From the La Junta Tribune-Democrat (Candace Krebs):
On Monday, Oct. 7, water users, managers and economists will converge in Colorado Springs to discuss how to more thoroughly and accurately value water being used for agricultural production. “There are a lot of byproducts from ag production that people don’t even think about,” said Charlie Bartlett, a Merino farmer and current chairman of the Colorado Ag Water Alliance, which is hosting the workshop in conjunction with the Arkansas River Basin Roundtable.
Viable farms don’t just raise food; the commodities they produce contribute to a wide range of consumer and industrial products ranging from cosmetics to plastics, he said. Farms also preserve open space and create a refuge for birds and wildlife. Irrigation use is often responsible for maintaining stream flow, which in turn contributes to fish populations, human recreation and scenic value.
In addition, proper agricultural management provides for conservation and stewardship of natural resources, added Bartlett, as he listed off many indirect and hard-to-measure attributes of ag water use.
“We think it’s pretty important to get people thinking and to walk them through some of the possible scenarios,” he said. “If we divert water away from agriculture, we’re not only losing one of our key economic drivers, we’re losing our ability to have locally produced feed, fuel and fiber.”
Monday’s workshop is aimed at decision-makers who participate in the development of water management policies throughout the state of Colorado. Prominent legal and economic experts will share their expertise and experience.