Renewable Water Resources (RWR) has been waging a misinformation campaign in the San Luis Valley. RWR has conducted at least two public surveys this year, most recently this month, asserting misleading information as facts and then asking respondents to share their opinions. Additionally, they have run Facebook and other online ads full of untruths. Several of us in the water community, the city of Alamosa, and the environmental community have been working together to set the record straight and provide the public with the facts. One of the key tools that we will be using to provide factual information and correct misinformation is through a new website, we launched late September at this URL: www.protectsanluisvalleywater.com.
Under the campaign theme, Water Connects the San Luis Valley, we have provided the public with facts about:
San Luis Valley water and its importance to every facet of our community, culture and economy
The importance of agriculture to the economy and the water/ag connection
Local water solutions being implemented
Setting the record straight—taking on RWR’s misinformation and untruths and providing facts
Valley perspectives—videos and testimony from influential locals on water and their concerns about RWR’s proposal
List of Members—a list of diverse stakeholders working together to stop RWR. If your organization is not list here please let me know and we will gladly add you to the list.
Resource materials—four new downloadable fact sheets, media contacts, past media coverage
Call to get involved—a place people can ask a question or sign up for emails or get involved
We also recently launched a Facebook page called Protect San Luis Valley Water—please “like” the page and invite your friends to like it as well and share the content on your own social media channels. We are using the hashtag stopwaterexport.
Additionally, in the coming weeks we will be starting a Protect Our Water eNewsletter to share frequent and newsworthy updates. Please feel free to download the fact sheets and share them broadly. And let us know if there are other topics you would like us to address. We are committed to making sure the local community and broader public has the facts and knows that the majority of people living in the San Luis Valley do NOT support another attempt to export our water to the Front Range. We are organized and ready to fight it.
Cleave Simpson
General Manager, Rio Grande Water Conservation District