Mancos bill signed into law

Mancos bill signed into law

Dec. 23, 2000

JOURNAL STAFF REPORTS

A bill authorizing the Secretary of the Interior to contract with the Mancos Water Conservancy District was signed into law by President Clinton on Tuesday.

S. 2594 was sponsored by U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard (R-Colo.) and passed both the Senate and House unanimously after U.S. Rep. Scott McInnis (R-Colo.) helped push the bill to the forefront of the legislative agenda.

The bill amends the Water Conservation and Utilization Act to allow the Mancos Water Conservancy District to use project reservoirs for carrying non-project water for irrigation and other beneficial uses.

"The signing of this bill into law is a triumph for the residents of Southwest Colorado who depend upon this water for agricultural, business and municipal purposes within the Mancos Valley," Allard said in a press release.

"Passage of this bill is a victory for the residents of Southwest Colorado who rely on this water," said Allard.

Since 1968, the MWCD has had long- and short-term contracts to carry non-project water, but Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt recently determined that projects under the water-conservation act do not have the authority to use project resources for this purpose. The short-term contracts were recently denied renewal, while the long-term contracts will be denied at their expiration.

Allard introduced the legislation after consulting with the MWCD and local officials, who said the loss of the right to carry non-project water would have serious negative consequences to agriculture, business and municipalities within the district.

"This legislation will allow Mancos Valley residents to continue to use the water which they have come to rely upon," Allard said in a press release.

Gary Kennedy, superintendent of the Mancos Conservancy District, has said the new diversion off the Mancos River would likely be implemented in the spring. He said the diversion would help the district comply with current clean-water standards.