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River Advocacy Group Leaves Message in Field for Obama

by KREX News Room
by Jordan Sherman

Story Created: Aug 7, 2012 at 7:20 PM MDT

Story Updated: Aug 8, 2012 at 7:21 AM MDT

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.- A Colorado River advocacy group called Protect the Flow hired an artist to create a message for President Barack Obama ahead of his visit to Grand Junction Wednesday afternoon.

They hired artist Stan Herd to carve a message into an alfalfa field that reads, "Mr. Prez, we rely on the Colorado River."

The group is comprised of more than 500 farmers and business owners who operate in the Colorado River Basin; 20 of them are local. Members of the group say they rely on the Colorado River and its tributaries for economic prosperity.

The total cost of the project was $18,000, with contributions going toward the artist and the property owner.

"The Colorado River in Colorado contributes $10 billion a year to our economy just from recreation on the river and 80,000 jobs," said Molly Mugglestone, coordinator for Protect the Flow, .

According to a report released by the group, the Colorado River has lost 40 percent of its stored water over the past 13 years.

This has local business owners concerned, including Brooke Webb, owner of the Mesa Park Vineyards.

"Without the river we would have no business and no grapes. It's extremely important not only to us, but to other vineyards, orchards and farms in the area," said Webb.

The group hopes Obama will see the message from the sky and work with his administration to preserve the Grand Valley's most critical water source.

"We really hope that he and his administration will do all that they can to protect the river, conserve this resource that is really a part of our economy," said Mugglestone.

The field is located at the Winterhaven Farm, an equestrian stable off of 29 Road in Grand Junction. The letters are 30 feet tall and the entire message is about 360 feet long.

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riverbgone said on Wednesday, Aug 8 at 6:29 AM

The river will be nothing but a trickle, as Garfield and Mesa County officials have given the natural gas drilling companies carte blanche to have first dibs for frac'ing. Disgusting. Also they're allowed to dump 40% of produced water back into the Colorado. Believe me, you don't want to play in this water or eat anything from it.

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