Opinion

River talks show we can use and save Colorado

Most recent news coverage of the Colorado River basin has focused on the conflicts that abound in this complex river system: conflicts among states, between the United States and Mexico, and between water users and environmentalists. But, today, we have a different story to tell about one of the basin's longest-running disputes. For years, people have been fighting about the Yuma Desalting Plant. Some see a technological miracle that can create fresh water from salty water. Others see an expensive white elephant, which if operated would destroy the 40,000 acre Cienega de Santa Clara in the heart of the Colorado's delta, by eliminating the Cienega's water source and increasing the concentration of salts through introduction of the plant's brine stream. The Cienega is a wetland that is home to at least 95 different species of resident and migratory birds, including the endangered Yuma clapper rail. Caught in the middle of these acrimonious debates, the federal government, which has responsibility for the plant, has not yet operated it or implemented alternatives. Sounds like classic gridlock. We wanted to find out whether we could get past the stalemate and accommodate the needs of water users without harming the environment. We are happy to report that open minds and hard work have prevailed. For the past nine months, we have been part of a group of water users, resource agencies and environmental interests engaged in a discussion about the Yuma Desalting Plant and the Ciénega. These discussions involve potential management alternatives that would ensure the life of the Cienega, decrease the loss of reservoir storage caused by the need to offset brackish bypass flows that drain from the Wellton-Mohawk Irrigation and Drainage District, and meet water quality requirements of the U.S.-Mexican Treaty. Specifically, we agreed to see whether there might be a way to operate the desalting plant or find an alternative way to free up an equivalent amount of water, or both, while neither diminishing Arizona's water right on the Colorado River nor degrading the Cienega. Success would mean more water in the Colorado mainstem reservoirs and less risk to Arizona of a reduction in water deliveries because of shortage. Success would also mean the Cienega de Santa Clara would continue to thrive. Lo and behold, when we got down to talking, we began to find potential solutions. Our report offers several, interlinked recommendations involving voluntary and compensated water forbearance, pumping nuisance waterlogged areas near Yuma, operating the desalting plant to focus on providing a municipal-quality water supply and an uninterrupted flow of water to keep the Cienega healthy. News of these solutions may not make the headlines that were generated by our rhetorical wars. But we would rather have realistic solutions, for both Arizona and the Cienega, than another round of quotes in the paper. We hope the federal government is listening.