll breach during the next decade if we fail to dramatically reduce emissions. A Colorado legislative committee on the same day addressed water withdrawals in the Republican River Basin that must be curbed by decade’s end.

In both, problems largely created in the 20th century must now be addressed quickly to avoid the scowls of future generations.

e river basin, which lies east of Denver, sandwiched by Interstates 70 and 76, di ers from nearly all others in Colorado in that it gets no annual snowmelt from the state’s mountain peaks. Even so, by tapping the Ogallala and other aquifers, farmers have made it one of the state’s most agriculturally productive areas. ey grow potatoes and watermelons but especially corn and other plants fed to cattle and hogs. is is Colorado without mountains, an ocean of big skies and rolling sandhills.

Republican River farmers face two overlapping problems. One is of declining wells. Given current pumping rates, they will go dry. e only question is when. Some already have.

More immediate is how these wells have depleted ows of the Republican River and its tributaries into Nebraska and Kansas. ose states cried foul, citing a 1943 interstate compact. Colorado in 2016 agreed to pare 25,000 of its 450,000 to 500,000 irrigated acres within the basin.

Colorado has a December 2029 deadline. e Republican River Water Conservation District has been paying farmers to retire land from irrigation. Huge commodity prices discourage this, but district o cials said they are con dent they can achieve 10,000 acres before the end of 2024.

Last year, legislators sweetened the pot with an allocation of $30 million, and a like amount for retirement of irrigated land in the San Luis Valley, which has a similar problem. Since 2004, when it was created, the Republican River district self-encumbered $156 million in fee collections and debt for the transition.

It’s unclear that the district can

LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com

MICHAEL DE YOANNA Editor-in-Chief michael@coloradocommunitymedia.com achieve the 2030 goal. e bill unanimously approved by the Colorado House Agriculture, Water and Natural Resources Committee will, if it becomes law, task the Colorado Water Center at Colorado State University with documenting the economic loss to the region - and to Colorado altogether - if irrigated Republican River Basin agriculture ceases altogether. e farmers may need more help as the deadline approaches. is all-or-nothing proposition is not academic. Kevin Rein, the state water engineer, testi ed that he must shut down all basin wells if compact requirements are not met. e focus is on the Republican’s South Fork, between Wray and Burlington.

Legislators were told that relying solely upon water that falls from the sky diminishes production 75 to 80 percent.

In seeking this study, the river district wants legislators to be aware of what is at stake.

Rod Lenz, who chairs the river district board, put it in human terms. His extended-family’s 5,000-acre farm amid the sandhills can support 13 families, he told me. Returned to grasslands, that same farm could

SEE BEST, P13 an “urban center.”

As recently as the Dec. 5 council study session, sta was lauding the future bene ts of the plan with ample retail, o ce and apartments joining the existing development in place.

Also, Councilmember Nurmela espouses a rosy future for the New Downtown with it becoming the business hub for the city. It is hard for me to envision such a business/commercial hub. Remember, Nurmela was a key city planner who helped dream up this concept in the beginning.

Certainly, thus far we see there has not been a major clamoring for retailers and o ce development to locate there. In fact, the o ce developer who had been working with the city for three years ended up suing the city. Yes, there is the Origin Hotel, Alamo Pub House, Tattered Cover Book Store, Tap and Burger and Marzak’s Fine Foods will open this year. Also, a food hall is in the mix.

But otherwise, there are only a few

SEE CHRISTOPHER, P13

Letter To The Editor

Fire board slate o ers good choices ere are eight quali ed candidates vying for three seats in this upcoming May 2nd election.

Residents of Northglenn and Broom eld have several very good choices this spring for the North Metro Fire Rescue District Board. Two that stand out as especially well-suited are retired career re ghter-paramedic Patrick Browne and two-term Broom eld city councilmember Elizabeth Law-Evans. ey both bring with them to the NMFRD Board strong public and private sector experience along with decades of community service.

Two of my top choices are Patrick Browne and Elizabeth Law-Evans. I urge readers to join me in voting for those two and a third.

Absentee ballots will arrive in mailboxes the rst week of April. To receive a mail ballot, visit www.northmetro re.org or call 303-452-9910. In-person voting will be 7am to 7pm Tuesday, May 2 at the NMFRD Headquarters, 101 Spader Way in Broom eld or Station 62 at 10550 Huron St., Northglenn. Bette Erickson, Broom eld

Call first: 143 S. 2nd Pl., Brighton, CO 80601

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Phone: 303-566-4100

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SCOTT TAYLOR Metro North Editor staylor@coloradocommunitymedia.com

LUKE ZARZECKI Community Editor lzarzecki@coloradocommunitymedia.com

LINDSAY NICOLETTI Operations/ Circulation Manager lnicoletti@coloradocommunitymedia.com

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Columnists & Guest Commentaries

Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of the Sentinel.

We welcome letters to the editor. Please Include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone.

Email letters to staylor@coloradocommunitymedia.com service-oriented occupants such as dentistry, a nail salon and chiropractic services. While the location is near U.S. 36, Sheridan Boulevard and hopefully an extension of the commuter rail up to 88th Avenue, what large retailer would go there?

Deadline Wed. for the following week’s paper.

Hyland Hills Board Of Directors election details e seated Hyland Hills Park and Recreation District Board of Directors took action on some details pertaining to the upcoming May 2 board election.

Incumbent Board Chair Jenn Flaum, Danielle Grosh, Mike Hald and Paul Page are vying for the two seats which will be up for grabs. at part we previously knew. By state law, we know the date will be Tuesday, May 2. e Board did name Sue Blair with Community Resource Services to be the Designated Election O cial. Blair is well known in special district circles to have the expertise to administer