Water Politics

Water on the ballot

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Essay by Ed Quillen

Water Politics – November 2007 – Colorado Central Magazine

WHEN IT COMES TO water conservancy districts, elections are something of a rarity, since their directors are almost always appointed by district judges. But this fall in our part of the world, there are two elections related to water conservancy districts. Both concern inclusion. Lake County voters will decide whether to join the Lower Arkansas River Water Conservancy District; voters in eastern Frémont, and a portion of El Paso county, will decide whether to join the Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District.

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UAWCD won’t expand in 2006

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Brief by Central Staff

Water Politics – September 2006 – Colorado Central Magazine

The Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District will not be expanding into eastern Frémont County this year.

The district currently comprises Chaffee, Custer, and western Frmont counties, and for the past two years, annexation petitions have circulated in eastern Frémont, which included Cañon City and Florence.

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UAWCD loses bid to expand to all of Frémont County

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Brief by Central Staff

Water Politics – September 2005 – Colorado Central Magazine

The Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District cannot expand to cover all of Frémont County because the petitions did not have an adequate number of proper signatures.

District Judge David Thorson made that ruling on July after several days of hearings in Cañon City. The District had accepted the petitions (technically, it was called “verified consent”) and presented them to the court.

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‘Takings’ and our water law

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Brief by Central Staff

Water Politics – August 2005 – Colorado Central Magazine

The “takings clause” of the U.S. Constitution has been in the news of late due to the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Kelo v. New Haven, Conn. The clause is part of the Fifth Amendment, which states in part that “neither shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.”

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Water election bill killed

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Brief by Central Staff

Water Politics – April 2003 – Colorado Central Magazine

Rep. Paul Weissmann of Louisville kept his campaign promise to introduce a bill for regular elections in water conservancy districts. But that’s about as far as it got.

His proposed legislation, HB-1195, would have put water conservancy districts on the same basis as most other special districts, like hospital and fire-protection. People would petition to be on the ballot. If there was only one candidate, no election would be held, and if there were no candidates, the remaining directors could name someone.

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Water reformer wins primary

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Brief by Central Staff

Water politics – September 2002 – Colorado Central Magazine

Paul Weissmann, a former state senator from Louisville in Boulder County, may be going back to the statehouse. He won the August 13 Democratic primary for legislative House District 12.

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UAWCD and UGRWCD will get some new directors

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Brief by Central Staff

Water politics – June 2002 – Colorado Central Magazine

Only one election will be held this year for a seat on a water conservancy district board. Generally, such directors are appointed by a district judge, but it is possible (but not easy) to petition for an election.

That election will be held June 18 for the Division 7 seat in the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District. Steve Schechter will challenge Jim Cochran, who was appointed earlier this year to fill out the term of George Stowell, who had resigned.

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Election Petitions may already be circulating

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Sidebar by Ed Quillen

Water Politics – February 2002 – Colorado Central Magazine

In recent years, there have been only two water conservancy districts which have held elections, and both are in Central Colorado.

Elections were held in 1999 and 2000 in the Upper Gunnison River WCD (basically, the river basin above Blue Mesa Dam). In 2001, there was an election in the Upper Arkansas WCD (Chaffee, Custer, and western Frémont counties).

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The long, strange trip to the ballot box

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Article by Jeanne Englert

Water Politics – February 2002 – Colorado Central Magazine

THOUGH IT WAS a lot of work, citizens groups in Chaffee and Gunnison counties have succeeded in getting elected representation on the Upper Arkansas and Upper Gunnison water conservancy district boards, which have historically been appointed by judges.

And they plan to do it again. Both Citizens for Water Integrity (Chaffee County) and High Country Citizens Alliance (Gunnison County) have already begun circulating petitions for director districts in which the incumbents’ terms will expire this year.

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Dispute over in-stream rights stalls Sand Dunes legislation

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Brief by Central Staff

Water politics – September 2000 – Colorado Central Magazine

At the start of the year, almost everything looked on track to expand Great Sand Dunes National Monument into Great Sand Dunes National Park.

It had the support of the U.S. Department of the Interior, Colorado’s state government, and Colorado’s entire congressional delegation with the exception of Rep. Joel Hefley of Colorado Springs (who said the Dunes weren’t so special as to deserve Park status).

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Didn’t we fight about taxation without representation?

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Brief by Central Staff

Water Politics – June 1999 – Colorado Central Magazine

Didn’t we fight a war once about Taxation Without Representation?

One of our favorite Colorado troublemakers (and an occasional contributor) is Jeanne Englert of Lafayette. For years, she has been agitating for elections for the directors of water conservancy districts.

In general, these directors are appointed by district judges, even though they can levy taxes and operate public-works projects. “It’s taxation without representation,” Jeanne says, “directly opposed to everything this country is supposed to stand for.”

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