Frackers Outbid Colorado Farmers for Water

The Denver Post reports that farmers bidding for water to grow crops for the hot summer and possible drought were unable to outbid oil and gas drillers who needed the water for fracking.

That has some people upset.  "What impact to our environment and our agricultural heritage are Coloradans willing to stomach for drilling and fracking?" said Gary Wockner, who is the director of the Save the Poudre Coalition, an organization dedicated to protecting the Cache la Poudre River.  More after the jump...

Brian Werner, spokesman for the Northern Water Conservancy District (which runs the auction), says that farmers who go to the auctions are on equal footing with companies who want the water for fracking.

"If you have a beneficial use for the water, then you can bid for that water.  We see the beneficial use of the water as a positive for the economy of the whole region.  Fracking is one of those uses.  Our uses of water have evolved over 150 years," Werner says.

Farming advocacy groups see it differently.

What do you think?  Does the big-money competition for water in Colorado concern you about what could potentially happen in this area?

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