L E T T E R S

November 26, 2007
Subject: S. Platte Water Levels

C&R, I can't believe what 1 more yr. of shutting down levels in the S. Platte River. I obtained permission to hunt on the river N. of Kersey last yr. so this is the 2nd season of duck hunting.

Went there for the 1st time today for this season and took a guest. Water was 6 to 12" higher, which changed how we set the decoys. Last yr. I used to lead wts. for holding down the decoys. The decoys would drift a little last yr. and we'd get out of the blind and move them back up stream. I started changing some of the weights last yr. to bricks and railroad plates. Decoys wouldn't drift downstream.

Today, I told my partner not to throw in the decoys with the lead wts. as we'd lose those decoys. 2 of the decoys had bricks for wts. and these drifted slightly downstream. The railroad plates were ok and those decoys didn't drift. So instead of setting out 17 decoys like last yr. we could only set out 8. Also, couldn't cross river like we could last yr. In fact, we couldn't make it 1/3 of the way across. The river is only 80 to 100' wide at this point. Another thing the bottom of the river changed. Sandbars and shallow spots that existed on our side of the river are gone.

Let me put this together in my mind. We shut down wells so farmers and ranchers can't use them. That means more dry land farming and less production. Less cattle can be maintained on a given share of land, thereby, driving up the cost of cattle production and ultimately beef prices. The added effect of duck hunting w/o dogs becomes more difficult. All of this so we can allegedly protect 4 endangered species that may live no closer than 100 mi. to the Platte. Makes a lot of sense doesn't it?

Ken Keil

Good Morning Ken,

Good observation of the river. The excess water in the river is not from shutting down the wells.

Last year - spring of `06, after a 100% plus snowpack, there was no water in the river. I was told by many that observed, that high mountain reservoirs are storing water out of priority, thus depleting the river.

All of last winter (`06/07) the river ran excess amounts of water. This water is not coming down the S. Platte through Denver.
Roni and I were at a wedding west of Boulder on Feb 3rd, and observed the Boulder Creek running excessive amounts of water.

Not run off from snow, but more likely from draining Barker Dam by Nederland- controlled by city of Boulder.
This year they started releasing water earlier. The "stream flow" information in Sunday's Greeley Tribune shows Henderson measure (water from head of S. Platte through Denver) as 476 cfps! At Kersey - East of Greeley where you hunt duck - it's 1030 cfps. This measurement is after Boulder Creek dumps into the St. Vrain and the St. Vrain dumps into the S. Platte NW of Platteville.

At Weldona, before river flows into NE - it's 529 cfps.

Apparently, reservoirs controlled by Sterling are filling.

It is interesting that the two main objectors of the wells, are City of Boulder - located upper end of basin, and City of Sterling - located at the lower end of the S. Platte Basin.

Chuck

Hi Ken,

Regards the 4 species: The three "foul" - interior least tern and piping plover (Both listed as endangered.) and the Whooping Crane as "?" -  have all been recognized as committing only "touch and goes" - meaning none "reside" at North Platte, NE. The Pallid Sturgeon (Endangered) resides on the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. They don't have enough info regards N.Platte - to even comment - - other than, and now here's the "sticky" part - they "want" that area designated as "Critical Habitat." Here’s the ESA formula used by whomever wants our land and water: They send a formal notice of "candidate consideration" of any critter of their choosing along with a request for "critical habitat."  Boldly - and illegally ignoring the “Human Dimension” requirement within the sum total of NEPA, EA, EIS, they and the government launch into "shutting down" that area for a "look see." The look see runs into infinity, thereby creating the womb from which the alleged “willing seller” is born. In effort to protect his property and business, the land/water user owner -is forced to spend millions of his own hard earned money, until he’s so beat down he’s no longer able to continue “business as usual,” gives up, and becomes that alleged willing seller. 
It’s a major scam  skillfully employed  by the federal government and its NGO’s like the Nature Conservancy, to get control of all our resources.  Plain and simple.

Roni