By Gary Wamsley

Since plagiarism seems to be rearing its ugly head, especially where it concerns water issues, I was quite surprised when I read Weld County Commissioner Sean Conway’s Guest Commentary about NISP, which appeared in the Denver Post and thought it sounded quite familiar. I looked at the Guest Column submitted to this publication by House District 49 Representative B.J. Nikkel and noted that it was almost identical. Neither of these individuals has made any statement that these articles were or were not original works, but this editor certainly was under the impression that B.J. Nikkel, or at least her staff, had written the letter. I suspect that the Denver Post feels the same way about the commentary by Commissioner Conway.

In reality, I suspect that neither of them wrote those words, but rather they were provided by a third party who is promoting the Northern Integrated Supply Project. The words and phrases are just too similar for this to be a chance happening. There appears to be a rather amateurish attempt to paraphrase the thoughts, but the order of the presentation is identical and wording only slightly changed between the two documents. It seems obvious that these are not original thoughts, but merely the regurgitation of someone else’s thoughts.  They appear to be puppets with someone else pulling the strings. I expect better of elected officials.

You can compare the two versions here, presented alternately, one or two paragraphs at a time. The paragraphs are presented in the order in which they were written.

WATER STORGAGE IS CRITICAL

TO NORTHERN COLORADO’S FUTURE

By State Representative B.J. Nikkel

House District 49

In Northern Colorado we are able to enjoy the bounty of produce grown on the tens of thousands of acres of farm land in Larimer and Weld Counties irrigated by the precious waters flowing down from our high country. This has all been made possible by the visionaries who preceded and provided for us.

Denver Post

July 11, 2010

Weld County needs water project

By Sean Conway 

Weld County Commissioner
Guest commentary

Today in northern Colorado, we enjoy tens of thousands of acres of irrigated farmland that puts food on our table, provides open space between our growing towns, and has made Weld County one of the most productive agricultural counties in the United States. These benefits were made possible by those who preceded us.

Nikkel

These irrigated farm lands provide open space between our growing communities and also allow us to grow top quality foods to put on our tables. Many people don’t realize that Weld County is one of the top producing agricultural counties in the entire United States.

In the 1930’s, W.D. Farr and other visionaries led the effort to build the Big Thompson Water Project. Today, this tremendous project provides an invaluable supply of water to our ranchers and farmers, and families living in our Northern Colorado communities.

Conway

In the 1930s, visionaries such as W.D. Farr and others led the effort to build the Big Thompson Water Project. This project today provides an invaluable supply of water to our farmers, ranchers and northern Colorado communities.

Nikkel

Over the past 30 years, Northern Colorado’s population has more than doubled and yet no new significant water supply facility has been built. Growing cities in the Denver metro-area are looking north to find the water supply their communities need and they have their sights on thousands of acres of irrigated farmland in Northern Colorado.

Without a new significant water project, a recent environmental study showed that more than one hundred square miles of currently irrigated productive farm land will be dried up forever. The result would be catastrophic and would be an environmental and economic disaster for Northern Colorado.

Conway

Over the last 30 years, the population of northern Colorado has more than doubled, yet no new significant water supply facility has been built. In addition, growing cities in the Denver metro area are looking north to find the water supply their communities need. They now have their sights on thousands of acres of irrigated farmland in northern Colorado. A recent environmental study showed that without a new significant water project, more than 100 square miles of currently irrigated productive farmland will dry up forever. The result would be an environmental and economic disaster for northern Colorado.

Nikkel

After more than two decades of detailed planning and ongoing discussions, the time has come for us to support a new water project – the Northern Integrated Supply Project (known as NISP).

Several communities in Weld and Larimer County are currently seeking a permit from the Army Corp of Engineers to construct NISP. The project will include two new water reservoirs:  Glade and Galeton.

Conway

After more than two decades of planning and discussions, the time has to support a new water project, the Northern Integrated Supply Project (NISP).

Several communities in Weld and Larimer counties are currently seeking a permit from the Army Corp of Engineers to construct NISP. The project will include two new water reservoirs: Glade and Galeton.

Nikkel

The proposed Glade Reservoir location is situated north of Fort Collins in Larimer County. It is off-stream and is not on the Cache la Poudre River – as some opposing this project have insinuated. The project’s location continues to protect the Poudre River as a Wild and Scenic River.

The Galeton Reservoir and its pipeline from the South Platte River in Weld County will allow delivery of water for agricultural use to two ditch companies. This part of the project is of critical importance to farmers and ranchers in Weld County.

Conway

The proposed Glade Reservoir location above Fort Collins is off-stream and is not on the Poudre River, as some opponents of this project have insinuated. The project’s location protects the Poudre as a wild and scenic river.

The Galeton Reservoir and its pipeline from the South Platte River in Weld County, which is often the over- looked part of the NISP, will allow delivery of water for agricultural use to two ditch companies. This part of the project is critical to farmers and ranchers in Weld County.

Nikkel

Agriculture has been hard hit in recent years by the drought of 2002, and then by the shut-down of hundreds of agricultural wells in Northern Colorado by the state. Also, the closure of New Frontier Bank last year in Greeley by the FDIC hurt many Larimer and Weld County farmers and ranchers.

We must act now regarding this critical water storage project to ensure we will be able to continue to supply our communities and our farms and ranches needs. We must act now to ensure that Northern Colorado remains a top agricultural producer for the United States. We must stand up and support our farmers and ranchers by supporting critical water storage and keeping more of Colorado’s water in the state and that is why I endorsed the Northern Integrated Supply Project.

Conway

We all know agriculture has been hard-hit in recent years. First, by the drought of 2002, followed by the shut-down by the state of hundreds of agricultural wells in Weld and Morgan counties, and finally by last year’s closure of New Frontier Bank in Greeley by the FDIC.

If we are going to ensure that northern Colorado re- mains one of the most agriculturally productive county in the United States, we must act. We need to stand up and support our farmers and ranchers by supporting more water storage.

Nikkel

You can help in this effort by attending a lunch time rally in support of NISP in Erie, Colorado from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm at the Anderson Farms on Thursday, July 15th. Anderson Farms is located just a few miles east of I-25 and south of Highway 52 (Dacono/Erie Exit) at 6728 Weld County Road 3 ¼.

Please join Weld and Larimer County farmers and ranchers as they rally to send a message to our local, state and federal elected officials – to send the message that we need NISP now.

Conway

A public meeting on the effort will be held in support of NISP from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on July 15 at the Anderson Farms in Erie, a few miles east of Interstate 25 and Highway 52 at 6728 Weld County Road 3 1/4.

Please come join Weld and Larimer County farmers and ranchers as they rally to send a message to our local, state and federal elected officials: We need NISP Now.

A very similar appeared in the July 9 Greeley Tribune under the name of  Weld County Commissioner chairman Doug Rademacher, a fourth-generation farmer from southwestern Weld County.

What’s your opinion?