Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
After two public information meetings, and with input from dozens of interested citizens, the South Platte Natural Resources District chose to indefinitely postpone action on the Oliver Reservoir streamflow Enhancement Project.
At their April 11 meeting the SPNRD board reviewed the purpose of the project, to maintain an adequate water level in the local reservoir for sufficient recreation.
The board further reviewed the Oliver Dan rehabilitation Study done in 1976 as well as the Oliver Reservoir Hydrology and Hydrogeology Study of 2003.
The board evaluated the Impact of Groundwater Use study from 2008 and considered the options presented to stabilize the water levels at the reservoir.
Those options, as reported previously, include augmenting the water level with a high capacity well or altering the reservoir by building a berm – the last of those options was considered cost prohibitive.
During the second public meeting regarding the issue, Travis Freeburg, whose family owns adjacent property to the reservoir, offered an existing well and acreage so the SPNRD would not have to drill a new well.
Though that option could potentially save money, and the reservoir, there are unknown factors that have not been studied. Those include well output and the cost of the property, pipeline and well testing among others.
Public comments from that prior meeting were also reviewed, and in light of those comments, the board unanimously voted to postpone the project indefinitely and continue managing the reservoir with the current moratorium and allocations in place.
Additional public comments include that camping and use fees should to be charged for recreational use of the reservoir, easing the expectations for irrigators. This money could be used to pay for this project and similar projects in the future.