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Water News and Opinion
USFS says Montana wilderness dam repair can move forward.
Regional Forester Leslie Weldon affirmed the Bitterroot National Forest's approval of a plan to use a helicopter to ferry materials and heavy equipment into the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness area in Montana needed to repair the Tin Cup Dam.
Ravalli Republic; September 3, 2010
Montana meeting brings together stakeholders in Columbia River Treaty.
The Columbia River Treaty was signed 45 years ago and will remain in place until at least 2024, but regional water managers from Montana, Oregon, Idaho and Washington were told at a meeting in Missoula on Thursday that conditions in the basin, which stretches from Canada through those Northwest states, are changing and that water managers need to stay abreast of conditions to begin addressing such changes as soon as possible.
Missoulian; September 3, 2010
Wyoming works to restore cutthroat trout to Soldier Creek.
Brook trout have nearly wiped out native Yellowstone cutthroat trout populations in most of Wyoming's waters, and state wildlife officials are killing off the brook trout and stocking streams on the west slope of the Big Horn Mountains to bolster the native fish's numbers.
Casper Star-Tribune; September 3, 2010
EPA warns residents of Wyoming community not to drink well water.
After getting unsatisfactory responses from the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality and EnCana Oil & Gas USA, the company that operates oil and gas wells interspersed throughout their community, about their complaints that energy operations were contaminating their water, Pavillion-area residents went to the federal Environmental Protection Agency with their concerns, and this week the EPA told residents not to drink or use water from at least 20 wells in the area.
Casper Star-Tribune; September 2, 2010
Climate change focus of water conference in Colorado.
Representatives from more than two dozen major utilities are in Denver this week to brainstorm about climate changes that are impacting their operations, including earlier snowmelt in the mountains, less snow but more rain, an increase in sea levels, flash floods that overwhelm sewer systems, as well as drought.
Denver Post; September 1, 2010
Wyoming to require oil, gas companies to come clean on fracking.
Regulations in Wyoming that take effect Sept. 15 will require energy companies to provide information on chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, a drilling process that injects water, sand and chemicals at high pressure underground to crack open rock formations holding oil and gas deposits.
Casper Star-Tribune; August 30, 2010
Study finds S. Idaho at high risk for long-term water shortages.
A study done by the Natural Resources Defense Council found that, due to predicted changes in rainfall and temperatures, most of the nation could face water shortages by 2050, and that in Southern Idaho, the Magic Valley is at high risk of such shortages, with Cassia, Minidoka and Lincoln counties at extreme risk.
Twin Falls Times-News; August 30, 2010
Water treatment plant for energy operations planned in Wyoming.
A New Hampshire-based company said its water treatment plant near Rawlins scheduled to open in October will have the capacity to treat 20,000 gallons of water from oil and natural gas operations each day.
WyomingBusinessReport.com; August 26, 2010
Wyoming high court keeps access to North Platte River public.
On Wednesday, the Wyoming Supreme Court rejected an appeal of landowners who own property along the North Platte River near the popular Lusby Public Fishing Area; the landowners had sued to limit public access to the site which has one of the only access points on the river between Gray Reef and Casper.
Casper Star-Tribune; August 26, 2010
Montana officials say milfoil now at both ends of Missouri River.
Eurasian milfoil, a fast-growing aquatic weed, was first found in Montana in the lower Clark Fork River in 2007, but the invader has recently been discovered at the Droulliard fishing access site on the Jefferson River; in the Missouri River upstream of Toston; and in the Canyon Ferry Wildlife Management Area near Townsend, and a multi-agency task force has been assembled to develop a plan of attack against the weed.
Helena Independent Record; August 25, 2010
B.C. officials say sockeye salmon return could be best in a century.
Last year, the number of sockeye salmon returning to the Fraser River in British Columbia was the lowest recorded in 50 years, but this year's return is predicted to be the best in nearly a century, with federal officials predicting that 25 million sockeye salmon will make the trip this year.
Vancouver Sun; August 25, 2010
Group seeks emergency injunction to stop Ruby Pipeline.
Counties in Utah, Nevada, Wyoming and Oregon have formed a coalition to fight an agreement between El Paso Corp., the developer of the 680-mile natural gas pipeline that will stretch from Wyoming to Oregon, and the Western Watersheds Project. On Thursday, the Center for Biological Diversity, an environmental group that is challenging the Ruby Pipeline, filed a request for an emergency temporary injunction to halt work on it until questions about the pipeline's effect on endangered fish are answered.
Deseret News; August 20, 2010
Angler's catch of South American fish in Wyoming pond prompts warning.
Wyoming Game and Fish Department officials reminded the public that releasing non-native fish into the state's waters is illegal after an angler caught an Oscar, a popular aquarium fish native to Peru, Colombia and Brazil, in Casper's Harry Yesness Pond.
Casper Star-Tribune; August 20, 2010
Salt Lake City monitors PCE levels in springs.
While testing for oil contamination from a pipeline spill in June, Salt Lake City officials found trace levels of the contaminant perchloroethylene (PCE), a chemical primarily used for dry-cleaning fabrics and de-greasing metals, in backyard springs near East High, and the Utah city's officials said that while the levels do not present a public safety risk, they will continue to monitor the springs.
Salt Lake Tribune; August 19, 2010
Aquatic invaders hitchhike into streams on fly fishers' felt-soled boots.
Alaska and Vermont have already banned the felt soles that fly fishers depend upon to give them traction on slippery streambeds because they give noxious microorganisms such as didymo, also known as rock snot, a ride into previously unaffected freshwaters.
New York Times; August 16, 2010
Irrigation district's dam in Montana wilderness needs repairs.
The U.S. Forest Service is reviewing the request of the Canyon Creek Irrigation District to use a helicopter to fly equipment and supplies into the Selway-Bitterroot wilderness in the Bitterroot National Forest in Montana to repair a sinkhole in the Canyon Lake Dam.
