“In the West, when you touch water, you touch everything.”
Those words from Wayne Aspinall — the late congressman from Palisade who is nationally recognized as a major proponent of water storage, development and reclamation projects — became well-known long before they were etched into a stone memorial that stands in Peach Bowl Park.
But they have taken on a new significance lately as the Colorado River District has spearheaded an effort to acquire important water rights to ensure the permanence of flows through Glenwood Canyon. Financial support for the project is wide-ranging.
Last week, the Sentinel’s Dennis Webb reported that Summit County committed $1 million to the district’s campaign to purchase the historic Shoshone hydroelectric power plant water rights from Xcel Energy for $99 million. It’s a hedge to ensure that flows continue uninterrupted when the aging Shoshone plant inevitably reaches the end of its useful life.
