June 20, 2013

Train wreck coming on the Colorado

A heavy train is moving at five miles per hour toward . . . a cliff? A collision?

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Agriculture

Hartland Dam design firm wins award

c08 hartlandPhoto submitted Merrick-McLaughlin Whitewater Design Group’s Hartland Dam fish and boat passage facilities win engineering award for innovation. The American Council of Engineering Companies of Colorado announced its 2013 Colorado Engineering Excellence Awards winners at a gala event held Nov. 5, at the historic Brown Palace Hotel.

Seven Colorado engineering firms received Engineering Excellence Awards and were among 24 projects submitted by firms statewide.

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Agriculture

Deadline fast approaching for 2013 NAP coverage

"Delta County Farm Service Agency (FSA) wants to remind agricultural producers of the upcoming deadlines to purchase Non-Insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) coverage for 2013 crops.  Now is the time to look ahead at your 2013 crop year plans and evaluate the need to purchase coverage against loss of production as a result of natural disaster on otherwise non-insurable crops," said Alan Bull, County Director.

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Agriculture

Soil health tillage taking root here

c08 soilhealthPhoto submitted The use of cover crops was a main topic of discussion as about 20 local ag producers and support professionals toured four soil health projects under way from California Mesa at Delta to Olathe. Staff from the NRCS and local conservation districts attended also. Soil health practices are gaining interest and new adherents as local producers share their experiences and look to reap the benefits of improved water quality, less water use, lower carbon inputs, and improved yields.Soil health farming practices are taking root in the Uncompahgre Valley.

A tour of local soil health fields conducted by Jerry Allen and attended by about 20 area producers and ag industry support professionals made demonstration stops at four local farms.

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Agriculture

Beef calendars available

Do you run a cattle operation? Could you use a really helpful calendar with tips on how to best manage the herd each month? If so, stop by the Delta Extension Office and pick up a 2013 Beef Calendar.

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Agriculture

Applications available for next Master Gardener class

Colorado State University Extension is accepting applications for the 2012 Master Gardener program. The Tri River Area Master Gardeners, serving Mesa, Delta, Montrose and Ouray counties, are the horticulture volunteers for extension.

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Agriculture

Hotchkiss workshop will help ditch companies

The Ditch and Reservoir Company Alliance (DARCA) will be holding a workshop, "Helping Ditch Companies and Group Laterals Organize for Success," in cooperation with the Delta Conservation District on Thursday, Nov. 29, at Memorial Hall in Hotchkiss, located at 175 North 1st St. from 6:30 to 9 p.m.

The Delta Conservation District is working with DARCA to help water users on the Western Slope during these changing times.

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Agriculture

Two local men appointed to state mining board

On Nov. 1 Gov. John Hickenlooper announced several appointments to state boards and commissions, including two Delta County men.

Richard Chermak of Hotchkiss and Justin Evans of Crawford were named to the Coal Mine Board of Examiners.

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Agriculture

Water conference this week in Grand Junction

The drought of 2012, on the heels of raging high water in 2011, was a wake-up call that we live in a dry land with highly variable weather. Our reservoirs buffered the impacts of this one-year (so far) drought, but another dry year or two could show the limits of their ability to protect us from our fickle climate.

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Agriculture