[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 56 (Thursday, April 2, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E877]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                SALUTING THE SERVICE OF FRED V. KROEGER

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN T. SALAZAR

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 2, 2009

  Mr. SALAZAR. Madam Speaker, this evening, the Southwestern Colorado 
Water Conservation District will bid farewell to a most dedicated, 
knowledgeable and remarkable man who has served on its board for 55 
years.
  Fred V. Kroeger of Durango, Colorado is a devoted man--to his family, 
his community and water resources.
  Fred was born in 1918 in Durango, Colorado and he lived there all his 
life. He graduated from Fort Lewis College and he made his home there 
with his beloved wife Eleanor. Fred and Eleanor raised their children 
in Durango and operated a business there--Kroeger's True Value 
Hardware.
  But Fred's grandfather and father were tied to the rural land and the 
agricultural economy of the region, and Fred's commitment to the 
farmers and ranchers who were his neighbors continued throughout his 
life. That commitment was evidenced by Fred's steadfast support for the 
Animas-La Plata Project, which was to deliver water to the ``dry side'' 
so that those farmers and ranchers could thrive with a more reliable 
and generous water supply. To this day, Fred bemoans the loss of the 
irrigation features of the project, which is now nearly complete but is 
limited to municipal and industrial supplies.
  Indeed, the first water meeting Fred attended was with the 
Southwestern District to discuss the Animas-La Plata Project in 1948. 
In addition to serving on that board, Fred served on the Animas-La 
Plata Water Conservancy District board for 24 years, the Colorado Water 
Conservation Board for 21 years and has been a member of the Colorado 
Water Congress for 51 years.
  That organization bestowed upon Fred the prestigious Wayne Aspinall 
Water Leader of the Year Award, given in the name of one of my 
predecessors who chaired the then-House Interior Committee where many 
of the water projects Fred Kroeger fought for were developed.
  Fred was active in his community and its civic and cultural 
organizations. He always carries a little pocket calendar with him, and 
it is jammed with meeting commitments to boards, business, family and 
friends.
  At 91, Fred has decided to free up some of those days on the 
calendar, and so he decided to retire from the Southwestern District 
board. He richly deserves the recognition he will receive tonight from 
his colleagues. I offer not only my congratulations to him on his 
retirement, by a little regret that he will be leaving and a mountain 
of respect for what he has given to the water resource community.

                          ____________________