The front range of Colorado is one of the top five growth areas in the nation. Close proximity to the wondrous mountain ranges within the continental divide bring a certain type of transplant to Colorado that thrives on adventure open spaces and freedom. Denver is a regional hub of commerce as well as culture, and has been for many centuries. Native American indigenous peoples populated the area for the tame weather along the foothills, abundant game and general beauty. Agriculture grew below the gold mines in Clear creek and other raging rivers of Colorado creek water (I'm not talking about Coors light). by 1900 diversions out of creeks along the fertile plains of Colorado had almost dryed up the Platte, Repubican and other eastern slope drainage basins.
Prior appropriations was the law of the land in a land that was water deficient. First come = first right and has remained that way into the 21st century. Flood Irrigation was invented in the age of the Egyptians, they celebrated the "cutting of the canal" every year when the water would be ushered back into the ready and waiting farm plots of the commoners. My how things have changed. In todays competitive growth industry, there is no time for the honoring, or the connections that can be made through the seasons.
In todays market it is said that water flows uphill to money. The bad news for the farmer and eventually the person who appreciates eating, is that water is being diverted away from our foodstuffs. When the tractor pushed the horse out of the field there was a large switch in farming. No longer was two thirds of your acreage being cultivated to keep your plow power alive, you simply went to the store and bought petrol. the horses were no longer relevant. WOW! what do we do with all that extra grains that used to power our cultivation, harvest, transportation?
Did you know that the average human has a detectable percentage of corn in their proportional DNA? We get corn on all fronts, and many studies new and suppressed, all say the same thing---It Aint Healthy!
Unfortunately the current political situation is one of divide and conquer, suppress ideas, and dull our senses. That is exactly what the current grocery stores sell, once we get back to a local economy based on community cohesion and self reliance... oh ya I'm dreaming again. Big input agriculture doesn't even feed itself. I work with farmers of 50-50,000 acres, one thing they have in common, economics of scale is inversely related to health. Tractor operators and field technicians eat big macs and subways while they grow GMO corn and sugar beets. Alfalfa hay is grown and most of these products go to dairy and Cattle feedlots right here in Colorado. much of it is converted into HCFC and mass consumed by the food manufacturing industry.
What's worse is that those farms which are our last vestige of hope for nutrition are being turned into McMansions at the rate of 50-100 a day! Massive 4,000 square foot homes, in ticky tacky fashion so the housing developer can cut a big profit. An entry level house of 2017 is $400,000! say what! Most Families have to be double income and most are less than $100,000 annual. How is this sustainable?
I have no solution, I have no closing, But I do know a ramble when I see one. My closing thoughts and uplifting ideas are that, prior appropriation need revision, Water should flow to where water is truly needed, not into manicured greenscapes surrounding 1500 home suburbia craziness. We must honor the land and the water, current growth has no such place, and until industry participants demand it, the old ways will not return.
Mni-Waconi!