Finding a way to allow farmers to sell water to cities without giving up their water rights is a key piece of the state’s strategy to meet future water needs. “There has to be better ways of using agricultural water,” said John Stulp, water policy adviser for Gov.

Two area lawmakers are among the sponsors of proposed legislation introduced Thursday that would ease the process for and expand the length of leasing agricultural water from Southern Colorado to urban centers. Under HB1068, the state engineer would be granted authority to approve agricultural water transfer agreements lasting up to 40 years.

Irrigators from one end of the Arkansas Valley to the other have lined up to intervene in a Water Court case over compact compliance rules proposed by State Engineer Dick Wolfe. A four-week trial for the rules is scheduled to begin Nov. 16 and, if approved by Chief District Judge Dennis Maes, the Division 2 Water Court judge, they would become effective on Jan. 1, 2011.

A conversation last week with the Bureau of Reclamation yielded positive results for the Arkansas Valley. “I think they are starting to understand the significance of what we are trying to do, and listening to the Secretary of Interior,” Jim Broderick, director of the Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District told the board Thursday.

As if we didn’t already know this, here’s this civics lesson again:  it does matter what committee appointments your representatives snag.