DENVER—A bill offering help to farmers who use irrigation wells along the South Platte River is on its way to the governor, who plans to sign it.
The Senate gave final approval Monday to House Bill 1174, which would excuse the farmers from having to replace water their wells drew before March 15, 1974, from an aquifer that supplies the river.
That’s when farmers were warned they would have to replace water that drew down the aquifer.
The bill is intended to help farmers whose wells were shut down in a water rights dispute in 2006.
Greg Hertzke of the Central Colorado Water Conservancy District says the bill would benefit the owners of about 100 wells.
Democratic state Sen. Mary Hodge of Brighton says another bill before the Legislature would help more farmers.
Senate Bill 147 would allow the conservancy district to lease rights to unused water so farmers along the South Platte could use them. That would likely only happen in wet years.