Missoulian; August 16, 2010
Wyoming gives fish a flying lift to alpine waters.
Each summer, agents from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department spend a week flying tens of thousands of fish into the alpine areas of the state to stock lakes.
Casper Star-Tribune; August 12, 2010
Utah hopes anglers will help rid waters of 'poor man's lobster'.
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources issued a "no limits" call on burbot, a non-native fish from east of the Rocky Mountains that have been found in the Green River, in order to help rid the river of the nasty-looking but tasty aquatic invader.
Deseret News; August 12, 2010
EPA hearing on Idaho basin cleanup plan draws hundreds.
Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch Otter, U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson and federal Environmental Protection Agency officials heard plenty at the public meeting Monday night in Kellogg on the EPA's clean-up plan for the Upper Basin of the Coeur d'Alene River, with many residents questioning the need for the cleanup, while others questioned the timeline and the cost, and others pressed for an extension of the public comment deadline.
Coeur d'Alene Press; August 10, 2010
Focus of mining waste cleanup in Idaho's Silver Valley shifts.
The Environmental Protection Agency held a meeting Wednesday night in Kellogg on its proposal to clean up water contaminated by old mine tailings in Idaho's Silver Valley. Some in attendance expressed concerns that the plan may prove problematic for working mines in the valley, while others questioned the timeline and cost of the cleanup.
Spokane Spokesman-Review; August 6, 2010
Wyoming county lifts water restrictions.
The Central Wyoming Regional Water System's water supply improved, allowing Natrona County officials to lift watering restrictions put in place Tuesday.
Casper Star-Tribune; August 6, 2010
New Colorado study lowers amount of water needed by oilshale industry.
A new study of water needed for Colorado's oilshale industry said that the amount needed may be much lower than previously thought, with less water needed if natural gas is used to heat shale rather than electricity from coal-fired power plants, and if the process used produced water.
Grand Junction Sentinel; August 4, 2010
Demand outstrips supplies of Wyoming water system.
Officials of the Central Wyoming Regional Water System said a spike in demand earlier this week caused a shortage in the system, and they asked their customers in Casper, Bar Nunn, Midwest and parts of rural Natrona County to not water lawns until Thursday to allow the system to catch up.
Casper Star-Tribune; August 4, 2010
Groups to petition U.S. EPA to ban lead in fishing, hunting gear.
The Center for Biological Diversity and the American Bird Conservancy plan to file a petition today with the federal Environmental Protection Agency asking that lead in bullets and fishing tackle be banned, a move hunting organizations have said lacks a scientific basis.
New York Times; August 3, 2010
Arizona group sues BLM, USFWS to stop Wyoming-Oregon pipeline.
The Arizona-based Center for Biological Diversity filed a lawsuit in federal district court in San Francisco on Friday against the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to stop construction of the $3-billion Ruby Pipeline that will cross more than 1,000 rivers and streams on its trek from Wyoming to Oregon.
Casper Star-Tribune; July 31, 2010
Sale of CBM water holding ponds has Wyoming scrambling.
The Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission is reviewing an application from J.M. Huber Corp. to transfer ownership of two reservoirs that hold coalbed methane discharge water to the rancher that owns the land upon which the ponds are built, but Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal isn't sure the panel can approve the sale, as the rancher isn't beholden to the oil and gas commission, which would put regulation of the reservoirs out of its jurisdiction.
Casper Star-Tribune; July 21, 2010
Idaho communities sue EPA over Spokane River plan.
The city of Post Falls and Hayden Area Regional Sewer Board filed a federal lawsuit challenging the Environmental Protection Agency's proposed cleanup plan for the Spokane River; Coeur d'Alene officials decided Tuesday night to file a lawsuit as well.
Coeur d'Alene Press; July 21, 2010
Idaho city, subdivision head to court over water rights.
The city of Hailey is vigorously defending its claims to water flowing from springs in Indian Creek canyon northeast of the Idaho city from the claims of the Indian Creek Homeowners Association that the city only holds claims to about half the 3.52 cubic feet per second it says it has.
Idaho Mountain Express; July 21, 2010
Idaho county uses fish to battle mosquitoes.
Members of the Twin Falls County Pest Abatement team in Idaho spent Friday releasing bluegill into area ponds to eat mosquito larvae.
Twin Falls Times-News; July 19, 2010
Colorado company to take different route on microbe work in Wyoming.
Denver-based Luca Technologies Inc., through its subsidiary Patriot Energy Resources LLC, dropped its application for exemptions from the federal Safe Drinking Water Act that would allow the company to inject microbes into coalbed methane gas wells in Wyoming nearing the end of their productive life to stimulate gas production, but Luca officials said the company will continue to pursue the work.
Casper Star-Tribune; July 15, 2010
EPA releases proposed plan for Idaho river basin.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released its Upper Coeur d'Alene River Basin Proposed Plan on Monday, and is seeking public comment on the plan that addresses remediating fisheries and wetlands. A public meeting on the plan is scheduled Aug. 4 at the SMC Health and Education Center in Smelterville.
Coeur d'Alene Press; July 14, 2010
Idaho city hosts information meeting on arsenic project.
Twin Falls has begun work on its $18-million water improvement project designed to bring arsenic levels in the Idaho city's water supply into compliance with federal drinking water standards, and on Wednesday, residents of the city will have an opportunity to meet the contractors who will do the job.
Twin Falls Times-News; July 12, 2010
Montana launches fight against aquatic invaders.
The Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and the Department of Agriculture launched the "Inspect. Clean. Dry." campaign to encourage boaters to keep their vessels free of invasive aquatic species such as Eurasian Watermilfoil and zebra and quagga mussels.
Flathead Beacon; July 10, 2010
Nevada official: SNWA must refile for water rights in 4 eastern valleys.
After the Nevada Supreme Court ruled in June that the state engineer must reopen the groundwater application process in four eastern valleys, State Engineer Jason King said Wednesday that Southern Nevada Water Authority must re-apply for groundwater rights in the Spring, Cave, Dry Lake and Delamar valleys that it previously applied for to provide water for pipeline to Las Vegas.
