From the Carbon Valley Farmer & Miner (Emily Dougherty):
The town’s sole source of water for potable water system is the Colorado Big Thompson (CB-T) project, which Frederick officials say they have outgrown, especially considering the projection that few CB-T units will be available on the open market beyond 2015…
“After studying many options and consulting true experts related to water issues, we firmly believe that NISP is the best choice available for Frederick and that it will prove to be a great benefit for all economic and social sectors of Northern Colorado,” Frederick mayor pro-term Tony Carey said in a letter in support of the NISP…
Carey went on to say that the town’s current water supplies are barely meeting the area’s needs and that if NISP is not approved, “Frederick and other participants will be forced to look at acquiring agricultural water rights to meet future demands,” he wrote…
the town strongly prefers to implement the NISP plans for Glade Reservoir and the South Platte Water Conservation Project, and to also work with the Larimer and Weld and the New Cache La Poudre irrigation companies to improve their operations rather than buying water rights that would negatively impact them.
Here’s a recap of last week’s rally by supporters of the project where 200 or so showed up, from Monte Whaley writing for The Denver Post. From the article:
At one point, Weld County Commissioner Sean Conway led the throng with shouts of “NISP now” before sending them out to spread the gospel of the Northern Integrated Supply Project.”You go and send that message about how much we need this,” Conway said, rallying the troops from inside a barn at Anderson Farms, northwest of Erie…
The go-ahead for NISP rests largely in the hands of the Army Corps of Engineers, which released a draft environmental-impact statement for the project in 2008. But the corps decided to do a supplemental study after critics said the original failed to answer critical questions, including the extent of the environmental damage the dams may cause. The supplemental report should be completed and released by next summer, said Brian Werner, spokesman for the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District…
Don Korrey — who works 800 acres of corn and alfalfa northeast of Sterling — said NISP is desperately needed to preserve water that otherwise would flow out of the plains and into cities. “Any storage anywhere will help farmers everywhere,” Korrey said. “It’s obvious cities are asking for more water rights, and if they keep doing that, our water will be depleted and their goes our livelihoods.”
More Northern Integrated Supply Project coverage here and here.