BIG PIVOTS: Water Challenges on the Republican River – Pagosa Daily Post
PHOTO: The Republican River near the Nebraska border in late January, by Allen Best.
This story by Allen Best appeared on Big Pivots on March 22, 2023.
The International Panel on Climate Change this week issued its latest report, warning of a dangerous temperature threshold that well breach during the next decade if we fail to dramatically reduce emissions. A Colorado legislative committee on the same day addressed water withdrawals in the Republican River Basin that must be curbed by decades end.
In both, problems largely created in the 20th century must now be addressed quickly to avoid the scowls of future generations.
The river basin, which lies east of Denver, sandwiched by Interstates 70 and 76, differs from nearly all others in Colorado in that it gets no annual snowmelt from the states mountain peaks. Even so, by tapping the Ogallala and other aquifers, farmers have made it one of the states most agriculturally productive areas. They grow potatoes and watermelons but especially corn and other plants fed to cattle and hogs. This is Colorado without mountains, an ocean of big skies and rolling sandhills.
Republican River farmers face two overlapping problems. One is of declining wells. Given current pumping rates, they will go dry. The only question is when. Some already have.
More immediate is how these wells have depleted flows of the Republican River and its tributaries into Nebraska and Kansas. Those states cried foul, citing a 1943 interstate compact. Colorado in 2016 agreed to pare 25,000 of its 450,000 to 500,000 irrigated acres within the basin.
Colorado has a December 2029 deadline. The Republican River Water Conservation District has been paying farmers to retire land from irrigation. Huge commodity prices discourage this, but district officials said they are confident they can achieve 10,000 acres before the end of 2024.
Last year, legislators sweetened the pot with an allocation of $30 million, and a like amount for retirement of irrigated land in the San Luis Valley, which has a similar problem. Since 2004, when it was created, the Republican River district self-encumbered $156 million in fee collections and debt for the transition.
The Republican River district has also tapped federal programs. Since 2004, when the district was created, self-imposed fees have delivered $120 million for the transition.
Its unclear that the district can achieve the 2030 goal. The bill unanimously approved by the Colorado House Agriculture, Water and Natural Resources Committee will, if it becomes law, task the Colorado Water Center at Colorado State University with documenting the economic loss to the region and to Colorado altogether if irrigated Republican River Basin agriculture ceases altogether. The farmers may need more help as the deadline approaches.
This all-or-nothing proposition is not academic. Kevin Rein, the state water engineer, testified that he must shut down all basin wells if compact requirements are not met. The focus is on the Republicans South Fork, between Wray and Burlington.
Legislators were told that relying solely upon water that falls from the sky diminishes production 75 to 80 percent.
In seeking this study, the river district wants legislators to be aware of what is at stake.
Rod Lenz, who chairs the river district board, put it in human terms. His extended-familys 5,000-acre farm amid the sandhills can support 13 families, he told me. Returned to grasslands, that same farm could support only two families.
An evolution of accountability is how Lenz describes the big picture in the Republican River Basin. We all knew it was coming. But it was so far in the future. Well, the future is here now.
The district has 10 committees charged with investigating ways to sustain the basins economy and leave its small towns thriving. Can it attract Internet technology developers? Can the remaining water be used for higher-value purposes? Can new technology irrigate more efficiently?
We do know we must evolve, Lenz told me. The farmers began large-scale pumping with the arrival of center-pivot sprinklers, a technology invented in Colorado in 1940. Theyre remarkably efficient at extracting underground water. Now, they must figure out sustainable agriculture. Thats a very difficult conversation. Aquifers created over millions of years are being depleted in a century.
The Republican River shares similarities with the better-known and much larger Colorado River Basin. The mid-20th century was the time of applying human ingenuity to development of water resources. Now, along with past miscalculations, the warming climate is exacting a price, aridification of the Colorado River Basin.
Globally, the latest report from climate scientists paints an even greater challenge. To avoid really bad stuff, they say, we must halve our greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. They insist upon need for new technologies, including ways to suck carbon out of the atmosphere, that have yet to be scaled.
We need that evolution of accountability described in Colorados Republican River Basin. We need a revolution of accountability on the global scale.
