Pond Study Completion, Words of Thanks

With the completion and acceptance from the State, Dale Mauch and Don McBee would like to thank all the people, businesses, and organizations that made the Pond Study on farms located on the Arkansas in Southeastern Colorado possible. It was a community effort and a victory for irrigated agriculture’s future in the valley. 

First we would like to thank Ace Tire, Agri Pros, Air Care Inc., Anna Carere Insurance Agency, Bent Conservation District, Bent County Commissioners, Colorado Beef, Colorado State Conservation Board, Colorado Corn Growers Association, Colorado East Bank & Trust, Colorado Equipment- a Rivers, Community State Bank, The Ditch and Reservoir Company Alliance, DeWitt Excavating, Inc., Douglas Lubbers, D.V.M., East Otero Conservation District, Farm Credit of Southern Colorado, Fort Lyon Canal Company, Frontier Bank, Lynden & Ann Gill, Jones Trucks & Equipment, Lamar Auto Parts, Lamar Building Material Supply, Larry’s Electric, Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District, Lower Arkansas Watershed Association, H. Manning Company, May Valley Water Association, McClave State Bank, Muth Welding, Northeast Prowers Conservation District, Otero County Commissioners, Lori Peterson-Payne Insurance, Ron Peterson LTD., Pipe Yard, Prowers Conservation District, Prowers County Commissioners, Prowers County Farm Bureau, Ranchers Supply Company, Rustler Implement Company, Semco, Southeast Colorado Farmers Union, Southeast Colorado Power Association, Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District, Sparks Ranch, Teeter Irrigation, Temple Grain, Three Bizee B’s, Inc., Valley National Bank-Girard, Wallace Gas & Oil, FBO Wurst, Inc. for initial funds to start pond study. 

And recommendation letters from Lower Arkansas Management Association and Dick Wolfe, State Engineer to obtain a grant from the Natural Resources Conservation Service. 

With special thanks to Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District for time, funding, legal work, engineering and administration along with the Colorado Water Conservation Board for funds for the last three years of study for its completion. 

Thanks to the farmers that allowed access to land and those farmers that helped throughout study with donation of countless time and expertise.  

Thanks to the engineers and field technicians that performed study. Thanks to those that guided a couple of farmers through the minefield that became changing state policy for your patience and actually listening to what we had to say. Thanks to the Assistant Attorney General and State Engineer that allowed the stipulation for the study.  

And lastly a thanks to The Pueblo Chieftain for all the reporting and time spent, from the time the Efficiency Rules were proposed, writing the Efficiency Rules, implementing and now the completion of the study. 

GRATITUDE AND THANKS TO ALL,

Dale Mauch & Don McBee