GREELEY — A plan to allow some northern Colorado farmers to start pumping water from their wells to feed crops appears viable, water officials said Tuesday night.
But plenty of legal wrangling remains before actual pumping begins, perhaps by this spring.
“The court system is so slow,” said Tom Cech, president of the Central Colorado Water Conservancy District. “It’s frustrating.”
District officials Tuesday night outlined for farmers a lengthy and complicated court decision handed down earlier this month by Weld District Judge Roger Klein.
The state engineer ordered well operators to shut down their wells in May 2006 after complaints from northern metro cities that they were draining the South Platte River.
After the shutdown, the district pieced together a water replacement plan to show that farmers were not taxing the South Platte.
For the most part, Klein agreed the farmers’ plan was workable, said the district’s attorney, Andy Jones.
Klein ruled that the district was entitled to a decree, meaning farmers can use their irrigation wells. “There were a lot of key things we were able to win,” said Gary Herman, president of the district board.
However, those opposed to the district are likely to be back in court to argue different points of the decree, Jones said.
A final decree is likely by April 2008 but there is also a likelihood the case could be decided by the Colorado Supreme Court.
Monte Whaley: 720-929-0907 or mwhaley@denverpost.com
