Show C2 — The Herald Journal Logan Utah Friday November 28 2003 to fiBa® ©ramanO® baigl!s - While j L I'ASl) Texas I AIM over htKlv else vxanls to use water from the km Ciraiule randier Kit hramhlett i giving some hack Bramblcll is the first person to tlouate w ater to the Texas Water I rust estahlisheil in 1997 to proteet water quality ami fish aiul wildlife hahitat in' ri ers arouinl the stale The Hudspeth ('oiiiity attorney-tae tip his rigid to use 1236 acre- I eel of watertm his ranch eontrihut- ing it instead It the trust managed by' ‘the Texas Water Development Hoard : Atiaere-liioi equals about 326IXX) gallons enough to serve one or two families fora year-- ' 'Mine's just a drpp in the bucket ' It's just a place Id start'' said Brani--hle- tt whose family has ranched and ' farmed in West Texas since the " IdtOs The donated water will benefit a stretch of the Rio Grande between El aso and Big Bend National Park V known as "the forgotten river" because not much lives thery — plant animal orhuman Bramblett's ranch which is near ! the southern end of the Eagle Mountains and south of Van Horn is bordered oil the west by about 23 miles of Rio Grande riverfront Water rights along the upper part of the Rio Grande are ruled by a pri ority system that is pinned on the date the landowner “perfected" the right and the amount of water the right holder cun take out of the river A water right can be perfected in two wavs Before the I ()s landowners hud to prove they used a certain amount of water consistently over time to secure a right Alter the 1 960s the date an application was filed with the stale set the standard' When the river runs low people with lhe oldest rights can draw the amount of water they are allowed until there is nothing left The water donated by Braniblelt was attached to 400 acres iif land first farmed by his father in the 1940s Bramblett still holds rights he uses To 'water about fit) head of cattle he runs on his Bramblett says he remembers atime when the river run ii mile wide and “‘had good water in it” But witter was appropriated for use by ranchers farmers and urban dwellers Then water officials began tilling up Elephant Butte Reservoir inNewMexicuBy the 1950sThe Rio Grande dried up regularly Braniblelt said despite a 1939 river compact among Texas New Mexico and Colorado that was supposed to guarantee water for Texas ranchers' The river was so dry “you could ride a horse right down the middle of it" he said While everybody struggles for a piece of the mighty river one man is relinquishing part of his share Although the amount of Bramblett's donation is small it is important said David Bradsby a water resources program leader with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department It is water that most of the time will be left in the river he said Environmentalists and state officials say the long-terimportance of the donation may be even greater if it draws attention to the trust "A lot of people don't understand the need to do this” said Myron Hess the National Wildlife Federation’s Texas watA programs manager ‘‘The state han't done a good job : of selling (the trust) or facilitating m : donations!" f The program heeds money to do that said Colette Barron an attorney for the Parks and Wildlife Resource 2()(XXl-acrespre- ' vAPphoto - In the mid 60s after Texan Lyndon B Johnson became president the ease went to the court and the shortfalls haven’t helped “We needlo find ways to support it financially ' she have to incen lives draw to provide people Brambletts won he said It was another five years before water again flowed regularly in the Rio Grande The “forgotten river" area is now experiencing a drought since snow in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado that usualy flows to it from the RioGrandc has been reasons ' ’ Protection Divj&ion Water conservation has not been a ‘‘hot button" issue she said and state budget Bramblett is seen' last month ore his ranch near Santa Teresa Texas in Hudspeth County Bramblett is the first person to donate water to the Texas Water Trust established in 1997 to protect water quality and fish and wildlife habitat in rivers around the state Bramblett up his right to use 1 236 acre feet of water Kit His father relying on the Compact took the case all the way to the US Supreme Court Bramblett said! The case lingered and was never heard for what he believes were political ' ' said-’“W- into it” Bramblett Hopes other people will follow his example to save what he calls a vital resource “I hope it might inspire some other people if not to give all their water rights to give some” he said sparse Hiker rescued in San Rafael Swell after breaking leg EMERY UtalUAP) - Rescuers braved bitter cold Monday to retrieve a hiker stranded in a canyon with a broken leg after his brother hiked ’ ' for 22 hours to call for help The ordeal began Saturday when T brothers Justin and Jcremy' Harris were hiking in the Baptist Draw area ' dJ ShulC Canyon The cuiiyon is localcdin theheart of the San Rafael Swell about 20 miles from interstate 70 and about l (X) miles west of Miiab The men described by authorities’ ' " hikers were rap- pelliiigdowri an St) foot cliff around U pan when Justin 31 fell about (0 feet to the bottom and broke his leg Knowing it was impossible for his brother to hike any further Jeremy 27 hiked back up the cliff and out of the' canyon io: gel help “He left him food water and as ' much heavy clothing as hie could" said Emery County Sheriff LaMar Guyrndn “The temperatures there have been about zero or below" at " 5 " track" Guymon said came up to see what they were doing and make sitre he’s OK” Guymon ' said ' Rescue teams hoisted Justin out of the canyon and carried him on a : stretcher to a clearing several miles away where he was airlifted toa Salt Lake City hospital ' - The area has recently grown in Complicating the trek out of the canyon was Jeremy's synthetic hip He reached his car Sunday and used his cell phone to 1 call police Two rescue teams were launched as Jeremy was taken to a hospital for - mid-afterno- “We were very very fortu- - nate to find him in as: good a shape as he is” observation' ' —Sheriff LaMar Guymon night'' the daytighi hours ' the hike During back to the car's local ion would have taken roughly five hours Guymon But in the dark and cold it took ' ' ' 22- V overnight beside Justin “They had to wait until “It was darkandhc took a wrong (rai for a ways and had to back- - said' ' ' Using Jeremy’s direction's searchers reached Justin late Sunday night but couldn't remove him from the spot until Monday The searchers camped out I the' sun '' - popularity for hikers Guymon said and rescues are becoming fairly commonThe area can be treacher- -' bus for inexperienced hikers ' “We were very very fortunateto ' find him in as good ai shape as he is” Guymon said the Herald Journal supports local merchants non profit organiza £ ' tiohs and loat waiters by sponsoring online shopping Visit The Herald Journai for all of yojur Holiday " - 'Shopping we-fpsitur- excl usive items hard to find item? and items sold to fund many local nonprofit organizations - send request to webmaster®hjnewscbm To Receive a cataiog Collectors Pins Hacky Sacks Wind Chimes ' Cache Legacy Pewter Frames 36 “ Doll House $800 $500 $700 $3395 $1200 $19900 Gift Card $1985 Kitchen Aid Mixer $24900 Herald vss i Ilnll ' - - j Journal To advertise ce9 ' ' £ STEVE REGflN 740 N 50W LOGAN 11 t - mmm — UXlClllNMIVni WeCaiy! fuds lie Oitlet Stare SahctPrineRb Riy Steak -- Stock-tanks Fam Supply's and Feeds LNF Horse Feeds and Farrier Supply's Ttatay Breast Jertcy : $299 b $329 b $5XDb Bench Dp ftt Roast Pet Feeds - Pet Supply's Fencing Liwer ‘ Car Wash $250b $Z89t) Sinclair Gasoline $35014I Cring Ad in for 10 off withSG-200- 0 Simply Unbeatable WDd Bird Seed kxNdten IMrillOMoM 7CISHWT91 9 UT 29-244- MwniKMaosiTftotwio PHONE t4JSJ752-OB- M ' Carlsen’s “Gas Fof Less" 1 598 N Main Logan v' v Cacho ' |