Allen Best
Allen Best publishes the e-journal Big Pivots, which chronicles the energy transition in Colorado and beyond.
See more here:
BIG PIVOTS: Water Challenges on the Republican River - Pagosa Daily Post
- Opinion | Jeff Flake: The Republican Fever Must Break - The New York Times - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Two women accuse Republican state lawmaker of making unwanted sexual advances. He denies the allegations. - The Colorado Sun - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- 1988: A year that echoes in Georgia Republican politics to this day - SaportaReport - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Manassas Republican Party Headquarters vandalized over July 4 weekend - Washington Times - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Republican House leader Windschitl announces campaign for Congress in western Iowa - thegazette.com - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Public Safety Should Trump Politics; The High Cost of Republican Posturing - Progress Texas - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Georgia Republican says grandchildren are safe after being at Texas summer camp that flooded - The Hill - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Two women accuse Republican State Representative of inappropriate sexual behavior - KUSA.com - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- New York Times columnist admits that Trump is a 'normie Republican' - Fox News - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- E&E News: Energy winners and losers in the Republican megabill - POLITICO Pro - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Completely beatable: Dems go on offensive over unpopular Republican budget - MSNBC News - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- Rep. Mark Green resigns from Congress, leaving Speaker Johnson with an even narrower Republican majority in the House - CNBC - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- A swing-district Republican on why he supports Trump's sweeping policy bill : Here & Now Anytime - NPR - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- Trumps climate research cuts are unpopular, even with Republican voters - Yale Climate Connections - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- Energy winners and losers in the Republican megabill - E&E News by POLITICO - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- Tax Cuts Now, Benefit Cuts Later: The Timeline in the Republican Megabill - The New York Times - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- Opinion | An Immoral and Cruel Republican Bill - The New York Times - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- No One Loves the Bill (Almost) Every Republican Voted For - The Atlantic - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Truth to Power: A Republican Senator Stands Up for Medicaid and His Constituents; Then Announces Retirement - Georgetown University - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- 9 Questions About the Republican Megabill, Answered - The New York Times - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- This Pennsylvania Republican withstood pressure on the megabill. Heres why. - Politico - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Wisconsin Republican Deletes Post That Appeared To Celebrate Millions Of People Losing Health Insurance - Yahoo - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Republican Bill Puts Nation on New, More Perilous Fiscal Path - The New York Times - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Trump says the Republican mega bill will eliminate taxes on Social Security. It does not - PBS - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Republican Bill Will Raise Costs, Poverty, and Hunger, Take Health Coverage Away From Millions - Center on Budget and Policy Priorities - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Republican voters on Trumps sweeping tax-and-spend legislation: This bill is a no-brainer! - The Guardian - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- These are the Republican votes to watch on the Trump megabill - The Hill - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Trump Meets With House Republican Holdouts to Press for Policy Bill - The New York Times - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- How the Republican spending bill super-charges immigration enforcement - Reuters - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- House Should Reject Senate Republican Bill That Is Even Worse Than Already Harmful House Version in Important Ways - Center on Budget and Policy... - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Trump Tax Bill Hits Republican Resistance in House Ahead of Vote - Bloomberg - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- The Republican senators who voted against Trump's "big, beautiful bill" - Axios - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- By the Numbers: Senate Republican Leaderships Reconciliation Bill Takes Food Assistance Away From Millions of People - Center on Budget and Policy... - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Which Republican senators voted against Trump's agenda bill and why - ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- State of Colorado says Republican budget bill will cut billions in federal funding for Medicaid in the state - CBS News - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Republican Senator Tells House Not To Vote on Bill She Just Voted For - Newsweek - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Here Are the Republican Senators Who May Revolt on Trumps Bill - The New York Times - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Opinion | The Republican Policy Bill Will Cripple Obamacare - The New York Times - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- House Republican files amendment to revert Trump-endorsed 'big, beautiful bill' back to initial House version - Fox News - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Republican budget leaders moving forward