TELLURIDE  – The Idarado Mining Co. announced it has notified the Town of Telluride that it is exercising its right to recall water rights that it conditionally deeded to the Town in 1992.  Idarado is recalling its water rights to support electrical power generation at the company’s hydroelectric plant, located at the top of Bridal Veil Falls, which is contracted to sell electricity to the Public Service Company of Colorado. Idarado may also have additional or alternative needs in the future for its water rights.

“In 1992, we conditionally deeded our water rights to Telluride because we were not using them at the time, reserving the right to recall them for Idarado’s future needs,” said David Baker, President of Idarado. “We are now exercising our right to recall these water rights to support electrical power generation and for other possible uses in the future.”

Idarado’s use of its water rights to generate electrical power will not adversely affect the flow in the San Miguel River nor diminish current levels of water flow over Bridal Veil Falls. 

Following the water rights recall, the Town of Telluride will still retain its own separate water rights above Bridal Veil Falls and a share of the storage space and water system.

Idarado Mining Company was founded in 1939 in the Telluride and Red Mountain mining districts of Colorado's San Juan mountains. The mine produced gold, silver and other metals until it closed in 1979.  Since that time, the historic mining district has been undergoing environmental closure and remediation activities.

Montrose County Commissioners to Hold Public Meetings

MONTROSE – The Board of Montrose County Commissioners will hold a public meeting to discuss its dispute with the Montrose County Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees regarding their attempt to transfer the hospital’s assets to a private non-profit corporation on Tuesday evening, May 31, 6:30 p.m. at Friendship Hall.

The Commissioners wish to discuss their position regarding the matter and explain the actions that have been taken to seek common ground to resolve the differences between the two parties. The public and the media are encouraged to attend.

San Juan Kids Cavity Prevention Program Receives Oral Health Innovation Award

DENVER – The Telluride Foundation’s school-based cavity prevention program, the San Juan Kids Cavity Prevention Program, or Skippy, launched in partnership with the Montrose Community Dental Clinic and the Forsyth Institute in Boston, has won statewide recognition for Innovation in Children’s Oral Health Care from the Colorado Association of School-Based Health Care. Skippy was selected among 47 school-based health care centers in the State of Colorado at the Association’s annual meeting in Denver this month.

“We are so proud of the Colorado Association of School-Based Health Care award and the great service the Skippy program is providing to our region’s  kids,” said Gary Steinbach, Skippy Administrator.  “In our region, many kids lack a dental home or regular oral health services. The award recognizes Skippy’s success in achieving strong school support and participation, the clinical outcome results and study and our health insurance enrollment program.”

According to Gary Steinbach, Skippy’s wide acceptance at 12 participating elementary schools in Naturita, Paradox, Norwood, Telluride, Ridgway, Ouray, Montrose, Olathe and Delta, has been key to the success of the program. Since 2008, Skippy has provided two cavity prevention treatments each school-year to over 950 children.

Skippy participates in a clinical outcome study which is conducted each year by the Forsyth Institute, Boston. According to Richard Neiderman, DMD, director of Evidence Based Dentistry, children participating in three or more Skippy treatments experience the following oral health outcomes: First, the percentage of children experiencing pain, abscesses or swelling, was reduced from 15 percent of children on the first visit to only 3 percent by the third visit. Second, the percentage of teeth with untreated decay was reduced from 3.2 percent to near zero or 0.6 percent.

According to the Colorado Association of School-Based Health Care, Skippy is the only school-based oral health program in Colorado that participates in an ongoing clinical outcome study conducted by an independent clinical research organization. 

Skippy also provides a health insurance enrollment program. “Our program identifies children who do not have health insurance and coordinates health insurance enrollment services for eligible children and their families in Medicaid and CHP+,” said Steinbach. “Since 2008 Skippy has identified over 400 uninsured children without health insurance and has enrolled 220 eligible children and their family members.”

Funding has been provided by the Telluride Foundation, the Caring for Colorado and El Pomar Foundations and private donors. The program is free for all local children and is offered in elementary schools in Ouray, Montrose, San Miguel and Delta counties. Since the program’s inception, 2,511 treatments have been delivered to nearly 1,000 children ages 5-12 at twelve participating elementary schools.

The Local Healthcare Initiative was established by the Telluride Foundation in 2006 to identify and strategically act on health care service gaps and leverage resources and programs among providers and clinics. Its mission is to improve the health of children and adults in San Miguel, Ouray and west Montrose counties by collaborating with local health care providers to identify and prioritize local health needs and by developing, funding, and implementing preventive health programs.