Las Vegas Review-Journal; July 8, 2010
EPA's monitoring wells in Wyoming nearly complete.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has nearly completed two monitoring wells in the Pavillion area of central Wyoming where residents have complained that hydraulic fracturing, a drilling method that uses a combination of water, sand and chemicals to crack open rock formations to get to natural gas, has polluted their water.
Casper Star-Tribune; July 7, 2010
New law lets Utahns harvest the rain.
Under a law passed this past legislative session, Utahns can now harvest rainwater - if they register with the state Division of Water Rights and limit their collection barrels to one 2,500-gallon underwater tank or two containers that collectively hold 100 gallons.
Deseret News; July 2, 2010
Thousands of boat inspections in Wyoming yield few mussels.
As part of its campaign to keep invasive aquatic species out of Wyoming waters, state Game and Fish Department employees have inspected nearly 8,000 boats, and only six of those had to be decontaminated.
Casper Star-Tribune; July 2, 2010
Western governors discuss water, energy as meeting winds down.
At the Western Governors' Association meeting in Montana this week, members debated on how best to meet the water needs of growing populations in the arid West, as well as the need for new transmission projects and a level playing field for different forms of energy production.
Flathead Beacon; June 30, 2010
Montana governor urges Flathead protection at WGA meeting.
Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer used his position as chairman of the Western Governors' Association to press the federal government for the $17 million needed to compensate British Columbia mining companies for agreeing not to develop energy leases they hold in the headwaters of the Flathead River that flows into Montana and forms the west border of Glacier National Park.
Helena Independent Record; June 29, 2010
New dams proposed on Idaho's Boise River.
The Idaho Water Resource Board and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are considering four possible sites for new dams on the Boise River in Idaho, as well as raising the level of the Lucky Peak Dam; Rocky Barker answers the where and why questions about this project.
Idaho Statesman; June 29, 2010
Federal government releases plan to protect salmon.
The federal government released its 2010-13 implementation plan for Columbia River Power System BiOp program on Wednesday that will spend $525 million over the three-year period to protect endangered Columbia and Snake River fish.
Tri-City Herald; June 24, 2010
'Gasland' documentary features flaming tap water in Colorado.
Documentary filmmaker Josh Fox, whose "Gasland" documentary on hydraulic fracturing, a drilling method that uses a cocktail of water, sand and chemicals introduced under high pressure to break rock formations holding natural gas deposits captive, appeared on Jon Stewart's The Daily Show. A clip showing a Colorado man lighting his home tap water on fire was featured. The film will be broadcast on HBO over the next few months.
Durango Herald; June 24, 2010
North Platte River in Wyoming continues to run high.
A storm dumped another inch of rain in Wyoming's Natrona County on Tuesday, and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation water managers released more water into the North Platte River, which rose to within a foot of flood stage.
Casper Star-Tribune; June 23, 2010
High water may delay Idaho rafting company's launch.
Water flows in the Boise River are still too high for rafting, and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation officials said more releases are planned from the reservoir system on the Idaho river, which will delay the opening of Epley's Boise River Rentals.
Idaho Statesman; June 23, 2010
Nevada approves subdivision's water plan despite fish concerns.
The Nevada Division of Water Resources approved Coyote Springs development's groundwater-use plan, despite an independent study's findings that 60 percent of the endangered Moapa dace died after pumping in 2007 and 2008. The state supervisor for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service disputed the finding.
Las Vegas Review-Journal; June 23, 2010
Wyoming DEQ rolls out details to clean aquifer near well blowout.
Windsor Energy has spent about $2.5 million to clean up the shallow aquifer contaminated by a natural gas blowout nearly four years ago near a rural subdivision in Wyoming. The state Department of Environmental Quality is taking public comment on a plan that calls for monitored natural attenuation, a process that lets nature take its course, with monitoring wells ensuring contamination levels stay low.
Billings Gazette; June 23, 2010
BuRec plans more releases into N. Platte River in Wyoming.
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation officials said more releases from the Seminoe Reservoir in Wyoming into the North Platte River are planned because water flows into the reservoir about 70 miles upstream of Casper have not declined as predicted.
Casper Star-Tribune; June 22, 2010
Avista plans more releases from Post Falls Dam in Idaho.
Heavy rains caused water levels in Lake Coeur d'Alene to rise, and Avista Corp. officials said releases from the Post Falls Dam in Idaho into the Spokane River would increase water levels in that lake.
Spokane Spokesman-Review; June 22, 2010
EPA issues 'no discharge' order on Idaho feedlot.
On June 11, the Environmental Protection Agency announced it had issued a "no discharge" order against the Simplot Cattle Feeding Company's Grand View feedlot in Idaho. The order allows the federal agency to impose a daily, hefty fine against the facility until it stops all discharges from the feedlot, which the EPA said is sending water containing fecal matter into Ted Trueblood Wildlife Refuge and Snake River.
Twin Falls Times-News; June 22, 2010
USFWS declines to put Utah minnow on endangered list.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists said that the least chub in Utah is threatened enough to deserve federal protection under the Endangered Species Act, but other species are in more danger and declined to list the minnow.
Deseret News; June 22, 2010
BLM warns boaters to stay off two Wyoming rivers.
High water on the North Platte and Encampment rivers in Wyoming means boaters won't have the clearance needed to get under bridges, and the Bureau of Land Management asked boaters to stay off those rivers.
Billings Gazette; June 18, 2010
EPA: Monsanto dam near Yellowstone NP captures too much water.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Monsanto's dam built this year on Sheep Creek to contain contaminated runoff from its Idaho phosphate mine near Yellowstone National Park is preventing creek water from flowing into the Blackfoot River, and the federal agency wants the maker of Roundup herbicide to instead treat the water to remove the contaminants and then send it downriver.
