News

• Local Governments Talk Water and Wastewater
• West End Roundup with the San Miguel Basin Forum
• A Retirement Party for Mona

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Local Governments Talk Water and Wastewater

Water is a hot topic for local governments. At a recent intergovernmental meeting — with representatives from Norwood, Ophir, Rico, Telluride and Mountain Village — each town gave updates on local water projects.

A number of the projects involve water and wastewater infrastructure. Amie Martell, Water and Wastewater Division Manager for the Town of Telluride, noted it’s not surprising that many of these systems are reaching the end of their lifespan.

“The Clean Water Act was passed in the 1970s, so many of the wastewater treatment plants across the nation were built around the same time. The life expectancy was only about 30-50 years on all those plants, so most wastewater treatment plants are ready to be upgraded around the same time, which is now,” Martell said.

In Norwood, the community is working on a redundant transmission line.

“What it does is it eliminates our single point of failure in our system,” Norwood Mayor Candy Meehan said.

“It makes sure we have contiguous services during emergencies, maintenance, line breaks. Simple explanation is: if one line fails, our community still has water,” she added.

Meehan said the project is scheduled to cost about $10.5 million.

“It is positioned as nearly shovel ready, as close as we can be, without all the funding in place,” Meehan said.

Norwood has already secured $1.25 million from the federal government, another $1 million from San Miguel County, and the town is working on additional grants.

In Rico, town administrator Chauncey McCarthy said the community is working on moving from septic systems to a wastewater treatment plant.

“There’ve been challenges over the years. The town’s worked close to 30 years to set up a sewer system — a townwide collection and treatment plant — on and off since the ’90s. In 2019, the town council at the time recommended and sought a bond measure to finance a sewer system on the commercial corridor. That really divided the community, and we’re working now to reel people back in and gain support on this project,” McCarthy said.

McCarthy added that Rico received an EPA grant to begin design work on the project and plans to explore additional funding opportunities to reduce costs for the community.

In Ophir, Joseph Shultz said the town is evaluating what needs to be upgraded.

“Really trying to figure out what we need. We’ve made a lot of headway in reducing the volume of line items and scope of the work that we need. We’re still going to a very good system. Our water treatment plant is in really good order. We’ve just replaced some pumps and check valves. The big animal is waterline replacement,” Shultz said.

Meanwhile, in Mountain Village, the town is examining the feasibility of a thermal energy network to provide geothermal energy.

Amy Ward, Community Development Director for Mountain Village, said the network goes beyond traditional geothermal.

“It’s not just about the geothermal borehole. It’s any thermal asset. When I talk about a thermal asset, you can use heat from wastewater. You can use heat from our water system — even if it’s 45-50 degrees, that’s still warmer than the ambient air outside in the winter,” Ward said.

Ward said the town is considering creating a loop of thermal energy connecting the town hall area, the fire station, and Village Court Apartments.

Telluride is working on a similar project, examining currently vacant parking lots like Carhenge and the Shandoka for potential future development into commercial, transit and housing. Darin Graber, Sustainability and Grant Administrator for Telluride, said:

“Those two parking lots are currently parking lots. That sounds dumb, but rather than a retrofit situation — if we find good potential, and the financial model can be scoped for a thermal energy network system on one or both of the new development sites for the uses that are planned, that could be really great to incorporate into the design of those sites.”

Both communities are still evaluating the cost and benefits of thermal energy and how it could contribute to energy resiliency.

Also in Telluride, the town is working with local businesses to reduce the fats, oils, and grease entering the wastewater treatment plant, as well as continuing a sewer line rehabilitation project.

As communities work to upgrade their infrastructure, Meehan said the effort is worth it for the longevity of the towns and stewardship of water.

“Our water is so precious I don’t think anyone can put a dollar to it at this time. There’re concerns about what it’s going to look like in this region in the next 20 years. I think it’s beneficial to everyone in the region to give it our all at this point in time, rather than down the road 50 years going, ‘why didn’t they do it this way then?’” Meehan said.

