Group delves into water usage conflicts

By Mike Henry,
Published: Thursday, July 19, 2007 11:08 AM MDT
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Regional Correspondent

GREELEY, Colo. - Following through with a promise he made to voters during his campaign, Colorado Governor Bill Ritter has established a blue ribbon task force charged with examining the growing water usage conflicts within the state's troubled South Platte River Basin.

While certainly water challenges are not only being experienced within the South Platte River Basin, in Colorado's northeastern region, Ritter feels the mandatory curtailment of agricultural wells in May of 2006 and the on-going litigation between water users there, is an issue that needed immediate and in-depth attention.

Over 400 agricultural irrigation wells were shut down by an official decree from Colorado's Water Court judiciary, as a result of objections raised by a large consortium of senior water rights holders who felt their irrigating abilities were being injured by the operation of those wells.

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