a plan to close the aging Green Bay prison - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- RFK Jr. is bringing psychedelics to the Republican Party - Politico - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- Republican Sen. Thom Tillis will not seek reelection next year after Trump attacks - NPR - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- Following Trump attacks, Republican Senator Tillis bows out of 2026 reelection race - Reuters - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- Republican North Carolina Sen. Tillis wont seek reelection after opposing Trumps bill - PBS - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina wont run in 2026 after opposing Trumps bill - AP News - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- Sanders Leads Republican Governors to Call on Congress to Remove AI Regulatory Moratorium from One, Big, Beautiful Bill - Arkansas Governor - Sarah... - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- House Republican Don Bacon, a Trump critic, will not seek reelection - media - Reuters - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- Exclusive | One NY Republican opens massive lead in possible primary to face Gov. Kathy Hochul: poll - New York Post - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina won't seek reelection after opposing Trump's bill - WCCB Charlotte - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- Nebraska Republican Don Bacon will not seek re-election to Congress - NBC News - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Democratic and Republican Parties Hold Nominating Events This Week for Sept. 9 Special Election - Fairfax County (.gov) - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Vulgar and threatening graffiti painted on Huntsville business ahead of Republican congresswomans visit - WAFF - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Centrist Republican Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska won't seek reelection - ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- A Running List of Policies Rejected From the Republican Megabill - The New York Times - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Trumps Bill Slashes the Safety Net That Many Republican Voters Rely on - The New York Times - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Republican plans to overhaul Medicaid are already shaking up the 2026 midterms - CNN - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- The Senate Republican Tax Plan: Officially Worse than the House Republican Tax Plan - Senate Committee on Finance (.gov) - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Texas Republican State Representative discusses why he opposed the THC ban, criticizes the state bud - CBS News - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Republican Says 'Most' of Iran's Uranium Is Still There - Newsweek - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Fewer Democrats Are Taking the Bait on Republican Immigration Votes - NOTUS - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- US Republican senators push back on Trump cuts to foreign aid and public media - Reuters - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Republican introduces amendment to end birthright citizenship once and for all - Fox News - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Centrist Republican Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska won't seek reelection - Yahoo - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Scoop: New Republican Senate candidate in Kentucky to team up with top Trump ally - Fox News - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- The Republican foreign policy debate, President Trump, and the transatlantic alliance - Brookings - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- A Republican plan to sell off millions of acres of public lands is no more for now - Los Angeles Times - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- By the Numbers: Senate Republican Leaderships Health Agenda Takes Health Coverage Away From Millions of People and Raises Families Costs - Center on... - June 24th, 2025 [June 24th, 2025]
- Sweeping GOP budget bill illuminates the central fault line in the modern Republican coalition - CNN - June 24th, 2025 [June 24th, 2025]
- Lisa Murkowskis commitment to the Trump-era Republican Party appears increasingly shaky - MSNBC News - June 24th, 2025 [June 24th, 2025]
- Republican plans to cap student borrowing could shatter an everyday profession - Politico - June 24th, 2025 [June 24th, 2025]
- Republican Lisa Murkowski on Trumps America and the intensity on the security of our democracy - The Guardian - June 24th, 2025 [June 24th, 2025]
- Republican Party split over whether Trump should involve US in Israel-Iran conflict - ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos - June 24th, 2025 [June 24th, 2025]
- California Republican Kevin Kiley opposes sale of public land near Tahoe, Yosemite - KCRA - June 24th, 2025 [June 24th, 2025]
- Republican lawmaker with ectopic pregnancy nearly died amid new Florida abortion laws but blames the left - Yahoo - June 24th, 2025 [June 24th, 2025]
- Republican congressman says it would be great for Qatar to strike back against Iran - The Independent - June 24th, 2025 [June 24th, 2025]
- Critics warn Republican budget would worsen health disparities for Black mothers - NBC Connecticut - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- Republican Rep. Max Miller says he was 'run off the road' by pro-Palestinian protester - Fox News - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- Republican nominees Winsome Earle-Sears and John Reid speak to each other for the first time in eight weeks - WRIC ABC 8News - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- Opinion | The Alabama Republican Party is heading down a familiar path - Alabama Political Reporter - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- Legislative Republican proposal would change how Wisconsin pays for voucher schools - WPR - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]