Steamboat Pilot & Today

Hayden — Residents of Hayden will no longer be allowed to water their lawns starting Monday. This summer's ever-worsening water crisis came to a head Thursday afternoon when Tri-State Generation Power Plant in Craig put a call on its water rights to the Yampa River.

Mayor Chuck Grobe said the town of Hayden has been using 500,000 gallons of water a day.

Today, the town has access to 150,000 gallons a day from the river.

To fill the gap in use, Hayden put its own call on rights at Stagecoach Reservoir. There is capacity in the reservoir for 90 additional days of water, Town Manager Rob Straebel said.

"It's not this year's water supply that we are concerned about," Grobe said. "We have enough water until winter, but we can't predict how much moisture we will receive this winter to replace what we have taken from the reservoir."

Though residents cannot water lawns, they will be allowed to hand water trees and shrubs.

"I know people are going to be upset by this," Grobe said. "We did not make this decision lightly. People have to start getting realistic about the kind of weather pattern we are in."

The board also limited the amount of water keypump holders can take to 5,000 gallons.

Anyone violating the new restrictions is in violation of a municipal ordinance and will face up to a $300 fine or 90 days in jail.

The restrictions will continue until the call on the Yampa River is lifted.

"I would like to challenge our neighboring towns to take the same action," Grobe said. "Craig has no restrictions and Steamboat's restrictions are voluntary."

For more information, call Town Hall at 276-3741 or Mayor Chuck Grobe at 846-4940.