The issue of who gets the water that flows from the Arkansas River Basin is of great concern to the people of southeastern Colorado at a time of extreme drought, an expanding population in many areas of the state and resulting pressure on limited water resources in the region. A recent meeting in Trinidad hosted by the Purgatoire River Water Partnership provided information about those water rights issues, specifically the compact established by state legislation in 1950, often known as the Kansas Compact, that determines how much of the available water each state is entitled to. The partnership was put together within the last year to try to explain water rights, and how to avoid conflicts between states over water. Jeris Danielson, State Engineer and Director of the State Division of Wildlife Resources from 1979 to 1992, was on hand to give a brief history and interpretation of the Kansas Compact and what it means for water rights in this region. Now a private consultant and manager of the Purgatoire River water Conservancy District, Danielson gave a Power Point demonstration of interstate water rights in general, and those that directly impact Colorado. Danielson described Colorado, because of its mountains and high plateaus as “sitting on the top of the hill,” with 18 other states getting some of the state’s water. He said 80-percent flows from the western side of the state, but 80-percent of Colorado’s population lives on the eastern side of the state. This presents the problem of the state having its water where and when it’s most needed.

To view the full article, visit the Trinidad Times. For a copy of the original article contact the WIP at (970) 247-1302 or stop by the office at 841 East Second Avenue in Durango, Colorado.