She added it’s time to work smarter, not harder, and regionally, as local governments continue the conversations around the challenges and opportunities of water.

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West End Roundup with the San Miguel Basin Forum

Today on the West End Roundup with the San Miguel Basin forum KOTO’s news team chats with editor Regan Tuttle. In today’s headlines: Naturita Undertakes Infrastructure Project, Naturita Library Shines with Literary Programs, and Mustang Boys Celebrate an Epic Season.

The San Miguel Basin Forum is a locally owned and operated newspaper out of Nucla, Colorado. Visit SanMiguelBasinForum.com for weekly news, events, and local happenings in the West End.

Story beings at 6:00.

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A Retirement Party for Mona

Story beings at 13:40.

It’s a bright bluebird day at the top of the world — also known as the Telluride Ski Patrol station at the top of Chair 9 — and Mona is having a retirement party.

“She has been up here on the mountain since she was four months old. She put in, here on the mountain, 13 years of service,” said Erik Larsen.

Mona is one of Telluride’s avalanche dogs.

Larsen, a member of Telluride Ski Patrol and Mona’s handler, said, “Her expressed purpose is, here for the general public on the ski area, in the event of an inbounds avalanche, is for her to be dispatched into the field for that search and rescue operation.”

Mona, named for former ski patroller Mona Wilcox, is a Labrador retriever with jet-black fur and a small dusting of white around her muzzle.

A state-certified avalanche dog, Mona has helped clear scenes for events at the Telluride Ski Resort over the course of her career.

“She has been dispatched out by San Miguel County search and rescue on two events in the San Juans to go into a recovery mission,” Larsen said.

At her retirement party, Mona is snuggled on a bench in the sunshine with a sparkly disco ball collar. But Larsen noted that when the time comes, she is ready to work.

“The best thing about her is she has a switch. She can be a calm demeanor, just hanging out at the patrol station dog. When she knows it’s time to go to work, that switch flips and she goes into a completely different mentality of ‘it’s time to go to work,’” Larsen said.

Mona is part of a crew of avalanche dogs working on the mountain. The youngest are 2 years old; Mona is the most senior.

“The dogs learn from one another. They learn from mentors. They learn from the queen bee of the station. When they’re young, in those first couple years, we actively put them together to facilitate that learning experience. It’s amazing to see the young dogs learn from the more senior dogs,” Larsen said.

Mona and Larsen are close companions.

Larsen said Mona has made him a better ski patroller, and their work together is one of his proudest accomplishments.

“Having Mona, and the companionship of Mona, in both a pet capacity and also as a working dog has honestly been one of the most gratifying experiences of my life. Being able to see her and train with her, she’s changed my life, and I hopefully have changed hers. It’s just really special,” Larsen said.

While Mona is taking a well-deserved retirement, the rest of the Telluride avalanche dogs — Stella, Sadie, Gretchen, Pika, SWE and Misty — are still on the mountain, working hard and keeping everyone safe.

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Telluride Joins Nationwide “No Kings” Protest

People across the country are gathering Saturday for a “No Kings” march and protest.

Telluride is joining the effort.

A collaboration between the People’s March and No Kings, the event encourages Telluride residents of all ages to participate and “take back democracy,” organizers said.

The march in Telluride will feature speeches from Susie St. Onge and Bob Beer.

Protesters will meet at the San Miguel County Courthouse at noon Saturday, March 28. Participants are encouraged to bring signs.

Alternatively, Telluride’s Indivisible group will join the No Kings march in Montrose at 1 p.m. at 320 S. First St.

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“10 Shades of Red” Explores Telluride’s Red-Light History

Telluride has a colorful past, and now its “shady ladies” are coming to the page.

Sharon Albin, who has lived in the community for more than seven decades, has served as a court clerk, civic leader and community volunteer. Her life has been intertwined with Telluride’s legal, cultural and social evolution. Now, she is an author highlighting the women of Telluride’s past — with some creative liberties.

