Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Water Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County seeks longer lease from Bureau of Reclamation for Ridgeway Reservoir water to avert no‑call impacts
Summary
County officials told Congressman Hunter they are leasing 3,000 acre‑feet per year from Ridgeway Reservoir to fulfill a no‑call agreement that prevents junior diversions from being shut off; they asked the congressman to push the Bureau of Reclamation to extend the current five‑year, year‑to‑year arrangement to a multi‑decade lease.
County officials told Congressman Hunter that Ouray County is leasing 3,000 acre‑feet per year from the surplus pool of Ridgeway Reservoir to prevent a “call” that would cut junior water users and irrigators in dry years.
Officials said the lease comes from an unallocated surplus pool of about 20,000 acre‑feet in Ridgeway Reservoir and is currently a five‑year arrangement; they said the county is in the third year of that agreement and seeks a longer term—potentially a 40‑year lease—to provide stable augmentation and protect local irrigators.
Commissioners and staff explained the lease is a temporary fix tied to a no‑call agreement that prevents senior rights holders (referred to in the meeting as “MND” or a coalition of senior holders) from making a call that would shut off more junior users in the Lower valley. They said the Bureau of Reclamation has been reluctant to extend beyond five years, and county officials suspect that hesitation is connected to Colorado River Compact negotiations and interim operating agreements that are due to roll in 2026.
“There’s no legal reason why they couldn’t do a longer lease,” a county commissioner said, adding that 3,000 acre‑feet is a small fraction of the river system but is significant locally for farmers and ranchers. Congressman Hunter said the request “makes sense” and that he would look into the matter with his staff and counsel with relevant agencies.
County speakers asked the congressman to use his office to press the Bureau of Reclamation to provide a longer lease term so the county can secure long‑term water reliability for irrigators and ranchers; they described the current arrangement as year‑to‑year operationally risky for agricultural planning. No formal federal action or commitment was made at the meeting; county staff requested follow‑up from the congressman’s office.
