News
| YCWA, RRWCD work out details for buyout |
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| Written by Tony Rayl | |
| Thursday, 05
June 2008 |
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| The Yuma County Water
Authority and Republican River Water Conservation District
agreed today, June 5, to a buyout and lease plan that would
end the Pioneer and Laird ditch owners' litigation. The
litigation threatens all high-capacity ground water wells
within 20 miles of the North Fork of the Republican River.
At its core, the entities agreed to a deal in which the RRWCD will pay the YCWA $5 million up front for a 20-year lease for the surface water rights along the North Fork and ditches. The YCWA will need to come up with the other $15 million for the total buyout of $20 million to the Pioneer and Laird ditch owners. All of Yuma County's voters will have to approve the $15 million debt, or whatever the final amount ends up being that the YCWA will have to come up with. RRWCD Board members indicated they would be willing to continue discussions on the lease terms (such as paying more money up front for more years), but at least wanted to set a base during today's meetings. The YCWA also is hoping businesses and/or individuals will donate to the cause, thus lessening the burden to the county's taxpayers. Donations can be made through the Yuma County Enterprise Zone, allowing for tax credits to the donators. The RRWCD's motion had a few convenants attached, including the water being used for compact compliance. There also is a provision protecting municipal water use. Following the RRWCD's action, the Yuma County Water Authority Board met, unanimously approving a motion to accept the offer of $5 million up front from the RRWCD for a 20-year lease, pending final review by the parties. All of it eventually is contingent upon approval by the Yuma County voters. Dating to July 2005, the owners of the Pioneer Irrigation Company in Colorado, and certain owners on the Laird ditch, filed a petition with the Colorado Ground Water Commission, seeking any ground water wells found to be impacting surface water flows to be shut off. An evidentiary hearing before a Ground Water Commission hearing officer was set to begin this past Monday, June 2. In its final filing before that hearing, the petitioners had stated it would seek what essentially would be a shutoff zone of an average of 20 miles from the North Fork of the Republican River. The hearing was delayed until the upcoming Monday, June 9, as the sides made great strides in reaching a buyout agreement late last week. The Pioneer and Laird petitioners now will have the hearing delayed until early next year, in order to see the outcome of the YCWA's ballot question. If the county's voters approve the buyout debt, the petition before the Ground Water Commission will be dropped completely. As part of today's activities, the RRWCD also announced it will cut a check for $310,000 that will be put toward the $500,000 that will go to the Pioneer and Laird owners to lease their water for the rest of 2008, with the YWCA coming up with the balance. The RRWCD's check is being put in a escrow account contingent upon a deal being struck. Look for more on this in next week's edition of The Yuma Pioneer. |