The Flaming Gorge Pipeline Project (FGP) is a proposed diversion of the Green River at Flaming Gorge for the purposes of sending water to Denver and the front range of Colorado. The pipeline would follow the I-80 corridor and could head as far south as Pueblo, CO. The FGP is intended to withdraw 250,000 acre-feet of water per year from both the Flaming Gorge Reservoir (165,000 acre-feet) and the Green River above the reservoir (85,000 acre-feet).
Flaming Gorge
This massive proposed diversion of the Green River ecosystem has recently switched its planning from one federal agency to another. The Army Corps of Engineers shelved one formulation of the proposed diversion citing inadequate studies, missed deadlines and changing project purposes by the proponent of this massive and speculative water project. Aaron Million, the businessman seeking to get approval for the multibillion dollar water diversion, said he would continue the project through the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The state of Colorado ruled in August to spend $70,000 to assess the feasibility of the FGP.
The FGP will undoubtedly ravage the aquatic ecosystems of Flaming Gorge and the Green River, a river system believed to be shrinking in volume as a function of climate change. The Green is one of Utah’s most pristine aquatic ecosystems and the proposed diversion could be catastrophic Utah’s and Wyoming’s recreation industry, rural economies and all downstream users of Colorado River Basin water.
It’s hard to predict where Million will go from here and the likelihood of the diversion’s approval. Utah government is happy to see other states divert Utah’s water and rivers and, between the Army Corps of Engineers or FERC, it’s a tossup which federal agency cares less about impacts to aquatic ecosystems. FERC is eager to approve new hydropower facilities and given America’s panic about new energy supplies, we can expect to hear a lot of greenwashing about the proposal’s green power.
Colorado water districts are eagerly pushing are eagerly pushing the diversion behind the scenes and one Colorado agency recently allotted $72,000 to “study” the effects of the proposed diversion.
Contact your legislators to let them know you want to keep Utah’s water in Utah.
Related Posts
September 13, 2011: Stop Flaming Gorge Diversion
November 22, 2010: Green River Granted Temporary Reprieve from Disastrous Diversion
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Grow Hay and Drain the Colorado River « The Torrey House Broadsheet says:
September 20, 2011 at 2:40 pm (UTC -7)
[...] of the water in the West is used for growing hay, might not hay be better place to find water? . . . more>> Share this:TwitterFacebookEmailMorePrintLike this:LikeBe the first to like this post. Posted in: [...]