Idaho Statesman; June 17, 2010
N. Platte River flowing at 3 times normal volume in Wyoming.
There were few takers at the sandbag distribution sites set up around Casper as the levels of the North Platte River in the Wyoming city rose to three times normal levels, but a lot of folks stopped to take pictures of the raging river.
Casper Star-Tribune; June 17, 2010
BPA previews plans for $2B in upgrades.
The Bonneville Power Administration announced Tuesday it will spend $2 billion in federal stimulus funds to expand existing transmission lines, upgrade hydroelectric facilities and fund fish restoration projects.
Seattle Times; June 16, 2010
Idaho ruling roils water transfer market.
The Idaho Department of Water Resources issued a ruling in May that subordinates upstream water rights to maintain minimum stream flows in the Big Wood River, which means if the flows in the river fall below a certain point, the water right is put on hold until the river rises again. While some communities in the valley commended the decision, others questioned it and said it will impede the sale of water rights.
Idaho Mountain Express; June 16, 2010
Washington state on trail of source of PCBs in Spokane River.
Over the past two years, specialists from the Washington state Department of Ecology have been taking water samples from storm drains and pipes, seeking the source of polychlorinated biphenyls, PCBs, which have been linked to cancer and other health problems, that continue to flow into the Spokane River, thirty years after they were banned from use.
Spokane Spokesman-Review; June 15, 2010
Sandbagging work under way in Wyoming city along N. Platte River.
Water levels in the North Platte River near Casper are expected to reach 8,000 cubic feet per second later this week - about four times higher than normal - and on Monday, crews were filling and piling sandbags between the Tate Pumphouse and the river in Casper.
Casper Star-Tribune; June 15, 2010
Montana man dies in Middle Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho.
Montana resident Michael Fitzpatrick died June 4 on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho when a marked rise in the river capsized his raft and he was unable to grasp a rope thrown by his companions.
Montana Standard; June 15, 2010
Wyoming group pitches buy-in to fund restoration project.
Green River's Greenbelt Task Force has been working on restoring the Wyoming city's Killdeer wetlands for more than a decade; during that time applications for grants have fallen short of the money needed for the restoration project, and the group is now looking for 1,000 folks who will shell out $75 apiece for a foot of the waterway needed for the project.
Casper Star-Tribune; June 14, 2010
Utah officials say oil spill hasn't reached Great Salt Lake.
Chevron's 10-inch pipeline that carries crude oil from northwest Colorado to Chevron's refinery in Salt Lake City developed a leak sometime over the weekend, spilling an estimated 21,000 gallons of oil into Red Butte Creek in Salt Lake City, but Utah officials said the oil spill had been kept from reaching the Great Salt Lake, and a public meeting is planned today at 7 p.m. on the spill and clean-up efforts.
Salt Lake Tribune; June 14, 2010
Idaho tribe strives to save endangered sturgeon.
The Kootenai Tribe's hatchery on the Kootenai River in Idaho fertilizes about 1 million white sturgeon eggs each year to pull the giant endangered fish back from the brink of extinction.
Spokane Spokesman-Review; June 14, 2010
High water supercharges power production in the Northwest.
Heavy rainfall in the Snake and Columbia River basins have pushed reservoir levels to near maximum capacity, and all 31 hydroelectric dams in the region are churning out 144 percent of normal spring electricity generation, and forcing the Bonneville Power Administration to give some power away.
Portland Oregonian; June 12, 2010
Heavy rains in Idaho extend salmon fishing on Clearwater River.
The Idaho Fish and Game Commission said heavy rains that made the upper main stem Clearwater River and Middle Fork Clearwater unfishable allowed the season for chinook salmon on those rivers to be extended beyond the June 13 closing date, and said that the season will now close sometime after June 20.
Idaho Statesman; June 10, 2010
Alberta study examines effect of beetle-killed forests on water.
University of Alberta scientists are mid-way in a three-year study of the effect beetle-killed forests have on water; the study is being done in Alberta rather than British Columbia, because the beetle-killed forests are so extensive in B.C. there was no healthy forest to use as experimental control.
Edmonton Journal; June 9, 2010
Wyoming Oil and Gas Commission OKS new 'fracking' rules.
The Wyoming Oil and Gas Commission approved new regulations that will require drilling companies that use "hydraulic fracturing," a method that injects water, sand and a chemical cocktail under high pressure underground to break open rock formations to get to gas reserves, to provide the state with a list of chemicals used.
Casper Star-Tribune; June 9, 2010
Utah governor appoints task force on energy policy.
On Tuesday, Utah Gov. Gary Herbert appointed a 14-member task force to create an energy blueprint for the state to guide it over the next decade, and he said that panel will explore issues related to nuclear power, including water issues.
Salt Lake Tribune; June 9, 2010
A day without rain helps keep Snake River in Wyoming in check.
Inflows into Jackson Lake in Wyoming on Monday were the third-highest reported to date, and Bureau of Reclamation officials had to boost releases into the Snake River as water levels in the dam on Tuesday were just a touch above "full."
Jackson Hole Daily; June 9, 2010
LDS Church among those protesting SNWA pipeline project.
The Great Basin Water Network, a group that actively opposes Southern Nevada Water Authority's proposal to pipe groundwater from the Snake Valley on the Utah-Nevada border to Las Vegas, analyzed the hundreds of protests filed with the state of Nevada on the project, including the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which operates two ranches and has three grazing permits associated with that land in the adjacent Spring Valley.
Salt Lake Tribune; June 9, 2010
Rains push Wyoming reservoir, Snake River to capacity.
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation was forced to increase releases from Jackson Lake Dam as inflows into the Jackson Lake reservoir pushed water levels to 98 percent of capacity, a 13-year high for the Wyoming reservoir, and the National Weather Service warned residents along the Snake River drainage below the dam to be alert for flooding as the river flows were nearly at capacity as well.
Jackson Hole Daily; June 8, 2010
Wyoming oil, gas commission to vote on 'fracking' rules tomorrow.
