Executive Director's Note: |
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Dear DARCA, I am thankful for warmer weather, growing crops, the few rain showers we have received, and member and sponsors like you. You make this job fun and I truly love working with and for you! I wanted to let you in on a few things that is going on. Membership Dues Update I, along with our board of directors, has evaluated the current membership dues (which are original to the DARCA conception) and know that it is time to simplify dues. Before, the levels were overwhelming and it wasn't always an easy decision on which membership level to choose. I have had many questions about "where do I fit into these dues?" and we are hoping this new system will be more straightforward. You can expect your dues in July. You can pay your dues here, via the email that will be sent to you, or via check. You will not, however receive your invoice by mail this year. With COVID-19, we are taking the opportunity to go as paperless as possible. Please let me know if you have questions or concerns. If you do not receive an invoice but would like to be a member, please let me know! Individual/Student--- $100 "Small" Ditch ($200,000 revenue or less/year)--- $150 "Big" Ditch ($200,001 in revenue or more/ year)--- $500 Corporate (engineers, attorney, conservancy, county, city, municipality, etc.)--- $500 For some of you this is an increase, and for others it is a decrease. We are hopeful that this change will bring simplicity to the membership. Member Database Update As I look at the information on file for many of our members, I am noticing that we are missing information and some information may be out of date. If you have an extra few minutes, I ask that you please fill out the form below so that I know where to send correspondence. Thank you for all you do, Amber Weber DARCA Executive Director |
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Have you filled out your census yet? The census is a general count of the people in an area. An accurate count of the people living in an area is important for funding that feeds directly into schools for school lunches, special education, and other programming in addition to other integral parts of our county. Example: If the count contains 18,000 people, that is how much funding that county gets even if the county has over 20,000. Health clinics. Fire Departments, Schools, Roads and highways are affected by this. The census can shape many different aspects in communities state-wide. This is our chance to make a big difference for our families and future because the census results help determine how billions of dollars in federal funding flow into state and communities each year. That's a pretty big deal! When you respond to the census, your answers are kept anonymous. The census does not care if you are tall or short, white/black/purple, immigrant or citizen, infant or 100 years old. Everyone counts. The data is only used to produce statistics and allocate funding. The U.S. Census Bureau is bound by law to protect your answers and keep them strictly confidential. The law ensures that your private information is never published and that your answers cannot be used against you by any government or agency court. Go to my2020census.gov to respond digitally. Call 844-330-2020 to respond via phone. By responding now, you eliminate the need for a Census taker to come to your door and will allow results to come in faster. It only takes about 10 minutes to change your future. |
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The Survey of Irrigation Organizations, conducted by USDA's Economic Research Service (ERS) and National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS), in collaboration with the Office of the Chief Economist (OCE), will provide a greater understanding of local irrigation decisions and their impact on drought resilience. Over the last several decades, many aspects of local water management institutions have changed, including the number and size of irrigation organizations, the pricing structures used for cost recover and the reliance on new sources of water quantity data, with an expanded emphasis on groundwater management. Increasing demands on the Nation's limited resources has heightened the need for information on local management decisions and infrastructure systems that can improve agricultural drought response. Limited data on how water-supply management entities at the local scale respond to water scarcity is an impediment to water-related research and analysis and knowledge transfer among local water managers in particular. Respond Online Click here to complete your survey online. Remember, you will need your 17-digit survey code to sign in. |
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Colorado's Water Plan Update |
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Colorado's Water Plan is going through an update process and the Colorado Water Conservation Board wants our input. If you missed the general ag listening session, that's okay. DARCA will get our very own listening session in the coming months which will give CWCB an opportunity to "hear from water leaders across the state and gather feedback about how the Water Plan should approach the critical issues around agricultural water use." You'll hear more about this process in the near future. The Colorado Water Plan impacts us all and it is a wonderful opportunity to speak directly to this update. |
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The webinars will begin on July 16th and will occur every two weeks at 7:30 pm MST. If you'd like to attend the webinars, register using the link below so that I can send you the appropriate link to log in to the Zoom platform. We will also post these in our member's only section of the website for you to view later. I look forward to "seeing" you on our calls! Webinar 1- Update with our water situation with snow pack and drought Webinar 2- legislative update from Colorado Water Congress (yes we know this legislative season is over, but there are bills in draft form that will be worked on over the summer to present next time) Webinar 3- focus on economics and markets and how this will impact ag and other sectors moving forward. Webinar 4- feature a variety of organizations for an update from some of our funding organizations and those who are “boots on the ground” Webinar 5- organizational accounting (how will COVID affect dues and assessments) and insurance concerns |
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I'd like to take a minute to highlight our sponsors each time you receive a newsletter. This month I have selected a unique opportunity that I was able to witness with not one, not two, but three of our sponsors in one meeting! Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District, AssetGuard Products, and Silverback Industries met in McClave, CO last week to go over a large project to take place this winter. In the Lower Arkansas River Valley (LARV), water quality concerns loom over water managers, producers, conservancy districts, etc. and one way to mitigate that concern is to line irrigation ponds to limit deep percolation. AssetGuard manufactures a "proprietary modified polyurea lining and coating technology that provides a seamless, durable, maintenance-free layer of protection" that can be used on ponds, ditches, etc. Silverback Industries is "committed to bringing customers the highest quality products and workmanship for long-term solutions. With over 20 years experience in coating applications, [Silverback Industries] has the knowledge and skills to ensure the project is done right. [Their] products are made to handle the harshest conditions from residential, commercial, to industrial applications." The polyurea product is the right fit for the Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District as their mission is to "retain and conserve water resources within the Lower Arkansas River. To encourage the use of such water for the socio-economic benefit of the District citizens. To participate in water-related projects that will embody thoughtful conservation, responsible growth, and beneficial water usage within the Lower Arkansas Valley,... with or without water." This meeting is a prime example of the sponsors and members meeting together for the same mission. Protect water and help people. Mike Weber, Lower Ark mweber@lowerark.com Kevin Pankey, Silverback Industries kevinpankey1@gmail.com Justin Kohl, AssetGuard Products justin.kohl@assetguardproducts.com P.S. Irrigation Improvement plans are followed. |
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