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From the March 30, 1967, issue of the Steamboat Pilot

Water rights issue is our concern now

Ed C. Johnson, Colorado member and vice chairman of the Upper Colorado River Commission, called on the four upper basin states to "close ranks" and take all the water they're entitled to under the Colorado River Compact.

Bringing the matter right to our own doorstep, the water claims in the Yampa River area are of the utmost importance to the economy and maybe even the survival of the ranching industry of Northwestern Colorado.

Although the water crisis has been studied and known for many years, it seems almost that the door is being shut after the horses are all out. Many ranchers have known the seriousness of conservation of water for west slope uses, and have worked long and hard to convince enough land owners so that signed petitions would make possible a water district.

In February 1966, the Upper Yampa Water Conservancy District was formed, with Loy Ardrey as president of the group. The purposes of the District are several: flood control, irrigation, recreation and reclamation.

Three projects now are being pushed by the district, with the idea of firming up the legal necessity of showing need and due diligence in using the water and providing up on water claims.

No longer will it be possible to take for granted the abundance of our water supply, because East slope interests can and have already proved up on rights which the Yampa Valley residents have assumed were theirs. The latest decision handed down by the courts gives John Elliott prior claim rights to a vast amount of the Yampa drainage.

Senate shelves Hayden power plant bill

The State Affairs Committee voted Tuesday to postpone indefinitely Senate Bill 212, commonly known as the REA bill to legalize the Hayden power generating plant. The vote was 6-4.

Waiting for the action of the Senate committee was a House bill sponsored by Rep. Bill Gossard, R-Craig and Rep. Tom Farley, D-Pueblo. As soon as it appeared that the Senate bill was doomed, House Bill 1572 was introduced.

One of its sponsors, Rep. Bill Gossard, R-Craig, said the bill is intended to make the plant legal in retrospect.

The new bill, sponsored by Gossard and Rep. John Vanderhoof, R-Glenwood Springs, would change the current law to provide that a certificate of public convenience and necessity would not be required by a public utility for "the acquisition, construction, extension or operation of electric generation or transmission facilities used or to be used to supply electrical energy to its own distribution facilities or to the distribution facilities of wholesale customers or members already served by it."

Gossard said if the measure is passed it would assure operation of the Hayden Plant by Colorado-Ute, although not necessarily in the same way as it is now operating. I would not diminish the power of the Public Utilities Commission to regulate or adjudicate on public utilities, he said.

State's second largest elk kill recorded in 1966

During the 1966 hunting season, 13,722 elk were harvested, according to Gilbert Hunter, State Game Manager for the Colorado Game, Fish and Parks Department, ranking last year as the second best in Colorado history.

Areas showing a significant increase in elk kill in 1965 were the Snake River country, the Dunckley area, the Troublesome, Estes Park area, Miller Creek and White River areas. All these areas showed an increase of 100 animals or more.