The Wyoming Oil and Gas Commission will vote on a rule at a meeting Tuesday that would require companies to tell the state what chemicals they use in hydraulic fracturing, a drilling method that introduces a cocktail of water, sand and chemical under high pressure to release natural gas from rock formations.
Billings Gazette; June 7, 2010
Rain, snowmelt forces early release of water from Wyoming dam.
Heavy rains increased snowmelt above Jackson Lake in Wyoming, filling it to 96 percent of capacity and forcing the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to begin releasing water from the dam, increasing flows in the Snake River near Palisades to 16,600 cfs Sunday afternoon.
Jackson Hole Daily; June 7, 2010
Council says Canada's water bill won't stop U.S. grab.
The Canadian Water Issues Council said legislation proposed in May crafted to stop the United States from diverting water that flows across the nations' borders will do little to stop such a water grab, and the Council has drafted its own measure that bans the export of water from Canada to the U.S.
Toronto Globe and Mail; June 3, 2010
Proposed dam earns Idaho river a spot on endangered list.
The proposal to replace the dam on the Teton River that failed in 1976, killing 11 people, put the Idaho river on American Rivers' annual Top 10 list of the nation's most endangered rivers.
Jackson Hole Daily; June 3, 2010
Montana governor seeks federal funds for B.C. miners.
Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer said he was disappointed that the federal government had not yet acted on his request for $17 million to pay two mining companies to walk away from their mines in British Columbia as part of the deal between Montana and B.C. to protect the Flathead River Basin around Glacier National Park.
Flathead Beacon; June 3, 2010
Idaho city mixes some road projects into water system work.
The federal government ordered Twin Falls to address arsenic levels in its drinking water by 2011, so the Idaho city is installing new pipelines and blending stations, and when pipeline work and roads intersect, some road work as well - and if need be, work on adjacent sewer lines, too.
Twin Falls Times-News; June 2, 2010
Montana sees gold in mine reclamation project near Yellowstone.
The Montana Department of Environmental Quality plans to clean up a 30-acre tailings site on Soda Creek near Cooke City that is leaching mine waste into the creek that flows into Yellowstone National Park; DEQ officials said they believe there is $25 million to $30 million of recoverable gold in the waste rock that can be used to cover some of the cost of the cleanup.
Flathead Beacon; June 2, 2010
Water group urges partnership with energy companies.
At the "Energy Resources and Produced Waters Conference: Water Quality, Management, Treatment, and Use" in Wyoming last week, the head of the American Ground Water Trust said energy companies should work with water groups to create more beneficial uses of water discharged during energy operations.
Casper Star-Tribune; June 1, 2010
U.S. Senate OKs $10M for drought-stricken Oregon basin.
Oregon U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley added a provision to a must-pass military spending bill that provides $10 million in emergency funding to farmers in Oregon's Klamath Basin that will pay the farmers to take land out of production and save irrigation water.
Portland Oregonian; May 28, 2010
Montana-Wyoming divide on CBM water discussed at conference.
At the "Energy Resources and Produced Waters Conference: Water Quality, Management, Treatment, and Use" conference in Laramie on Wednesday, a discussion on how government policy factors into energy development delved into the Wyoming-Montana divide on coalbed methane development.
Casper Star-Tribune; May 27, 2010
Wyoming revels in its ample water supply.
Central Wyoming has water - and plenty of it, thanks to hefty winter and spring storms - with reservoirs nearly full and estimated to be completely so by summer, a welcome change to the drought the state has experienced the past three years.
Casper Star-Tribune; May 27, 2010
Wyoming conference explores why 'produced' water matters.
At the "Energy Resources and Produced Waters Conference" in Laramie on Tuesday, attendees at the Wyoming event heard that energy operations pull 21 billion barrels of water from underground across the United States each year, and with water resources diminishing worldwide, experts said more should be done to put the water to beneficial use.
Casper Star-Tribune; May 26, 2010
Wyoming residents to learn water test results in July.
Pavillion-area residents said their well water became discolored and developed an odor after drilling operations using hydraulic fracturing commenced near their homes, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency tested the Wyoming water wells in March 2009 and January 2010, and plan to meet with homeowners in July to discuss the findings.
Casper Star-Tribune; May 26, 2010
Wyoming conference tackles issue of energy, produced water.
Hundreds of public and private stakeholders are expected at the "Energy Resources and Produced Water Conference: Water Quality, Management, Treatment and Use," a two-day conference that begins today in Laramie, where water and energy development in Wyoming and other areas of the West will be the primary topic of discussion.
Casper Star-Tribune; May 25, 2010
Public comment on proposed Utah dam closes June 1.
The Narrows Dam on Gooseberry Creek was first proposed by farmers in Utah's San Pete County water for their crops nearly eight decades ago, and the Bureau of Reclamation is taking public comment on the earthen dam that will hold 17,000 acre-feet of water, sending 5,400 acre-feet of that water down to hayfields during high summer.
Salt Lake Tribune; May 24, 2010
Expert: Proposed strip coal mine will muddy Utah waters.
At a hearing Friday before a citizens board for the Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining, environmental groups disputed the permit issued by the agency for the state's first coal strip mine 10 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park.
Deseret News; May 24, 2010
Montana Supreme Court revokes coalbed-methane discharge permit.
The Montana Supreme Court ruled that the state Department of Environmental Quality erred when it approved a permit for Fidelity Exploration and Production Co. that allowed the company to pump untreated water discharged during coalbed methane drilling operations directly into the Tongue River; the decision rendered Tuesday requires the state to issue new permits within 90 days that impose proper pre-discharge treatment standards.
Montana Standard; May 21, 2010
Groups say Obama salmon plan just the same old Bush plan.
The Obama administration filed its supplemental biological opinion for the Columbia and Snake River hydroelectric dams that lays out its plan for endangered salmon and steelhead, but some groups said it appeared the Obama administration had simply slapped a new cover page on the preceding administration's plan.
Idaho Statesman; May 21, 2010
Discovery of white bass in Utah reservoir an unhappy one.
