[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 44 (Monday, March 22, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H2175-H2176]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           HONORING THE LIVES OF DOUG SHRIVER AND RAY WRIGHT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Salazar) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. SALAZAR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Doug 
Shriver, who was tragically killed with his friend Ray Wright on 
Friday, March 19, while clearing snow from the roof of Mr. Wright's 
cabin above Creede, Colorado. Mr. Shriver was my friend and a 
tremendously respected member of the San Luis Valley and Colorado water 
community. He was only 54 years old.

[[Page H2176]]

  Combined, both of these men held nearly 60 years of water knowledge 
related to the Upper Rio Grande basin and State of Colorado. Shriver 
was on the Colorado Ground Water Commission and served as president of 
the Rio Grande Water Users Association, an umbrella organization for 
ditch companies along the Rio Grande. All of these board positions were 
on a volunteer basis.
  Doug's service on these boards put him in the middle of the San Luis 
Valley's successful fight to keep its groundwater, sought by the 
American Water Development, Inc., and later the Stockmen's Water 
Company, both who hoped to sell it to the big cities. At the time of 
his death, he championed the establishment of subdistricts to further 
protect the San Luis Valley's groundwater, a concept where groundwater 
users pay a combination of fees and assessments to retire farm ground 
and reduce groundwater pumping to protect the aquifer. Shriver was a 
visionary in the San Luis Valley and Colorado water community. He 
strongly believed that both wildlife and agriculture could live 
together, and was a vocal advocate for the rural way of life at the 
Statewide level. A native of eastern Rio Grande County, he farmed 
potatoes and small grains. He was also an avid outdoorsman, who loved 
to ride snowmobiles and four-wheelers in the high country. My heart 
goes out to his family and his wife Carla.

  Madam Speaker, today, I also rise to pay tribute and honor the life 
of Ray Wright, who was tragically killed with his friend Doug Shriver 
in the same accident while clearing snow from the roof of his cabin in 
Creede, Colorado. Mr. Wright was my friend and a tremendously respected 
member of the San Luis Valley and Colorado's water community. He was 56 
years old.
  Wright served on the Rio Grande Water Conservation District for 
nearly two decades, with the last 10 years as president. He was also a 
member of Colorado's Interbasin Compact Committee, a Statewide board 
tasked with balancing the State's water needs, and had served two terms 
on the Colorado Water Conservation Board. All of these board positions 
were on a volunteer basis.
  I served with Mr. Wright on the Rio Grande Water Conservation 
District board. His service on that board put him in the middle of San 
Luis Valley's successful fight to keep its groundwater, sought by AWDI 
and Stockmen's Water, who both hoped to sell it to big cities. At the 
time of his death, he championed the establishment also of the 
subdistricts to further protect the San Luis Valley's groundwater.
  Ray was also a visionary in the San Luis Valley and the Colorado 
water community. He strongly believed that both wildlife and 
agriculture could live together, and was a vocal advocate for the rural 
way of life. A native of Rio Grande County, he farmed potatoes and 
small grains. He was also an avid outdoorsman and angler, who built his 
own bamboo fly rods.
  He leaves three daughters--Suzanne, Sarah, and Lauren--as well as his 
long-time partner, Mona.

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