State rules

expected

next year



By RUTH HEIDE

ALAMOSA — Colorado Division of Water Resources Deputy State Engineer Dr. Ken Knox told Valley water users on Tuesday that he expects the state to develop well regulations by 2008.

Knox was one of the presenters for the “100 Years of San Luis Valley Reservoirs” celebration in Alamosa on Tuesday.

Knox said from an official regulatory point of view, his plan was to start work this winter on developing rules and regulations regarding groundwater. He said the state office would develop the rules in concert with Valley water leaders. “We will work with the water users,” he said. “This will be an open transparent process like all rules that we promulgate.”

Knox said his intention is to have a set of rules available next summer. Public meetings will be held following the introduction of the rules, he said, “where we ask, we plead, for your comments, suggestions, that will help us make those rules more reflective of what you want ... but also conform to the legal principles that we must adhere to.”

Knox said he expected the rules to be filed with the Division III water court sometime in the fall of 2008.

Knox also said he is the one at the state office who is reviewing the first water management sub-district’s management plan and expects to make a decision regarding the plan within the next few weeks.

Knox said he met last Friday with representatives from the Attorney General’s office and Mike Sullivan, the division engineer for Division III (the San Luis Valley) to review the management plan. “I do not plan on sitting on that for long,” he said.

Knox said he intends to send the document back to the sub-district’s board of managers within a few weeks so the board can take whatever steps it needs to take to move forward with the sub-district.

The first sub-district of the Rio Grande Water Conservation District is located in the closed basin area of the San Luis Valley.

Knox encouraged other sub-districts that are in the works or considering formation to follow the lead of the first group. “The template is there,” he said. “Those contemplating a sub-district in other areas please follow that template because it is something that we must do. It is our chance to step up to the plate and recognize our responsibilities.”