Deer Creek Reservoir hosts a variety of species, including rainbow and brown trout, walleye, smallmouth bass and yellow perch, and the discovery of white bass in the Utah reservoir has state wildlife officials on the hunt for the non-native fish, which competes with rainbow trout for food, and the "bucket biologist" that dumped the fish in the reservoir.
Salt Lake Tribune; May 21, 2010
10th Circuit Court of Appeals won't hear N.M. uranium lawsuit.
On Tuesday, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals denied the request to reconsider a March decision made by a three-judge panel of the federal appeals court that allowed a federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission decision approving the Hydro Resources Inc. request for an in-situ uranium mine in northwestern New Mexico.
Santa Fe New Mexican; May 19, 2010
Montana county mulls imposing setbacks for waterway building.
The Madison County Planning Board will recommend to the Montana county's commission that a 75-foot setback for the Jefferson River be put in place; a 500-foot setback for the Madison River; and 50-foot setbacks for tributaries to the rivers.
Bozeman Daily Chronicle; May 18, 2010
Wyoming considers law change on hunting, fishing licenses.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission is considering changing the law to require those applying for hunting and fishing licenses to supply Social Security numbers to bring the state's law in compliance with federal child-support enforcement laws.
Casper Star-Tribune; May 17, 2010
As demand for water grows, Wyoming's unease does too.
Wyoming currently puts about 73 percent of its annual Colorado River water allocation to use, and Colorado has begun looking north to Wyoming for more water for its fast-growing Front Range cities, making some in the Cowboy State a little worried about its future allocations of the river's water.
Salt Lake Tribune; May 17, 2010
Boaters wonder if Wyoming's law on aquatic invaders is adequate.
Conscientious boaters in Wyoming said they'll purchase the new aquatic invasive species decal the state is selling to fund inspections of watercraft to keep zebra and quagga mussels out of the state's waters, but question if the state's new program to fight the invasive aquatic species is aggressive enough.
Casper Star-Tribune; May 17, 2010
Idaho conservation district ramps up boat inspections.
Using funds from the Idaho Department of Agriculture, the Bonner Soil and Conservation District has hired 15 new workers to staff boat inspection stations to help keep zebra and quagga mussels out of the Priest and Pend Oreille watersheds.
Idaho Statesman; May 16, 2010
Obama pick returns salmon recovery expert back to post.
Will Stelle was the Northwest regional administrator of the National Marine Fisheries Service in 2000 when the NMFS released its biological opinion that steelhead and salmon populations in the Columbia and Snake rivers could be conserved without breaching four dams on the lower Snake River in Washington, and on June 1, Stelle will return to that post.
Idaho Statesman; May 14, 2010
Wyoming panel delays decision on hydraulic fracturing until June.
The Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission won't make any changes to rules governing hydraulic fracturing, a drilling method that uses a cocktail of water, sand and chemicals introduced under high pressure to crack open rock formations to get at natural gas deposits, until it meets again on June 8.
Casper Star-Tribune; May 12, 2010
Agencies plan Montana dam spill test for sturgeon in June.
The coalition of agencies that oversees hydropower operations throughout the Columbia River Basin, including the Libby Dam in Montana, said a June spill test is planned in June to see whether such a spill changes spawning behavior of white sturgeon in the Kootenai River near Bonners Ferry, Idaho.
Kalispell Daily Inter Lake; May 7, 2010
BuRec report: Oregon farmers will get less irrigation water this year.
Farmers in Oregon's upper Klamath Basin won't get as much irrigation water as they need this year, according to a U.S. Bureau of Reclamation report issued Thursday, due to cutbacks caused by drought and the need to meet requirements of the Endangered Species Act to protect fish.
Portland Oregonian; May 7, 2010
Reach of Montana court decision on CBM discharge water debated.
Helena District Judge Jeffrey Sherlock's decision that said allowing groundwater pumped out during coalbed methane drilling operations to evaporate violated the Montana Constitution may not affect operations much in the state as few companies have evaporation pits or holding ponds with sprayers that speed up evaporation.
Helena Independent Record; May 6, 2010
USFWS celebrates high count of Colorado pikeminnow in Utah river.
The Colorado pikeminnow has been on the federal endangered species list since 1973, and annual counts along a 120-mile stretch of the Green River in Utah usually average about 50 of the rare fish, but last fall, 325 were counted by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists according to a report issued this week.
Casper Star-Tribune; May 6, 2010
Alberta beaver dam visible from space.
A beaver dam in Alberta's Wood Buffalo National Park and visible from space is being heralded as the world's largest, stretching the length of eight football fields.
Toronto Globe and Mail; May 6, 2010
USDA seeks partnerships to deal with beetle-killed trees.
Harris Sherman, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's undersecretary for natural resources and environment, said beetle-killed forests in Colorado and other western states pose a risk to watersheds, and asked ski resorts and water companies to help address the problem, although water companies may have to raise their rates to pay for the work.
Denver Post; May 5, 2010
Gates Foundation CEO: Water will spark next global conflicts.
At an international water conference in Nebraska Monday, Jeff Raikes, the head of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, discussed the foundation's new initiative of fighting world hunger by developing high-yield crops that need less water.
Business Week; May 4, 2010
Utah regulators say law allows strip mining.
An administrative trial before the Utah Board of Oil, Gas and Mining over a permit for the state's first strip mine began Thursday. Regulators for the state said they followed the letter of the law when they granted the permit for the strip mine some 10 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park. Environmental groups, as well as the superintendent of the national park, said the mine will befoul the region's water and air quality.
San Francisco Chronicle; April 30, 2010
Montana senators introduce Blackfeet Tribe water legislation.
Montana Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester formally introduced the Blackfeet Water Rights Settlement Act. The act would give the tribe control of millions of acre-feet of water and provide $591 million to build infrastructure to develop that water.
Great Falls Tribune; April 30, 2010
Federal report says tearing up tamarisk won't conserve West's water.
