Farmers, environmentalists battle over NISP

A vitally needed and feasible source of water for thousands across northern Colorado.

A costly environmental disaster that would fuel growth and change the face of the region forever.

Residents on both sides of the controversial Northern Integrated Supply Project were in attendance Monday night at the first of three public hearings this week in front of representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The Corps is taking comments on the environmental impact report it released April 30 on the project.

"I believe that this project is definitely tearing apart our community -- all of those who live along the Poudre River"," said Janet Duvall, a former Larimer County Commissioner and resident of LaPort.

The $400 million dollar project would create two new reservoirs -- the 170,000 acre-feet Glade and 40,000 acre-feet Galeton -- to supply 40,000 acre-feet of water to 15 municipalities and water districts across northern Colorado.

<strong> PUBLIC INPUT </strong> To attend a public hearing in regards to the Northern Integrated Supply Project: •TUESDAY: Open house at 4 p.m., forum at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Fort Collins Senior Center, 1200 Raintree Drive in Fort Collins. • THURSDAY: Open house at 6 p.m., forum at 7 p.m. Thursday at the University Center, 20th Street and 10th Avenue in Greeley.

Representatives of several of the municipalities -- including Evans, Windsor, Severance, Frederick, Firestone and Dacono -- voiced their support for the project, saying a failure to go through with the plan would likely mean water currently used for agriculture would be diverted to the growing communities. Many communities say they rely solely on the Colorado- Big Thompson units for water.

"While the impacts of NISP are not inconsequential, they are probably less than many of the other alternatives that were considered," said Dacono Mayor Wade Carlson, who called the project "critically important" for his town. "And certainly less than a proliferation of many smaller, less efficient supply and storage systems that would be needed if all these communities are to survive and grow."

Tom Bender from the Larimer County Farm Bureau said without the reservoirs, thousands of acres of farmland would dry up. He noted an unanimous vote by the bureau in support of the project.

According to the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District, 25,000 acres will dry up if the plan is not approved, while other estimates are in the range of 40,000 to 70,000 acres.

Still, a majority of the hundreds of people packed into the ballroom Monday condemned the plan. Carrie Daggett, deputy city attorney for Fort Collins, said the city needs more time as the project may impact water quality and would force the city to seriously upgrade its wastewater and water treatment facilities. Other officials also were against the plan.

“I have some real concerns about it actually harming the overall health of the river — the long-term sustainability of the channel and the wildlife and the habitat and everything that goes along with that,” said Randy Fischer, D-Fort Collins, who noted any plan must be an improvement for the river.

Perhaps the most widely held opinion was that more time is needed to comment on the plan before it goes to the Corps to be approved or given a “no action” ruling. While residents have until July 30, a call for an extra 90 days to review the impact study was perhaps the most accepted opinion of the night.

Rep. John Kefalas, D-Fort Collins, said the issue is too important to not review carefully.

“I believe that’s necessary, that’s important, that’s imperative given the magnitude of the project, given the amount of technical information, given the tremendous interest in making sure that we can all make informed decisions,” Kefalas said.