“10 Shades of Red — The Shady Ladies of Telluride” weaves together fact, folklore and family memory into a portrait of the women in Telluride’s red-light district who helped shape the character of the community.

‘10 Shades of Red — The Shady Ladies of Telluride’ weaves together fact, folklore and family memory into a portrait of the women in Telluride’s red-light district, who helped shape the character of the community.

Albin will be in Norwood this weekend for a book talk and signing.

The event will take place at noon Saturday, March 28, at the Livery in Norwood and will feature Albin discussing her new book.

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Low Snowpack Signals Potential Colorado River Shortages

States in the Upper Colorado River Basin are looking at some of the worst snowpack on record and are preparing for a drought-stricken runoff season.

During the Upper Colorado River Commission meeting on March 24, each state shared how it was preparing for what may be a record-breaking period of shortage.

In Colorado, Becky Mitchell, the state’s chief negotiator for the river, said the state engineer is already out in the field administering cuts to usage.

“Water rights holders on the West slope are being cut to the 1880s priority dates: water rights that predate the compact by decades. This is how we manage low flows. When there is less, we use less. This is not voluntary and no one gets paid as a result,” Mitchell said.

She said the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe is looking at cutting its water use by 70 percent.

The dismal hydrology means forecasts for Lake Powell are dire, and the reservoir could reach critically low levels sooner rather than later.

Under existing agreements over drought conditions, the Bureau of Reclamation has two tools at its disposal:

It can release water from upper basin reservoirs to supplement Powell, and it can legally reduce the amount of water sent out of Glen Canyon Dam to 6 million acre-feet — almost a million acre-feet less than mandated by the Colorado River Compact.

The commission said discussions for both of those scenarios are underway, and Reclamation will likely announce its plans in about a month, with implementation to begin in May.

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Bill Seeks Changes to Farmworker Overtime Rules

Colorado lawmakers want to make changes to overtime wage laws for agricultural work under a bipartisan bill now advancing at the statehouse. Rae Solomon reports for the Colorado Capitol News Alliance.

As Rae Solomon reports for the Colorado Capitol News Alliance, under the current law, ag workers get paid overtime after working either 56 or 48 hours a week, depending on the type of farmwork.

This year, two competing bills sought to revisit that threshold. A bill to lower it to 40 hours a week, standard in most industries, died in committee. A second bill to bump it up to a flat 56 hours for all farmworkers is advancing.

Republican Minority Leader Cleave Simpson is a main sponsor.

“This truly isn’t about competing interests. It’s about trying to find a medium where you have respected, valued workers and profitable at least semi-healthy producers so we can continue to function and be a viable industry in this state,” Simpson said.

Opponents said overtime pay should kick in much sooner and argued farmworkers deserve the same overtime protections as the rest of the workforce.

Colorado lawmakers want to make changes to overtime wage laws for agricultural work under a bipartisan bill now advancing at the statehouse. Rae Solomon reports for the Colorado Capitol News Alliance.

Under the current law, ag workers get paid overtime after working either 56 or 48 hours a week, depending on the type of farmwork.

This year, two competing bills sought to revisit that threshold. A bill to lower it to 40 hours a week, standard in most industries, died in committee. A second bill to bump it up to a flat 56 hours for all farmworkers is advancing.

Republican Minority Leader Cleave Simpson is a main sponsor.

“This truly isn’t about competing interests. It’s about trying to find a medium where you have respected, valued workers and profitable at least semi-healthy producers so we can continue to function and be a viable industry in this state,” Simpson said.

Opponents said overtime pay should kick in much sooner and argued farmworkers deserve the same overtime protections as the rest of the workforce.

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Research Shows Declining Survival Rates for Rocky Mountain Mule Deer Fawns

It’s almost fawning season across parts of the Rocky Mountain West. By mid-May, mule deer will begin giving birth, and if all goes well, most will have twins. But new research suggests survival rates for young deer may be declining in some areas.

For Rocky Mountain Community Radio, KZMU’s Emily Arntsen reports.

Story begins at 21:15.