For years, federal, state and local governments have toiled to remove tamarisk, also known as salt cedar, from banks of waterways to keep the plant from guzzling up the water. But a new report done by the U.S. Geological Survey in conjunction with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and U.S. Forest Service said the plant doesn't use any more water than native species. The report reached the same conclusion about Russian olive, another species targeted for its water-using ways.
Los Angeles Times; April 29, 2010
Uranium miner's plan to clean up Colorado site under consideration.
Colorado and the Cotter Corp. have been wrangling over how best to contain uranium-tainted water at the closed Schwartzwalder mine. Cotter Corp. submitted a proposed plan to the state eight days ago, but on Wednesday, after reports that the tainted water had reached a creek that flows to a Denver Water reservoir, the water agency and environmental groups demanded action be taken - and quickly.
Denver Post; April 29, 2010
Former BuRec chief left a dam legacy in the West.
Floyd E. Dominy, who died last week at the age of 100, served as commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation from 1959 to 1969. Dominy is credited with the political and administrative magic needed to complete the Glen Canyon, Flaming Gorge and Navajo Dams in the upper Colorado River basin, as well as many others.
New York Times; April 29, 2010
Idaho homeowner, subdivision at odds over rocky yard.
A resident of the Sherwood subdivision in Nampa replaced her weed-infested lot with river rock, bushes and container plants. It's a move Patricia Sankey said will save her money and water, but the Sherwood subdivision said Sankey didn't get prior approval for the xeriscaped lot and that it goes against the rules that require grass.
Idaho Statesman; April 28, 2010
Idaho lawmakers don't like this version of Clean Water Act bill either.
Minnesota U.S. Rep. James L. Oberstar has again submitted legislation to clarify the Clean Water Act following two Supreme Court decisions in 2001 and 2006. But U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson and other Idaho officials said the 2010 version still contains problematic language of the proposed 2007 version of the Clean Water Restoration Act.
Twin Falls Times-News; April 28, 2010
EPA finds high nitrate levels in 21% of Washington state wells.
The Environmental Protection Agency began testing domestic water wells in the Lower Yakima Valley in Washington state in February. Twenty-one percent of the 330 wells tested showed nitrate levels higher than federal safety limits.
Yakima Herald-Republic; April 27, 2010
SNWA chief: We'll trade pipeline idea for Utah's Colorado River water.
During an interview with a Las Vegas television station, Southern Nevada Water Authority Executive Director Pat Mulroy skewered Utah for its opposition to a proposed pipeline from the Snake Valley to send groundwater to the Nevada city. Mulroy then said the water authority would back off the pipeline plan in exchange for some of Utah's allotment of Colorado River water.
Salt Lake Tribune; April 26, 2010
Idaho Conservation League sues EPA over water-quality standards.
The Idaho Conservation League filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to force the federal agency to come up with a plan to protect water-quality in Idaho or to force the state to come up with its own standards.
Idaho Statesman; April 23, 2010
Appeals court sides with Paiutes in Nevada water fight.
On Tuesday, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower federal court's decision in a water case the Pyramid Lake Paiutes filed against the Truckee-Carson Irrigation District, and sent the case back to the federal court with an order determining how much more water the tribe is entitled to from the irrigation district.
Reno Gazette-Journal; April 22, 2010
Federal gov't backtracks on spills to aid salmon migration.
After U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration biologists suggested that spills over dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers used to aid salmon migration in recent years not be done this year due to projected low river flows, the government indicated that it might barge salmon around the dams, but on Monday, a decision was made to continue the spills.
Twin Falls Times-News; April 21, 2010
Wyoming senator asks feds to do more to cleanup TCE in water.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has offered to build a $5.2-million facility at Cheyenne's water treatment plant to reduce trichloroethylene, or TCE, contamination to federal standards, but Wyoming U.S. Sen. John Barrasso said the facility should remove the TCE contamination to undetectable levels.
Casper Star-Tribune; April 21, 2010
Colorado rafting companies, landowners caught in river rift.
After a developer bought a swath of riverside property along the Taylor River near Gunnison, the new owner told local rafting companies that they could no longer float the river through his property. Rafting companies rebelled and a bill was introduced to allow rafting companies to continue operating on certain swaths of rivers in the state, but the bill failed. Now, at the behest of Gov. Bill Ritter, the two sides are headed for mediation.
New York Times; April 17, 2010
USFWS reviewing status of fishers, wolverines.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced it would study Northern Rockies fishers, small mammals that once roamed the area's old-growth forests, as well as wolverines, to see if those species should be protected under the Endangered Species Act.
Helena Independent Record; April 16, 2010
Wyoming proceeds with uranium permits despite EPA concerns.
The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality is taking public comment through April 26 on a draft permit that will allow Ur Energy to put in five injection wells at its in situ uranium mine in Sweetwater County. This, despite concerns expressed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency about how the injection of wastewater could affect aquifers.
Casper Star-Tribune; April 16, 2010
Developer wants to build new ski area in Utah.
Richmond City officials are concerned that the creation of a new small ski area in Cherry Creek Canyon northeast of the Utah city could have negative impacts on water quality, as well as increase traffic, while conservation groups are concerned about the impact to wildlife and adjacent wilderness areas.
Salt Lake Tribune; April 14, 2010
Hydrologist warns of dry summer in W. Montana.
Winter snowpack across western Montana is just a fraction of normal, prompting warnings from the National Weather Service in Missoula that the region could see record lows on some rivers, as well as water supplies below normal.
Missoulian; April 14, 2010
Board recommends barging, spilling to save Snake River salmon.
An independent board of scientists recommended that NOAA Fisheries Service barge some salmon and steelhead around dams on the Snake River as well as continue spilling water over three dams during the critical May migration period.
Tacoma News Tribune; April 13, 2010
Utah group warns Colorado community about dusty snow.
