News from neighbors

Haxtun Town Council hears from Concrete Specialties about main street concrete damage

HAXTUN-FLEMING HERALD, March 11 — A lengthy discussion on the damage to Haxtun’s main street took up almost the first hour of a March 2 Haxtun Town Council meeting last week. The majority of the damage, in the 100 block of South Colorado Avenue, seems to be from expansion following the main street project that took place seven years ago.

The damaged curb and gutter became an issue last year, when pieces of the concrete began to break off, some in large amounts, mostly on the west edge of the street. When the issue arose, Town Superintendent Ron Carpenter began contacting businesses who were a part of the project in 2012. Representatives from the engineering firm that has since bought out the original firm visited Haxtun.

That firm followed up with a detailed report that some say points the finger at other contributors to the project.

Overall, 90% of it is still in good shape; however, about 10% of it needs repairs. Unfortunately, this is due to the Colorado weather, where temperatures can range anywhere from below freezing to above 100 F. That causes expansion in the concrete.

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SPROWG study suggests four scenarios to bridge water gap

STERLING JOURNAL-ADVOCATE, March 12 — The South Platte Regional Opportunities Water Group has released the findings of its year-long study to help bridge the water shortage gap in the South Platte River Basin.

SPROWG’s study evaluated four concept alternatives that would use a combination of off-channel water storage at multiple locations, infrastructure and water exchanges to develop additional water supplies from the South Platte River.

Joe Frank, general manager of the Lower South Platte Water Conservancy District, who oversaw administration of the grant funds that paid for the study, said the purpose of the study was to find as many options as possible that would still be feasible.

The four water supply alternatives evaluated include multiple linked storage facilities capable of holding between 215,000 and 409,000 acre-feet of water at various locations between Denver and the Colorado-Nebraska state line. The water would be transported via a pipeline or through “exchanges” or trading water from one location to another.

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