As winter melts into spring and McPhee Reservoir begins its slow ascent to full capacity, the placid waters conceal a raging battle with the hallmarks of history. Two major water providers, Montezuma Valley Irrigation Co.

Settlement talks between Montezuma Valley Irrigation Co. and the Dolores Water Conservancy District have reached the end of the year without resolution after a series of postponed meetings and anti-climactic hearings. MVIC filed suit against the conservancy district and the U.S.

The Dolores Water Conservancy District Board of Directors unanimously approved a request from Rico representatives Thursday night to divert water from underground sources off the Dolores River for municipal use.

A water-rights battle that began in June between two major providers in Montezuma County might be heading toward calmer waters. Montezuma Valley Irrigation Co. filed a lawsuit June 5 in U.S. District Court against the Dolores Water Conservancy District and the U.S.

The picture at left depicts quagga mussels removed from the Mississippi River lock and dam number 7 (2001). This invasive species has inundated waterways east of the 100^th meridian.