David Garbett, staff attorney with Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, told members of the Aspen City Council that the dust on the snow surrounding the Colorado resort city originated in southeastern Utah, and would make the snow melt more quickly, affecting summer water supplies in the state.
Aspen Times; April 13, 2010
Think tank, SNWA agree Las Vegas' growth not sustainable.
A report by the Sonoran Institute said that if Las Vegas fills up all the Bureau of Land Management land designated for growth, there won't be water enough for the half-million more people projected to call the valley home, a position Southern Nevada Water Authority water chief Pat Mulroy agrees with, but the think tank and Mulroy diverge on the solution, with Mulroy continuing to press for a pipeline to ship groundwater to the valley, and the Sonoran Institute calling for limiting development.
Las Vegas Sun; April 12, 2010
Montana DEQ chief questions finding on coalbed methane water.
Richard Opper, director of Montana's Department of Environmental Quality, praised the state's work on regulating discharge water from coalbed methane drilling operations, but questioned the findings of a seven-year study that found coalbed methane operations had no impact on farms or crops.
Helena Independent Record; April 12, 2010
Opinion
Decisions Idaho makes now on water will have high impact in the future.
Areas of Idaho will face water shortages in the future, whether due to hotter, drier weather or demand from a growing population, and the folks Idahoans vote for in November will be the ones making decisions that will affect the state's water situation for decades to come.
Twin Falls Times-News; August 31, 2010
Wyoming high court made the right call on river access.
The Wyoming Supreme Court decision issued this week protects the integrity of the state's agreements with private landowners for public access to rivers, and despite the plaintiffs' attorney's statements to the contrary, landowners can rest assured the state Game and Fish Department will continue its good-faith cooperation with landowners on such agreements.
Casper Star-Tribune; August 27, 2010
Time is right to save the federal fund that protects lands, water.
The Land and Water Conservation Fund was created by Congress in 1964, but the $900 million in annual funding for the program has been anything but reliable, and at West Virginia Congressman Nick Rahall's urging, the House Natural Resources Committee reauthorized the customary $900 million last week. New Mexico Sen. Jeff Bingaman and Montana Sen. Max Baucus are promoting a similar idea in the U.S. Senate - an important issue as preservation of this fund is the first step toward protecting precious lands.
New York Times; July 20, 2010
Outside Magazine has kudos for western waters.
Peruse the current issue of Outside Magazine - the one with Lance Armstrong on the cover - and you'll find an interesting article about restoration of the Clark Fork River between Butte and Missoula in Montana, as well as two other rivers in the West that make the editor's top picks for fishing and floating, with the south fork of the Flathead in Montana ranked second best in the world for fishing, and the middle fork of the Salmon River in Idaho ranked second best in the world for floating.
New west.net; July 20, 2010
Colorado sheriff's arrest of river rescuers an over-reaction.
When people get in trouble on Colorado rivers, the focus should be on rescuing them, not protecting turf, and the Clear Creek Sheriff's office should have welcomed the efforts of trained river guides in last week's rescue of a 13-year-old girl from Clear Creek and not arrested them, delaying the rescue in progress.
Denver Post; June 15, 2010
Wyoming's rules on hydraulic fracturing a win-win for public, industry.
Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal proved once again that he can pull opposing parties to common ground and get things done when he convinced the energy industry to work with the state to get hydraulic fracturing rules in place that protect the industry's propriety information on what's used during the drilling process, but gives the state the information it needs to protect its water resources and public health.
Casper Star-Tribune; June 10, 2010
Wyoming boat inspection process off to a good start.
Wyoming's pro-active stance on keeping invasive species out of its waterways with boat inspections funded in part by the sale of decals for watercraft was a good move, with 1,800 boats inspected over Memorial Day weekend; perhaps the only thing that could improve the state's system would be adding some federal funding to it.
Casper Star-Tribune; June 7, 2010
Wyoming high court should affirm lower court's decision on river access.
The case the Wyoming Supreme Court will hear today centers on a two-mile stretch of the North Platte River southwest of Casper, but the decision will affect river access across the state, and the high court should follow the wisdom of Natrona County District Judge David Park and dismiss the appeal just as Park dismissed the landowners' lawsuit.
Casper Star-Tribune; May 11, 2010
Montana ranchers need federal help on coal ash regulation.
Montana ranchers in the Colstrip area have been dealing with coal fly ash - the heavy-metal-laden residue left behind after coal is burned - for years, with contaminated aquifers and mineralized hayfields. Given the state's classification of fly ash as solid industrial waste which treats it essentially as decomposable garbage, and the governor's enthusiasm for "clean coal technology," area ranchers have no hope other than federal regulation to save their land and water. A guest column by Montana rancher Nick Golder.
Missoulian; April 28, 2010
Less water may force revision of Colorado River Water Compact.
Southern Nevada Water Authority Executive Director Pat Mulroy is well known for her direct, some would say, undiplomatic, manner. But she's right on the money when she describes a much drier West, where future subdivisions may go wanting for water, and it's time for Utah, Nevada and the other five states in the Colorado River Water Compact to contemplate a much drier future.
Salt Lake Tribune; April 27, 2010
Utah needs to remain vigilant on Nevada's mercury emissions.
Nevada is the nation's largest producer of gold, but that glittering industry is one of the primary sources of airborne mercury, which has settled into Utah's waterways, forcing the state to issue consumption advisories for fish caught in 16 creeks, rivers, reservoirs and lakes in 12 counties, and until the federal Environmental Protection Agency puts standards in place on such emissions, Utah must continue to monitor and expand its testing for mercury contamination.
Salt Lake Tribune; April 21, 2010
Wyoming governor takes right path on hydraulic fracturing.
Hydraulic fracturing is a drilling process widely used in Wyoming. It involves the use of a chemical cocktail, water and sand introduced under high pressure to crack rock formations. The process is under increased scrutiny these days, and Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal is right on the money that the state either get a handle on what's in the chemical cocktail or the federal government will do it for the state.
Casper Star-Tribune; April 20, 2010
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